My dad has a 2001 Expedition 2wd, 5.4L with the 4R100 (I have also seen it referred to as the E4OD, but whatever you call it, it's not the 4R70W), and it has been exhibiting some funky symptoms since we bought it in August with 165k on it. Now has 173k on it. I changed the filter and added a quart of Trans-X in. Whether or not that was the brightest thing to use an additive like that, it made no difference at all.

What the thing is doing is two different things:
1st Symptom
I have noticed this symptom in several other Fords with the 4R100, but never as severe as this one. In overdrive at the very low end of the gear, around 45 or 50 mph (for some reason unlike a lot of others this one doesn't upshift to O/D until then), under throttle pressure usually going up hills, it "kicks" really hard, like a big chunk of metal is floating around in the tranny or something. It just sort of jolts the car every now and then, a quick sharp jolt. Also occasionally does this in 3rd gear around 35 or 40 mph. Like I said I've felt it before in other Expies/Fisos I've ridden in or driven, but not as bad as this one.

2nd Symptom
It makes the noise like you're driving over a rumble strip, but ONLY during upshifts and downshifts. 90% of the time when it does this, it is during the 3rd-4th upshift, but under hard throttle it will do it at every upshift. Occasionally does it briefly during downshifts as well. We usually just leave O/D off unless we're on the highway to avoid most of this problem, but it does it occasionally in 3rd when it drops rpms again (these Ford transmissions must secretly have a fifth ratio, lol, every one I've driven goes in to third and then drops rpms again like another upshift before it goes in to overdrive).

What it is NOT doing:
I have noticed no slipping at all, there does not appear to be and evidence of burnoff on the dipstick, and the fluid color is pretty close to what it should be. I have noticed that it seems to hold gear a little longer than others before upshifting under light throttle, but I figure that is just the way this one is calibrated to shift. Any help would be appreciated!!! Don't really want to rebuild or replace the tranny if that is avoidable, but it's getting pretty annoying.

 

This sounds to me like a coil pack more than a trans issue. Under load like that at low rpm, a miss is going to feel like a pretty big jolt.

The fifth gear you feel is the locking of the torque convertor, completely normal. Hard to say what the problem is. When was the last time the trans fluid and filter were changed? Old fluid loses some lubrication over time with use. It may just be time for a flush.

 

As far as the fluid goes, I changed the filter at about 166k, but I have no idea if it was ever even changed at all before as we just bought it at 165k and the fluid looked pretty dark before I changed it.

But for the kicking, you will just have to trust me on this one that it is not a coil and it is definitely within the transmission. I have experienced coils going bad as well and whenever they jerk the car I can clearly tell the engine has missed or skipped a beat, its almost like the engine cuts off for a split second when the coil misses. The kicking the transmission is doing is way sharper and harder than a coil going bad and I know the engine is not missing at all when this happens.

SOMEBODY has got to know what I'm talking about, I swear I'm not crazy or an idiot, I know I have felt this before in other Fords like this! Even my buddy's Crown Vic with the 4R70W did this in overdrive before he got a new tranny! Another buddy's '04 F-150 with 105k does it as well but not near as bad.

 

You changed the filter, did you change all of the fluid?

If you insist it is the trans, take it to a tranny shop. They will almost always give you a free diagnosis.

 

Mine does it too. It almost feels like it kicks sideways sometimes.

 

If you changed the fluid with Mercon V or something that says it's Mercon V compatible, you might want to try changing the fluid again. This time with just Mercon.

Regular Mercon was to be used and there use to warn against using Mercon V. Sometime in the mid '00s, Ford changed the Mercon V formula slightly and stated that Mercon V could be used on the 4R100, but I don't believe it's the best way to go. I say this because I've seen a friend use Mercon V in his 4R100 and have tranny problems. When he flushed and filled with some off brand fluid that said it was Mercon approved, but not Mercon V approved, his tranny was back to normal. BTW, the Merc V he used caused problems with his tranny to slip and slam into gear, until it warmed up.

 

Was there a rubber plug in the pan when you changed the filter? If there wasn't, then it had been serviced previously. Also when you did your fluid change, did you do a flush or just replace what was in the pan? Without doing a flush or disconnecting the lines and purging the old with new you are not getting a complete fluid exchange.

 

I'm having that same exact issue and came on here to see about an answer. I have started to run with the OD off when below 50 and it doesn't do it. I do feel a little slippage, though. Off to the tranny shop we go for a checkup..maybe. But I'll start a new thread for that.

 

I may have fixed my transmission problem. I replaced the broken vacuum module (not sure the proper name) on the driver's side of the intake and replaced the two hoses that connect to it and now it runs and shifts great. I drove it about 30 miles today and it never jolted one time.

I also just put a new set of Bridgestones on my Expedition so that may have helped too. Not really sure.

 

Guys, thanks for the advice. I will look in to the vacuum hoses and such but if I don't see any problems there, I guess i'll just take it to Aamco or somewhere. As for a rubber plug, I don't recall anything being there besides the little round magnet. I just replaced fluid in the pan since I don't know how to drain the torque converter, and I used Dex/Merc IV compatible Castrol fluid.

I guess something went wrong down the line whether it was fluid not being changed often enough or just really hard driving, cause we also have a '98 Exped with the 5.4 and the 4R100 and it has 267,000 miles on it now and has never had any tranny issues at all. (Motor knocks and rattles some when it's cold, but that's another story; too many full throttle 0-60 runs and illegal passing due to road rage lol). We did a pan drop on it at 63,000, a complete flush at 120,000, another flush at 213,000, and a pan drop at 260,000, and that's it. Absolutely NO symptoms from that one, it shifts like brand new! (yes, it went 93,000 miles without being serviced, I wasn't in charge of its maintenance then)

 

I have a 01 Navigator and once I hit 65 it feels like I am driving on the side of the road and the SUV slows down automatically. I had the transfer case serviced, rear diff changed, trans changed, driver side drive shaft changed, new wheel bearings, new u joints and new control arms. Is the TC the problem?

 

1. Does it still do this if you press the button to lock out the OD?

2. When it does this, while maintaining speed use your other foot to slightly press the brake pedal. Press it just enough to say turn on the brake lights, but not enough to be engaging the brakes. Does the problem stop when pressing the brake pedal?

 

I will try it today and let you know.

 

Yes it still makes the noise when i slightly apply the brakes and with the overdrive off.