E4OD transmission help!

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Jan 26, 2016 | 11:50 AM

Hall599

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Joined: Jul 2015

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E4OD transmission help!

I have a 1992 ford E-350 7.3L Diesel with an automatic E4OD tranny, I had some electrical issues in the cab (the main wire for the glow plug controller burned out, and the wire for the controller behind the fuse box burned as well.)

I have it to where it will crank and idle perfectly, but, when I put it in drive it bogs down like it is stuck in 4th... first gear works fine, 2nd gear engages and then drops down to first, and reverse is strong.

I have replaced the neutral safety position switch, all relays, and the shifter pack (AKA the transmission Piston pack), new fluid and filter as well.

can someone PLEASE, PLEASE, PPPLLEEAASSEE!!! help a brother out, I am lost.

I have been told it might be the torque converter but I want some kind of confirmation before I go there.

thank you,

Jan 26, 2016 | 12:09 PM

Mark Kovalsky

Frmr Ford Trans Engr

Joined: Aug 1999

Posts: 24,732

Likes: 2,661

From: SE Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

I have it to where it will crank and idle perfectly, but, when I put it in drive it bogs down like it is stuck in 4th...

If it were in 4th gear it wouldn't bog down at all. It would idle normally. You problem is the torque converter clutch is drifting on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

I have replaced the neutral safety position switch, all relays, and the shifter pack (AKA the transmission Piston pack), new fluid and filter as well.

OK, I thought I knew all the parts in an E4OD. I guess I don't. What is a shifter pack, and what is a transmission Piston pack? I've never heard of either. Please describe what you actually replaced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

I have been told it might be the torque converter but I want some kind of confirmation before I go there.

It might be, but it's low on my list of things that can cause this.

The most often found cause of this is low trans fluid level. Have you checked the level with the trans warmed up (at least 10 miles of driving, more if it's really cold where you are) with the engine idling in park?
Next is a loose/damaged/missing internal filter.
Then comes leaking internal seals, then a worn out pump, and finally, a bad torque converter. Most of the torque converter problems don't include drifting on, they fail the other way, not locking at all. So I doubt your problem is the torque converter itself.

Jan 26, 2016 | 01:47 PM

Hall599

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Joined: Jul 2015

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the truck ran perfectly before the wire burned out and then it has just been a chain reaction of problems, I have fixed and upgraded as I went, but now I am stuck at the shifting issues...

I replaced the "shifter pack" ( piston pack or solenoid pack) and filter at the same time, the other filter was fine, ill get the van hot and check the fluid levels, but when I have checked it, it was idling and warm (I did not drive 10 miles prior to checking)...

I can manually start in 1st, drive up to speed and shift to 2nd, get up to speed and then into drive and it will drive fine until I slow down again it wont start off in first gear under "D"...

Ill check the fluid levels, if it is a warn out pump what are some other signs or tests I can check, when I took it apart 2 days ago I checked all the visible seals and they seemed to be in great condition...

thank you for your help I greatly appreciate it every little bit helps a novice like me.

Jan 26, 2016 | 03:50 PM

Mark Kovalsky

Frmr Ford Trans Engr

Joined: Aug 1999

Posts: 24,732

Likes: 2,661

From: SE Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

I replaced the "shifter pack" ( piston pack or solenoid pack)

There are no pistons in the solenoid body. I've never heard it called a piston pack before. That's not your problem, and neither was the switch on the side of the trans.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

and filter at the same time, the other filter was fine,

The internal filter doesn't need to be changed for the life of the trans. If there is enough junk in it to cause a problem it's because the transmission has already failed. And what other filter do you mean? These transmissions only had one filter from the factory. That other filter might be the cause of your problem. Where is it located?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

I can manually start in 1st, drive up to speed and shift to 2nd, get up to speed and then into drive and it will drive fine until I slow down again it wont start off in first gear under "D"...

Does the OD OFF button turn on the OD OFF light when you press it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

if it is a warn out pump what are some other signs or tests I can check,

You can check for a worn out pump by getting a 0-350 PSI gauge with a 1/8 NPT thread. Install the gauge in the test port on the driver's side of the transmission. Record pressures (warmed up) at idle in P, R, N. D, 2, and 1. In R, D, 2, and 1 also record pressures with the brake holding it from moving, and the go pedal on the floor. CAUTION: DO NOT HOLD THE GO PEDAL ON THE FLOOR FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS AT A TIME. ALLOW AT LEAST 30 SECONDS IN N BETWEEN EACH CHECK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hall599

when I took it apart 2 days ago I checked all the visible seals and they seemed to be in great condition...

Took what apart? Did you have the trans out and torn down? The seals are inside the transmission.

Jan 27, 2016 | 06:50 PM

tgreening

Elder User

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 882

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From: Ohio

Just a shot in the dark but since it seems to have popped up after some melty wire issues, is there a wire that during this meltdown could have shorted and is causing the torque converter to be locked all the time when in D? I would think this might account for the bogging when put into D.

Possible, or so far out in left field I'm damn near to China?