All well and true Dan, but, last night I ohmed my alternator case to battery negative and compaired that to a reading from the firewall ground to battery negative and the firewall to negative ground ohmed out as less resistive.
My truck has an aluminum alternator mounting bracket that's 18+ years old and has likely corroded at the "block grounds" (creating resistance) due to dissimilar metals and electrolysis (aluminum in contact with steel).

As we know, electricity will follow the path of less resistance..... I'm pretty sure my alternator is trying to use a "better" ground than the alternator to block ground.
In my case it could be the grounding circuitry within the EEC if that's the least resistive ground source it can find.

I was just trying to have Dhughes1 see if "temporarily" grounding the alternator to one of the best grounds on his truck would eliminate the possibility of the alternator trying to use the EEC's internal grounding (how the injectors are pulsed, solenoids are closed/open, E4od transmission solenoids closed opened, as well as a myriad of other things) as it's ground.

It didn't work..........shot down again............

Dhughes1 may still have a bad EEC however.

Bob

 

That doesn't seem to change anything.

 

Thanks for the info. Is there anything else I can do to see if the eec is bad?

 

Unplug the solenoid pack, fairly confident reverse is a result of mechanical action IE; "shift linkage" in the E4OD.
Solenoids not used not needed to have reverse.

Should/likely will default to limp mode, if left disconnected and running long enough, try take it out and drive it on the road etc. Your not going to do that, unplug it fire it up and see if its "normal" in reverse do nothing else. Let us know what happens.

Anyway if the trans is otherwise fine and the truck itself is causing the problem with it, you should be able to backup normally engine run as it should without trucks electrical system input to it.
If its a fault in the trans? you'd see no change.

Solenoids are used for forward gears, coast clutch TTC etc, not used for reverse.

If it came to it you could make up a test cable or ford offers one, a "diagnostics cable", drive the truck while shifting the trans manually and from inside the cab without the computer/trucks wiring having anything to do with it.

Verify for sure its the truck wiring/computer and not the trans itself causing the problem.

 

Where are they located and I'll try it.

 

Passenger side of the trans behind a small heat shield vertically just above the pan line.

Push the button to release the connector from the pack, don't force it off with something like a screw driver for example, you will damage the pack in the attempt.

Kinda a pain to get to, you will find it easier if you remove the little shield first.

 

I'll try it tomorrow. So you're saying unplug it and try reverse and see what it does? Or take it down the road?

 

Yea unplug it and see what happens in reverse, do not drive it though.

Just test it see if the motor reacts the same way in reverse with the pack disconnected.

 

Ok just wanted to make sure. I'll try it tomorrow and let you know.
Thanks

 

It misses really bad.
To the point it won't go, but it doesn't die.
It doesn't kill it just makes it miss.
It did it before a trans service after a service and since a rebuild.
suggests an electrical problem over anything mechanical in nature
Missing suggests spark issues, spark cutting in and out in one or more cylinders.
Based on your comments sounds like all cylinders.
I have noticed that even running my power windows sucks my volt gauge down a lot.
I can barely run my winch even without a load. And I'm running an optima battery
I hooked a jumper cable from an alternator bolt to the battery and no change.

All of these comments lead one to believe that Dhughes1 is having an electrical supply problem. Especially the fact that he has a problem with his windows and winch operating correctly.
My guess is that the voltage regulator has an internal problem.
There is a bridge rectifier that converts ac voltage to dc voltage.
If 1, 2, or 3 of the diodes within the bridge rectifier have gone south, the alternator would be putting out pulsing dc voltage.
Pulsing dc voltage will affect injector pulse patterns.
Pulsing dc voltage will affect solenoid operation.

I'd say Dhughes1 should have his alternator/charging system checked out thouroghly.

My thoughts again,

Bob

 

Should I just get a new voltage regulator and have my alt. tested?

 

Don't spend your money unnecessarily !!!!!!
If you have an auto parts store nearby have them check your whole charging system.
Most will check it for free.......how competent they are could be a factor though.

Don't spend your money untill you verify a part/component is/has failed.
Your money belongs in YOUR pocket, not in the cash drawer of an auto parts store.

Bob

 

Ok. I've got an o'reillys autozone and napa pretty close. Surely one of them can test it.

 

Yep,

And give them a heads up about your winch and windows not having enough power to operate correctly......... that may trigger a light bulb turning on above their head !!!!

Bob

 

Well I had my charging system tested and they said it was fine. I also unplugged the solenoid pack from the trans and nothing changed. What now?