I have a 94 E350 with the 460 and the E4OD trans. that has only 30K on it.


Last weekend I took it on a 250 mile trip (one way) and it ran beautiful until the final steep hill to our vacation house. It started vibrating when it went to down shift and wouldn't pick up any speed, the OD off light was blinking. When I pushed the OD button and it cleared right up. Ran beautiful until I tried to climb that same hill again (same thing happened). It showed the same symptom when I tried to back up a steep driveway during the same trip.

Now it no longer does the vibrating but now has harsh/firm up shifts. Downshifts are smooth though, but shifting into reverse and drive are bit clunky too.


The codes I pulled were KOEO 212 and 668. After I erased the codes the 668 didn't come back. But I did change the MLPS to the new updated one from Ford and its still doing it.

I also found the 40amp mega fuse under the hood was blown too, related? Could a 1/2 qt over filled trans. cause this now too? In NH I added some fluid thinking it was low because I could not get a clear reading on the dipstick but I think the level was up there.

 

Code 668 doesn't mean change the MLPS. It means something is wrong with the electrical circuit to the MLPS. It could be a bad sensor or a problem with the wiring. Now that you have a new sensor you need to see if the wiring harness has an open or a short. That takes a meter and a wiring diagram. A visual inspection will only find the most obvious problem.

 

Thanks for the reply.

When I cleared the codes the code never came back.

I used a MM to and checked for continuity from the MLPS to the plug above the torque converter, then from that plug to the main plug above the distributor cap, those runs tested out fine. Now I cant find where that run goes.


I'm not sure but I think the shifts might have smoothed out a little after the new MLPS (prob the placebo effect)

Could dirty or over filled fluid caused this ATF? Low fluid would cause it not to shift. Its only got 30K but it is a 94 These are not hard working miles though it mostly sits.

 

Just figured out the wiring. The run from the MLPS to the ECU tested good for continuity. I only focused on the two wires going to the ECU because it starts and the backup work.

What is the "fused accessory feed" at the MLPS? (plug diagram from ford that came with the MLPS)

 

So could harsh shifting in the E4OD be a hydraulic problem or is it electrical?

 

It could be either.

 

What fluid type do you recommend? Is Merc V overkill in a 94 or will Dex/Merc from Napa do? (Price is double) I'll pay for it if there is a performance/longevity gain.


As you can tell the van does not get a lot of use but when we do use it its worked (hauling/towing)

 

Its got fresh Mercon V fluid and new filter and still doing it.


The other day I did get a code 625 from it so today I checked the ECU connection and transmission control connection. Both looked clean, I checked continuity and resistance(pin 37 and trans conn), both of those also checked out (.2 ohms iirc). I don't have a breakout box to go farther.


The funny thing is, sometimes I can get the 625 3x in a row. Start and run the truck shift the selector through all is positions and get 111 (clean). Run the test again and get 212, then get 111 then get 625 again. Its not consistent.

 

Well I bit the bullet last week and took it to a Trans shop.

They found the solenoid pack to be fine, and confirmed the wiring to be ok. They found the ECU to be bad

When I got it home I took the ECU out and found this.





I hope a local ECU reman place can fix this one.

 

The computer came back and they found 3 blow capacitors.


The truck shifts much better now but once in a while it does have a hard shift. I'm hoping it is because the computer is learning the driver again (if this is an adaptive transmission).

 

It is not an adaptive transmission. What you have is what you get.

 

Thanks for the info you have given so far!

The truck only has 30K on it so it is not driven regularly. We have owned it since it had 2K on it. As far as I can remember it has always shifted nice and smooth until that trip in June.

Any other ideas why it could be so not so smooth shifts (I don't feel that's its from high line pressure now). I cleaned the VSS and tested it with a MM, with a scan tool, and a GPS.


On a side note (maybe related) Can I pull the ABS coeds without a computer on the 94 with 4 wheel ABS?

 

I don't think you can get ABS codes without a compatible scan tool, but I'm not an ABS expert.

 

Mark I have a post in the 1968 to 2013 full size vans I would really like to have your opinion I have been fighting a trans problem for a very long time, any help you can give me would mean alot thanks

 

What was the failure rate of the solenoid body/pack/block?