I'm considering going with an E4OD in my father's 1981 F150 4x4 that is undergoing a rather extensive restomod - see Dad's Truck Build thread in the 1980 - 86 forum. The engine is a 400 built by Tim Meyer and it put out 380 HP and 500 ft-lbs on his dyno.

I've PM'd with Mark and he doesn't think it will take "super high dollar parts" to handle that engine, but what parts do I need? I may have someone build it here in Tulsa, but if you have a recommendation on a rebuilder or a transmission to buy I'd be interested. I don't even have a core - unless a C6 counts.

And, I'm planning on a Baumann controller, but if you have comments about that I'd appreciate them as well.

 

Annnd, I'm following over here.

I know very little about computer controlled automatics except repairing a 4L30E
​​​​​​​Maybe I can get a better understanding of how these function

 

Do you understand how a non-computer controlled trans functions? The E4OD functions almost the same. The main difference is that instead of a governor and some signal related to throttle position, a computer changes the states on shift solenoids to make it shift.

 

Thanks for your reply Mark.

It was the shift solenoids that I had to replace, due to a faulty regulator.


Bill has mentioned that he has dug in to the shift tables of his pcm.
Gary is looking at a standalone controller with just a TPS (I assume there is a tach signal) that would allow him to drive an electronic transmission when he has a cable driven speedo and no MAP sensor

 

The logic to apply pressure is pretty complicated. The simplified version is that the PCM calculates engine torque. In a diesel it uses fuel pulsewidth for the base calculation. In a gas engine it uses mass airflow. The numbers can be affected by many other sensors, too.
The transmission software uses engine torque to calculate the required pressure when the trans isn't shifting. When it is shifting it uses engine torque along with pressure adder/subtractor tables to modify the pressure to make the shift.

 

So, how does the Baumann controller do it when it doesn't have any info from the engine other than throttle position? Perhaps you have to tell it what the max power output is and it then interpolates based on throttle position?

 

I don't know how they do it. Your guess is what I would guess.

 

Gary I did some research on this myself a few years back as I had intended to install an E4OD in my own truck, though I've never gotten around to it (I did pre-install the Baumann and wiring though).

There are several common upgrades the E4OD that I read about. I am not the expert on them but this should help you in your Google searching:

1. Upgrade the front planetery to 6 gear and the overdrive to 4 gear (from 3). Rear planeteries come in 3, 4 and 6 gear but it is not so crucial to upgrade that one, though you can. As I understand it power comes in to the transmission through the overdrive planetery so it is under load even when you are in first gear, so that one is important to upgrade. Ford had a factory heavy duty version of the E4OD with a 6 gear front, 6 gear rear and 4 gear overdrive planetaries so the parts are easy to come by and you can probably get them in a kit.
2. Upgrade the 34 element intermediate sprag to 45.
3. Snap ring mod - use a heavy duty spiral snap ring on the overdrive clutch cylinder so it doesn't dislodge
4. Upgraded center support - later models used a roller bearing instead of a bushing, obviously you want the roller bearing
5. Add clutches to increase apply area - I believe you can add 6 to the forward clutch, I can't remember how many to the intermediate, and one to the overdrive. Red Eagle clutches are frequently mentioned.
6. Use a 95 or later pump which is higher displacement than the earlier versions

There are companies that perform all the HD upgrades and will just sell you a pre-built transmission, which may be the way to go. When I was doing my research Brian's Truck Shop in Arkansas came up again and again amongst the diesel crowd. That's not too far up the road from you.

Performance Automotive Transmission Center has every possible part you could want, their website is kind of a mess but it can also be rather informative to read the product descriptions such as the link to the snap ring above. They certainly know their stuff, I'm sure you could call them and they would put together a kit of parts for you.

Finally, if you're planning to use the Baumann controller, unless they've changed something I don't know about, TPS is not the only sensor it requires - I'm nearly certain you will also need to feed it a VSS signal (vehicle speed sensor), or sometimes called TSS (transmission speed sensor). The documentation talks a lot about TPS (throttle position sensor), leading one to imagine that is all you need to worry about. But that is highlighted because there are a million custom ways to get that signal off the various carburators a person might use, whereas they just assume you already have VSS/TSS from your transmission. This of course will not necessarily be the case. I think most Ford trucks with the E4OD got it from a sensor in the rear axle which you probably will not have (I was planning to upgrade the rear axle to a Sterling 10.25 anyway and take it from there).

Baumann has all their manuals on their website and I'd recommend reading through them very closely with an eye to your wiring. Some crucial details are not necessarily presented with great flair.

Anyway, I reiterate again I really almost don't know what I'm talking about, it's been several years since I looked in to this, so please don't take any of this as gospel, but rather as a starting point for your own research.

I'm sure in short order you will have unearthed all the various details, complexities and nuances and recorded them in here in about 200 pages of discussion.

 

I think the 10.25 tone ring came about in '87 for the RABS module to know when the rear locked up

 

Here is another post that was very useful to me: Notes on an E4OD buildup.

David85 used to be active on FTE and he dropped little nuggets of information in various threads. Here is his actual swap thread: C6 to E4OD swap.

 

Luke! So good to see you back on FTE! Hope this isn't a flash in the pan. You in KS now? Wichita? Set your calendar for Sept here in the Tulsa area for the GTG. Please.

And, thanks for the input. I will certainly follow up on all of that.

As for the VSS, I think I have the electrical module that was in the transfer case I got w/the ZF5, so that should be easy. But, thanks for pointing it out.

 

Ha ha, it actually will be a flash in the pan, but I do lurk on your threads in secrecy. Yes I am in Wichita now, but still living with my parents. Finding a suitable garage with a house attached to it has been harder than you'd think. Meanwhile my truck is in storage and I haven't seen it in five months.

But I will certainly set my calendar for next year! In fact I am looking forward to it already.

 

It is actually this year, Septemberish of 2017, with the actual date TBA. We may get Numberdummy out of CA and are working on Jonathan/Ford F834 from AZ. With you, Chris from CO, and David from Alabama, plus the locals like Bruno2, Cashman, etc it should be a Any chance you can bring your truck?

 

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting we're 2017 already! And yes I certainly do hope to bring the truck, that was half the reason I bought that dumb thing in the first place!

 

Big Blackie and Big Blue (Bluie?) will look good together. (Not that Big Blue will be anywhere as good as Big Blackie, but he's a work in progress.). And I should be a bit further along with Dad's truck then. So, we will have lots to show off.