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E4OD Trans problem

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Old May 14, 2017 | 08:22 AM
  #1  
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E4OD Trans problem

I think I have an idea what is going on but want a second opinion.

Yesterday after work I was driving down the road and noticed that at cruising speed my truck wanted to start bucking, worse when going uphill. At first I thought maybe the fuel pump was acting up but I switched tanks and it did the same thing. As I finished driving home I began to suspect the Trans. When I got home I checked the fluid and noticed its way overfull. I'm guessing about 6 quarts by the dipstick. I have not added any fluid since replacing the trans about 10 years ago. My guess is that the fluid has drained from the torque converter and into the pan. Would this cause the symptoms that I have? If so do I need a whole new converter or is there just a seal I can replace? Any help would be awesome, Thanks! Oh, and its a 95 F-250 4x4 with a 460.
 
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Old May 14, 2017 | 11:38 AM
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White 97 xlt
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Originally Posted by 95_460
I think I have an idea what is going on but want a second opinion.

Yesterday after work I was driving down the road and noticed that at cruising speed my truck wanted to start bucking, worse when going uphill. At first I thought maybe the fuel pump was acting up but I switched tanks and it did the same thing. As I finished driving home I began to suspect the Trans. When I got home I checked the fluid and noticed its way overfull. I'm guessing about 6 quarts by the dipstick. I have not added any fluid since replacing the trans about 10 years ago. My guess is that the fluid has drained from the torque converter and into the pan. Would this cause the symptoms that I have? If so do I need a whole new converter or is there just a seal I can replace? Any help would be awesome, Thanks! Oh, and its a 95 F-250 4x4 with a 460.
Did you check the fluid level with the engine running and in park? Not running will show way overfull...

No, if that happened the truck would not move...

Have you read the trouble codes yet?
 
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Old May 14, 2017 | 11:52 AM
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Yes sir, had it running when I checked it. It was hot because I had just pulled up at home. Was parked on a level surface. I move it this morning after I started the thread, checked it again and it was still overfull. Then I took it out and drove it a few miles to see if it acted up again. It did, but it felt different than it did yesterday (Wind was blowing about 40 mph yesterday). When I got home I checked it again and it was back to where it should be. Maybe it just got crazy hot yesterday on the drive home? Not sure what else would make it read that overfull. Tried to read codes and there is nothing there, Check engine light is not on either. I had the same problem when my coolant temp sensor was bad. The light would be on when it was really acting bad but it would always go out before I could check it and never saved the code. When I drove it today is didn't feel so much like a buck. The engine is surging in RPMs and it feels like its slipping out of gear. I would say its coming out of overdrive dropping into drive and shifting back up. Afraid I may have a much bigger problem than I thought to begin with.
 

Last edited by 95_460; May 14, 2017 at 11:58 AM. Reason: Forgetfulness
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Old May 14, 2017 | 01:37 PM
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Drop the transmission pan and change the fluid and filter. It's possible the filter has fallen out of the transmission, and it's losing fluid pressure. That could possibly cause an intermittent "overfull" condition.
 
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Old May 14, 2017 | 01:49 PM
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Thanks for the advice, I really hope its something that simple. I will get a filter coming. If the filter is loose I will change it out and hook the truck up to an ATF exchange machine. I should have changed the fluid before now. Its a reman trans I put in about 10 years and 40K miles ago. Thanks again.
 
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Old May 14, 2017 | 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by 95_460
My guess is that the fluid has drained from the torque converter and into the pan.
That cannot happen while the engine is running. The transmission pump keeps the torque converter filled.

Originally Posted by 95_460
Would this cause the symptoms that I have?
No, it would not. I recommend investigating the engine for low grade misfire. Coil, wires, plugs, etc.
 
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Old May 14, 2017 | 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by 95_460
Thanks for the advice, I really hope its something that simple. I will get a filter coming. If the filter is loose I will change it out and hook the truck up to an ATF exchange machine. I should have changed the fluid before now. Its a reman trans I put in about 10 years and 40K miles ago. Thanks again.
Don't bother with the machine. Just drop the pan, check the filter out (make sure the seal isn't stuck in the transmission), and then remove the torque converter drain bolt.
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 12:07 PM
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Well I have changed the filter and fluid and there is no change. Still coming out of gear going down the highway. If anything I would say it worse. Wondering if the lockup in the torque converter is the problem. Shifts smooth as silk till its time to go into overdrive. Then its starts throwing its tantrum. I turned the overdrive off and it still slipped. Never seems to be a problem while I'm accelerating, just at highway speeds. I'm running out of ideas.
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 01:38 PM
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Ok, I disconnected the Trans harness on the right side of the truck an shifted manually. Cruised down the road fine. Bad Solenoid?
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 04:00 PM
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Well I wouldn't have believed you in a million years if you had told me this. Found it on a long forgotten forum post from years ago. The third tail light was causing all my troubles. I was all but ready to give up when I gave it shot. Changed the bulb, shifts like the day it was put in. I guess the third light and the torque converter lockup are on the same circuit. Only wish I had known that before I put a $100 and a days work on it. LOL! Thanks for all the help fellas!
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 05:27 PM
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Bulb burned out? Wrong bulb? What was wrong?

Fluid change was probably a good thing anyway.
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 05:31 PM
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Burned out, and had been crazy hot, melted the glass. I just stuck a new bulb in it for now, but need to replace the socket as well, looks pretty rough.
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 07:05 PM
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Originally Posted by 95_460
I guess the third light and the torque converter lockup are on the same circuit.
They are not on the same circuit. The PCM monitors the brake light circuit. It will unlock the torque converter when it detects the brake lights turning on. Somehow, and I don't know the details, it sees a burnt out third brake light as the brake lights always being on.
 
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Old May 17, 2017 | 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by HardScrabble
Bulb burned out? Wrong bulb? What was wrong?

Fluid change was probably a good thing anyway.
30-40k miles is a common fluid change interval, so it's still good that you changed it. Glad it's ok!
 
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