I forgot that the computer doesn't control everything on that transmission. Can you explain further the full line pressure problem? I'm not familiar with how that occurs.

 

Well apparently certain parts inside the transmission cannot handle for too long the full pressure the pump is capable of - I keep forgetting what said parts are, IIRC something like direct drum or forward drum or some clutch pack - it's been discussed in the transmission/driveline forum on here, shouldn't be too hard to find the info there... This applies to the factory components, not sure how aftermarket ones hold up there

 

I've got a video addressing most of the fixes for the E4OD. Its a bit dated (from the ninety's) but the info is still great. I'm going to convert it from vhs to avi and see if I can post it on you tube. He discusses the line pressure problem and how the first gen computers were more or less a death sentence to the unit. There have been even more fixes to come out since this video and the aftermarket is now producing the heavy duty components. Most of the planets in gas version of the E4OD were 3 or 4 pinion aluminum units and were prone to galling and self destruction due to heat/load. Then there is the center support update that will help hugely. The pump shortcomings were addressed in the F5 and F8 pumps. The torque converter shuddering due to clutch plate flexing/cracking has been addressed by most torque converter rebuilders. Some weld the clutch plate others replace with an after market clutch plate.
If you rebuild a unit and apply the updates from the atsg update manual I think you'll be pleased. The steel planets, center support update, reduced thinckness pressure plates, sonnax fixes and adjustments to the valve body can really make for a nice shifting unit. I admit its not a c4 with a 3000 rpm stall and manual valve body but its not too bad for a truck. I am planning on building mine in a month or two and documenting it for everyone. I've been researching it for about a year and talking with others who have built the same way. Its a world of difference between the rebuild and the stock. Match it up to a converter that meets your needs and you 'll be good to go.

 

Heck, as far as shift quality is concerned, just messing with the VB helps big time - I have your basic Transgo kit in mine, but with the large Sonnax moduator valve, there was something else Sonnax that I put in and that I keep forgetting what it was, and I also messed with the accumulator body some to allow for faster fills/dumps. I'm very happy with the results, the shifts are nice and firm and quick, not neck-snapping tho (that's not good for a heavy truck anyways). I got the parts for the pump mods, but I can't find enough motivation to pull the trans for them.

 

That's why I'm throwing the update book at mine in one fell swoop. Get it done in one hit so I don't have to pull it until the next scheduled rebuild at 650,000. I've was able to get my stock unit to 150,000 before a converter failure. Now its gone another 200,000 on a stock rebuild with the F5 pump and a cooler added.

Besides I remember that darn thing as being pretty heavy!

 

I looked into that and I see what you mean. I will at least get some good upgrades like your manual TC and make it more reliable. A buddy of mine has a brother in Montana that builds transmissions so I think I'll run some questions past him and see what he thinks about the line pressure and maybe he can give me some ideas. If I find something out I will let you know. Thanks again to all for the good info.

 

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the e4od build. My OEM transmission has 179,000 hard towing miles and will need a rebuild soon.

I'd like to hold 1st and 2nd gear much longer to spin my mild 306 a bit higher than the current setup which tops at 4,300 rpms....and a TC lockup setup would be nice.

Mike

 

I'm actually almost done collecting all the parts for mine. I have a few more to get. I plan on pulling mine and doing as complete a walk through as I can. I've done quite a bit of process documenting in previous jobs and plan on doing a complete work-up on the build process. I'm actually combining a couple of passions for this project, computers and web site How-to's and working on my old cars and trucks. I've been combing the web and my other buddies experience on the E4OD for best practices and fitting the build to the job at hand. I mean you wouldn't build a transmission for drag racing and put in a car hauler.
That being said my old girl (Martha) is a 1994 300I efi XL. Nothing too special but she has never failed to bring me home in 350,000 miles. I hadn't been driving her too much as I was driving the wife's Mustang to work as she bought a 2009 Escape. You know, "using less gas and all". Well the darn thing died and I had to have it towed to the house. So I started driving Martha again. Got the Mustang back running by draining the bad gas out of the tank and flushing the fuel system. But I had forgotten how much I liked driving that old truck. To make a long story short I started looking at fixing her up a bit. She has been from one coast to the other in my previous jobs so we shared allot of miles together so I thought I'd do a little fixing up. Then I found this site and realised I wasn't as strange as I thought thinking the way I have about my old truck and her 300.

I'm building mine for daily driving and pulling a trailer with a car on it. I have two more sons to get their "first" trucks so I imagine I'll be hauling plenty of "new" finds from parts unknown. The build will be more than enough for what I need. From what my transmission friend has told me this build would work with anything that will bolt up to it. My main complaint about the E4OD is the softness of the shifts. That will be addressed and a whole lot more.

 

Tell me more about it. Can I use this to hold 1st and 2nd gear longer based on throttle input?

Do tell, as I've heard mixed reviews.

That...along with heat (hence why later models had added cooler units in front of radiator) was the ruin of the E4OD. However, a TransGo shift kit remedies most of the shift softness. My main complaint (and I don't have a torquey I-6 anymore) is that the shift logic does not hold 1st or 2nd gear for anything!!! Even with a trailer... I always had to shift it as a manual or it would shift to 2nd at 2500 rpms towing a 4500# trailer!!

I just want a new tranny, that can hold 1st and 2nd gear longer. I added an aftermarket pan with 3+ quarts capacity, and an external trans. cooler in 2004 to keep it alive this long. Now I just want the damn thing to hold the gear into the motors powerband...so I can reliably trailer my car to and from track events. (seems counter-intuitive to have a $3,000 truck tow a much pricier vehicle...but it can be done!) Whether that's an ECU fix or build fix.... I'm ready for it.
My stock E4OD already has a savings account for when it pukes. And I will run it, til it pukes.

179,XXX hard towing miles and counting.

 

96 e4od tranny went into limp mode local deisel shop says it detected a slip didnt say what slipped anyhow cleared it 2 days later back into limp mode. disconnected battery to clear code hasnt had a problem in about 4 days but i know its coming. I want to rebuild for towing what should i have done so i drag the devils *** straight out the ground without any future problems

 

If your going to do the work yourself, I would begin by purchasing the atsg service manual and also the update manual. Then I would read everything you can on the subject. I have found that automatic transmissions aren't any harder to work on then engines. In fact they are at times easier. There is no machining to do and with the purchase of just a few specialised tools a home mechanic can rebuild a transmission. By taking your time and being especially meticulous about cleanliness, its a project that can be done. Most of the time our transmissions play out at very inopportune times and we are under the gun to get the truck back on the road. This can lead to rushing the job and something either being installed incorrectly or a dirty build that eats itself up. Ok off my soapbox.
In your case, it sounds like you've got a good shop there. Most shops will detect a code 62 and immediately jump to a bad converter clutch. Yours actually stated the problem correctly. The computer detected a slip which could be any number of things. Needless to say, prolonged running in a slip condition will eventually lead to something melting down due to a fluid breakdown or just warn out parts. A code 62 could indeed be a bad converter lock-up clutch, but it could also be a bad direct or forward clutch. What engine do you have?

 

Ok so its a stock E4OD. You could definitely use some of the after-market heavy duty parts. As far as the holding 1st and 2nd longer, I have a question. It sounds like you may have switched engines. If so you most likely didn't switch converters. The I6 and diesels use a low stall converter and all the gas 8's use a bit higher stall converter. That may be your problem. The I6 and diesels produce their torque much earlier in the powerband then an 8. So if that's the case you have a mismatch between the engine and the torque converter.

 

Same motor. Just a fresher version. Stock was a 302. Rebuilt, it became a 306.

Transmission and TC are stock. It still does not hold 1st or 2nd gear as long as I'd like unless I hammer the throttle.

 

Personally if your left leg is in good shape I would suggest a 5 speed, that's what it looks like I'm going to do with mine, It refuses to shift early enough for me (1/4 throttle and it waits until 3000-3200 to shift).

 

Good thread for e4od, the one post said you can shift manually for R,N,2, OD. I run my race truck in 4lo and it seems like it cant get past 2 even manually,the OD would help alot. i got the cooler mounted for it and with 150,000 miles a filter change wouldn't hurt. can i completely disconnect the electronics and shift myself? The truck only runs for 3 minutes tops at a time so dont think heat will be an issue but during that time its full bore.