Shifting
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2013
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Shifting
HI All,
Have a 96 E350 Diesel van. Recently the van started shifting hard due to delayed shifting and blinks the OD Light. It does not do it all the time but after a few minutes of driving...... Based off my past earlier models I know it was typically the TPS sensor. This is a 96 so I don't know if anything has changed or if it could be something else? The other thing that happened is I was letting it idle one day and was sitting in the driver seat when the van just shut off. (The idle was high enough). So the reason I am posting is I know in this year the harness under the valve cover is a big issue coming loose and has already (it was repaired). Is it possible this would cause the tranny and engine issue? This truck is a bucket truck and in use daily so its hard for me to leave it a few days so I was hoping I could look at it after hours. I tried scanning with a regular scanner and no engine codes come up even with the tranny light blinking. Is there a way to read the code from the tranny light blinking?
Have a 96 E350 Diesel van. Recently the van started shifting hard due to delayed shifting and blinks the OD Light. It does not do it all the time but after a few minutes of driving...... Based off my past earlier models I know it was typically the TPS sensor. This is a 96 so I don't know if anything has changed or if it could be something else? The other thing that happened is I was letting it idle one day and was sitting in the driver seat when the van just shut off. (The idle was high enough). So the reason I am posting is I know in this year the harness under the valve cover is a big issue coming loose and has already (it was repaired). Is it possible this would cause the tranny and engine issue? This truck is a bucket truck and in use daily so its hard for me to leave it a few days so I was hoping I could look at it after hours. I tried scanning with a regular scanner and no engine codes come up even with the tranny light blinking. Is there a way to read the code from the tranny light blinking?
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
Likes: 37
From: Madison, WI
The blinking OD-OFF light means there's _some_ tranny code stored; it could be any number of things. A "regular scanner" won't communicate with your van. Need something that will specifically talk to the OBS PSD.
One simple thing to start with - does the speedometer work normally, even at high speed?
One simple thing to start with - does the speedometer work normally, even at high speed?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
Likes: 197
From: AZ
It shifts hard because the OD light flashes which means there has been, most likely, a slip in the trans. If you have to keep using it, a quick fix is a bottle of Lucas anti slip stuff. Got me home once. You can also pull the battery cables to reset that code to get smoother shifts. You probably need a trans rebuild.
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,732
Likes: 2,661
From: SE Florida
It shifts hard because the OD light flashes which means there has been, most likely, a slip in the trans. If you have to keep using it, a quick fix is a bottle of Lucas anti slip stuff. Got me home once. You can also pull the battery cables to reset that code to get smoother shifts. You probably need a trans rebuild.
Get the codes read so that we can help find out what is wrong. Fixing a problem before you know what the problem is, is only a way to waste money.
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Freshman User
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Thank you all for the advice. I actually have a ford factory tranny scanner for the e40d and some other models. I dont have the right harness though as it seems they updated it since my other models. I also have another scanner that's not ford that I can read all modules. I will see if that will read it. I just have to find it everything is packed away since I just moved. The idea that the tranny is bad would not seem to fit as it shifts fine untill a few minutes into driving. Also this issue does not happen everytime. The speedo reads fine also. Does anything in that valve cover harness effect shifting? I still think its weird that the engine just cut off the one day.
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Freshman User
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What does the third brake light control?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 15,505
Likes: 18
From: Livoina,La
Blown thrid stop light messes with the voltage to the trans.
I don't think it will cause the OD. To flash
In mine I did notice that if the light was out I'd get a little shift flare
Stop driving it till you get the codes. If yiu continue to drive it this way you'll need a rebuild for sure.
Average rebuild cost for a e40d is about 1800 if you destroy any hard part that price can quickly double
I don't think it will cause the OD. To flash
In mine I did notice that if the light was out I'd get a little shift flare
Stop driving it till you get the codes. If yiu continue to drive it this way you'll need a rebuild for sure.
Average rebuild cost for a e40d is about 1800 if you destroy any hard part that price can quickly double
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Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,732
Likes: 2,661
From: SE Florida
It doesn't control anything.
The PCM looks at the brake light circuit to unlock the torque converter. If the third brake light is out that can confuse the PCM and cause the torque converter to remain unlocked. That is not the problem here.
You're right, it won't cause the OD to flash. It doesn't mess with the voltage to the trans, it interferes with the brake on/off signal to the PCM.
That's due to the torque converter being unlocked.
Absolutely true.
The PCM looks at the brake light circuit to unlock the torque converter. If the third brake light is out that can confuse the PCM and cause the torque converter to remain unlocked. That is not the problem here.
Absolutely true.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
Likes: 197
From: AZ
I agree 100% about getting the codes first though.
FOREIGN GURU
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,655
Likes: 7
From: Celaya, Gto. MX
It doesn't control anything.
The PCM looks at the brake light circuit to unlock the torque converter. If the third brake light is out that can confuse the PCM and cause the torque converter to remain unlocked. That is not the problem here.
You're right, it won't cause the OD to flash. It doesn't mess with the voltage to the trans, it interferes with the brake on/off signal to the PCM.
That's due to the torque converter being unlocked.
Absolutely true.
The PCM looks at the brake light circuit to unlock the torque converter. If the third brake light is out that can confuse the PCM and cause the torque converter to remain unlocked. That is not the problem here.
You're right, it won't cause the OD to flash. It doesn't mess with the voltage to the trans, it interferes with the brake on/off signal to the PCM.
That's due to the torque converter being unlocked.
Absolutely true.
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,732
Likes: 2,661
From: SE Florida
The purpose of unlocking the converter with the brake lights was to prevent engine stalls with sudden, hard brake application. If the converter was locked and the rear wheels locked the engine would stall.
The interaction with the third brake light was due to a mistake. That wasn't supposed to happen.
The interaction with the third brake light was due to a mistake. That wasn't supposed to happen.
FOREIGN GURU
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,655
Likes: 7
From: Celaya, Gto. MX
I was wrong. In reallity I wrote that to inspire, motivate, etc, to a good engineer to answer that 
You are my Idol Mark 
The purpose of unlocking the converter with the brake lights was to prevent engine stalls with sudden, hard brake application. If the converter was locked and the rear wheels locked the engine would stall.
The interaction with the third brake light was due to a mistake. That wasn't supposed to happen.
The interaction with the third brake light was due to a mistake. That wasn't supposed to happen.