Hello everyone, it's been a while since I've posted. The truck has been running well for quite a while, but it's developing some trans issues now and was hoping the resident experts could point me in the right direction.

As of a couple days ago the trans has developed a "bump" shift from 1-2 and 2-3. It only happens when it's warm, and not all the time. I drove it this morning and it wasn't doing it on the way to work. Other than the "bump" it works fine, all gears are there and reverse is fine. It seems to shift at the right times as well.

Yesterday the overdrive light started flashing, and I took it to the dealer and pulled code P0782, 2-3 shift error. I've searched past threads dealing with this code, and think I can eliminate the valve body or valves since it is shifting and all gears are there. I also saw some reference to the torque converter lock-up solenoid. Is the soleniod a likely cause or can you give me some advice as to what could be causing my issues? Thanks for the help, John

 

Well, I've been driving it for a day or so since I originally posted and the hard shifting appears to have stopped. Would this indicate some kind of electrical issue. Any ideas, anyone?

 

Have you flushed the trans lately.

 

I've been driving the truck for a week or so now since I posted and the problem had seemed to be gone until today.

Today, out of no where, it started to shift hard from 1-2 and the shift 2-3 is delayed and when it finally shifts it's hard and you can here a screech come from the tranny. Reverse is fine, 3-4 seems hard, and it goes in and out of over-drive fine. It seems to be running at normal temperature and the fluid is clean and has good color.

I checked the electrical connection on the driver side at the shift lever. It's water tight, and clean. What should I be looking at next, valve body, soleniod pack? Thanks, John

 

The shifting issues seem to be getting worse. Sometimes 1-2 is normal, most of the time it shifts hard. The shift point 1-2 seems normal. 2-3 is always delayed, and if still on the gas very hard. 3-4 bumps into gear.
Overdrive works normally.

Sometimes after coming to a stop, it's starting in the wrong gear. Seems like maybe 2nd gear. Sometimes it downshifts right away into first, other times it does not.

To me the solenoid pack seems unlikely, if coils are bad, they either work or don't, right? As far is the valve body, if valves are sticking I think it would be missing gears. Seems like a control or pressure problem, maybe the PCM?

Anyone?

 

Hard shifting is usually the result of increased line pressure. If the trans senses slipping, it will compensate by increasing the line pressure. Hate to break it to you, but she's probably wounded and in need of repair. A prof trans shop can drop the pan and check the bands and tell you for sure if it needs a rebuild.

 

Now that's confusing. 4th gear IS overdrive, so how does it bump into gear AND work normally?

Where would they find the bands in this transmission? The only band in a 4R100 is only used when the shifter is in the 2 position. When it is in OD the band is just along for the ride. There are no other bands.

I do agree it needs a pro to look at it. Someone with a lot of trans knowledge and a scan tool to be able to read data could diagnose this pretty quickly. Those of us that can't see the truck will have a hard time with this one.

 

My 01 was rebuilt a couple years ago, and my trans guy said a band was burned up. He also was surprised I got 130k out of it with the notorious diode sprag. My 2000 V10 trans blew up at 60k, yet my 03 V10 trans is at 118k and still ticking. The 5r110w in my 05 has been the best ford trans so far though!

 

Mark, thanks for the feed back. I was wrong on the 3-4 shift, I should have stated 3 to overdrive. It does bump into overdrive, and when I stated that it shifts normally I meant that it does it on command from the switch. It goes in and out without delay.

Strangest thing about the problems I'm having is there are times when it works perfectly fine. It shifts fine when I first start it and drive. Once driving, it will shift normally most of the way up to temp. Then at some point it shifts hard, and then from that point every shift has an issue until you shut it off and let it sit for a bit. 2-3 is the biggest issue, long delay and if you are on the gas it screeches. I have been letting off the gas and waiting for it to shift.

I'll take your advise and get it looked at. I was hoping it would be something easy from the bottom side that I could handle myself without pulling it out. I also don't want to just start throwing parts and money at it.

 

I finally figured out what the problem was and wanted to update the thread to help others with the same transmission issues.

As I mentioned, the problems were intermittent and would go away for days. Well I finally related it to the weather and driving in the rain. It would take nearly a day after a good rain for it to start shifting erratically.

Ended up being the plug on the passenger side (solenoid pack plug?) that points straight up on the trans body. I had checked it before and the plug had always appeared dry. Same thing this time except I grabbed a small mirror and looked into the bottom of the socket and sure enough, there was water in the bottom.

I don't know if there used to be some sort of boot on it, but I plan on installing one. Very frustrating, as every place I went to said without a doubt the trans was toast and needed to be rebuild for about 2K.

Thanks to Brian at the Truck Shop for his input and telling me to hold out and keep looking as it was not mechanical.