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E40D revving problem

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Old Sep 8, 2013 | 08:37 PM
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E40D revving problem

My 92 F150 with a 4.9 liter six was being driven back on a long highway trip today. Suddenly, the engine revved up like I had accidentally shifted the truck into neutral, then corrected itself and I was driving along normally again. I was doing about 70mph, all my gauges read normal, and I was maintaining a constant speed. About 2 hours later, it did the same thing. Otherwise, the truck seems to run completely normally. there are no leaks, the tranny fluid looks normal. Is my transmission about to do something bad?
 
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Old Sep 8, 2013 | 08:57 PM
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You may have a MLPS (Manual Lever Position Sensor) that is failing. You would need a scanner to catch it when it acts up. Its a cheap enough switch to just replace it and see.

Some people in the auto parts world might call it the neutral safety switch.
 
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Old Sep 8, 2013 | 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by jk080
You may have a MLPS (Manual Lever Position Sensor) that is failing. You would need a scanner to catch it when it acts up. Its a cheap enough switch to just replace it and see.

Some people in the auto parts world might call it the neutral safety switch.
Yep, I've fixed several that did this exact thing. Sometimes you can catch it in the data, sometimes you can't. Just replace it.
 
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Old Sep 9, 2013 | 06:59 AM
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Thanks guys, I'll look into it.
 
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Old Sep 10, 2013 | 07:49 AM
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I took it to a friend of mine yesterday and he ran the codes and found the problem. We replaced that neutral safety switch and the codes are all corrected. Thanks for all the advice!
 
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Old Sep 16, 2013 | 01:00 PM
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I have a 93 E350 Club Wagon with the E40D/4R100 transmission. Mine has been doing this for at least a year and a half probably more. I'll be driving along and it will rev up as if in neutral and then slam back into gear. Sometimes I can go for days, even a week or two with no issue then I get in the next day and it does it 15 times that day??

I just found out I have to have the rear main seal replaced and I was going to replace/rebuild the tranny while out but if this is possibly the problem it would save me a whole lot of money!

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Tom
 
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Old Sep 16, 2013 | 03:30 PM
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It is an E4OD transmission. The first 4R100 was several years after your truck was built.

Rebuilding the trans will not fix this problem. That is unless you also replace the TRS on the side of the trans. It is worn out. A new one is about $40 at any parts store. It is sometimes called the MLPS or NSS.
 
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky
It is an E4OD transmission. The first 4R100 was several years after your truck was built.

Rebuilding the trans will not fix this problem. That is unless you also replace the TRS on the side of the trans. It is worn out. A new one is about $40 at any parts store. It is sometimes called the MLPS or NSS.

Thanks for your help! Any chance you could expand on those abbreviations? I checked with Napa and they say the don't have anything for my van that matches those letters?

Thanks again,
Tom

Also, I am looking at a rebuilt trans in case I need to go that route. It is out of a 1991 F150 2wd. The only difference I can see between it and mine is the "tailpiece"(?). Would it be as simple as swapping the tailpieces to make that trans work in my 93 E350?
 
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 02:38 PM
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MLPS = MANUAL LEVER POSITION SENSOR

NSS = NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH
 
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Old Sep 17, 2013 | 02:40 PM
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Originally Posted by stuart1
MLPS = MANUAL LEVER POSITION SENSOR

NSS = NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH
Appreciate it! They finally figured out what the part was, now I just hope it works and saves me from having to spend $1k on a rebuild!
 
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Old Sep 18, 2013 | 08:49 AM
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Well I could have told you it wasn't going to work for me. Had the new NSS put in yesterday and nothing changed.

I found a used transmission for $700 OBO with 10k miles on it but can't figure out for sure if it will fit my van. It is out of a 1991 F150 2WD; my van is a 1993 E350; both have the 5.8. When I checked the fitment guide on Napa, it says that transmission only fits E350 up to 1992? When I compare pics of the 2 side by side the only difference I can see is what I refer to as the "tailpiece". Can the tailpieces be swapped if the transmission itself is the same?



(Mine):
Name:  TRANS2.jpg
Views: 275
Size:  27.5 KB



(Used one):
Name:  TRANS1.jpg
Views: 263
Size:  31.3 KB
 
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Old Sep 18, 2013 | 09:05 AM
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Yes if you change the output shaft. Which means complete disassembly.
 
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Old Sep 18, 2013 | 12:19 PM
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Originally Posted by FallstonYJ
Well I could have told you it wasn't going to work for me. Had the new NSS put in yesterday and nothing changed.


I would encourage you to take your vehicle to a shop that is familiar with that transmission and knows how to use a scanner. Have them determine if you have a transmission problem or a control problem.

Replacing your transmission and having the same problem is a real possibility.
 
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Old Sep 18, 2013 | 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by jk080
I would encourage you to take your vehicle to a shop that is familiar with that transmission and knows how to use a scanner. Have them determine if you have a transmission problem or a control problem.

Replacing your transmission and having the same problem is a real possibility.
^5
 
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