Hello all!

Been awhile since I've posted here, but I've got a few questions/troubleshooting for my early '99 van that i acquired a ways back.

Specs; early 1999 (October 98 build), E350 maxi cargo, 3.55 gears, 4R100, 340,000 miles presently. I bought this van about a year ago on the cheap for $1000 due to a rubbed thru fuel line on the passenger side leaking and interior just trashed. New fuel line and replaced interior from two other vans and down the road I go very well. I should also add I've installed a TS chip with only three available postions (Stock, 50, 75, 100) if that helps any. Thats been on the last 40k. I drive this van Mon-Fri as a service van and put 150-500 miles a day on it. Dead stock except for chip.

Well, since day one and about the last 60k miles, I've had concerns with it. The basis of this post is really information, I need to figure out the injector type and trying to figure out if my TC locks when it should.

Firstly, it has a slight vibration/shakes the body at idle, hot or cold. Not enough to be annoying, but if a drink is in the cup holder it will shake a bit. Accelerates ok, no noticeable misfires or anything all the way to about 70 MPH/2000 RPM. After that, a "skip" can be heard in the exhaust while cruising and definitely while accelerating. Sounds similar to a failing u-joint rumble.
With that said, a friend of mine has one of those new $6000 Snap-On fancy code readers that pretty much tells you everything. We ran it on this van to try it out and it came back that cyl-6 failed a contribution test, but all eight passed a buzz test? I'm guessing number 6 injector is going out. I tried the Archoil oil additive, the fuel mix and 20 gallons of Diesel Kleen (over the last year) to give it a chance to clear out but it looks like not so I think I'm going to replace that injector + harness on the passenger side.
MAIN QUESTION; for a build of October 1998, federal emissions, which injector type would it have? AB-AD-AA? I've read multiple posts on the trucks but i know vans are sometimes a different world and would like to have the right one in hand before going thru the grueling job of pulling that passenger valve cover. It also cackles very loud so makes me think single shot AAs but idk. So thats that one.

Next and probably minor but wanting to ask follow 98-99 PSD van owners; at what point does your torque converter lock? I have a 1997 PSD van as well as an '02 Ex 7.3 and their patterns every time is 1-2-3-lock-4 under normal driving and both locks TC's at about 35mph and stay there, even if i let off the throttle. This one goes 1-2-3-4-lock and will almost never lock until 50mph under any circumstance save for following below;

1. Will lock in 3rd (OD off) if i hit it real hard (like 1/2 or 3/4 pedal) and then asap after letting off it unlocks and won't go back in unless i punch it again. Aside from this, it NEVER locks in third. I can easy throttle all the way to like 70mph in 3rd and it will never lockup.
2. With OD on, first drive in the morning (cold trans 60-80F outside) it will lock at 40mph in OD the first couple shifts and then after that resumes the "normal" pattern 1-2-3-4- lock over 50.
3. On occasion (maybe once a week) it will lock in 2nd under 1/2 throttle @ 20mph/1200rpm under load like starting a climb to an on-ramp to a highway and its very annoying being it has hardly any power there so i have to kick it in the guts and make it unlock by throttle.
4. If i have the CC on, set to like 55MPH on level road, the TC will lock-unlock-lock-unlock as the PCM accel-decel as needed. It won't stay in lockup until around 60-62mph.

I've tried multiple things, like the hitting the brake in OD-TC locked at 65-70mph and nothing happens, it doesn't unlock. I've replaced the rotted tranny harness connector as well. The trans is a ford reman and had about 15k on it when i bought the van. I did replace the solenoid pack once since then due to the fact i thought it was bad. Ended up being a faulty TS chip locking the TC soon as i went into drive and kept stalling the engine. I've read the threads on bad third brake bulbs causing havoc in the TC lockup circuit on the trucks, all bulbs good here. Trailer brake controller unplugged, no difference. I had T&S program the chip (during the last of three send-backs) to lock the TC at 35mph in the 50 horse tune, doesn't do it. Also, this pattern is the same on stock, any setting, and even without the chip installed in the pcm.
Frankly, I don't think its supposed to shift like this and it annoys the hell out of me locking-unlocking all the time. The only break i get while driving this thing is on the highway when i don't have to "nurse" it into lockup lol.

PCM code is MLU5 if that helps.

If you've read this thru to the end, thank you and hope you may provide some input to a possible fix for the TC and the injector code.

Thank you!

 

My TC locks in OD only but also locks under some conditions in 3rd (OD off) and am told that it is working as it should. It's always locked when in OD, never slips there. I never noticed it lock in any 1st or 2nd gears. I would expect AB injectors but not sure. Those things are a bear to work on and with that mileage I'd do them all if I was going in. If the prices are the same or close I'd upgrade to AD's.

Edit: With a chip and no aftercooler I do hope that you have EGT gauge in there.

 

If your TC locks in OD only then maybe its a E99 thing? idk. AB code injectors is what i think i read the E99 trucks have as well by reading a few more posts. Wasn't sure if they're the same on the E-vans though hence why i asked. My '97 E350 cali emissions has split shot AB's for some reason and runs very smooth/quieter than this one so i thought they couldve been different.

I don't have any gauges in this one other than a Scangauge for oil, bst, voltage etc for gauges. I know its risky, but i do only really use the 50hp setting. I have full gauges in my Ex and based on that "like" to think i've learned how to drive 7.3's based on boost reading for determining EGT. I have a math that if i'm running 8-10psi boost under load its hitting prolly 1100-1300F in the exhaust, so i only allow it to run that for 10 seconds or less and let out of it. In the few times its hit 14psi boost (the highest it ever goes), i assume its around 1450-1500 at least so i only do that to pass an idiot on the highway and let out after like 3-5 seconds. Normal boost at 80mph/2300rpm is around 3-6psi so not too concerned there. Seems to work, i haven't burnt it up even with the stock exhaust in place lol..... *crosses fingers

Thank you Mark!

 

Mark Kovalsky is THE man to ask about the tranny but he has stated that they all act the same. You could start a thread just on your transmission and it he usually notices them. One difference with the E models is the lack of an aftercooler (intercooler, whatever you want to call it). I do not know what the temp difference is but would expect that the van's EGT's would be higher than the F models' and the Excursions'.

 

Back before i knew better i had a edge evo chip. The tc would lock when it would hit od at like 40 or 45mph.
Since then I've got rid of running that tuner for power ( still use the monitor for my gauges ) and have a DP tuner. Also i have had the tranny rebuilt ( look in my signature ). I honestly run my dp in the stock setting the majority of the time. But either way in stock or another position my truck will shift 1,2,3 TC Lock, 4(od). It always locks the converter before shifting to od or 4th what ever you wanna call that last gear LOL. I love it much better that way.

 

AB most likely. The PCM hex code denotes an early 1999 van PCM. ABs are a great injector and unless you have problems I'd stick with them. ADs are a drop-in but you won't notice any difference between them and ABs in any way.

The van 99-03 PCM calibrations do exactly as you say. They will command a 3-4 upshift while leaving the converter clutch released and then apply the torque converter clutch at a higher speed. For comfort, this is absolutely great. I ran a van PCM in my F250 for a while while writing 250/200% tuning for a van. Since the pickup I used doesn't get used for anything but daily driving, it worked well.



Normal. I will attach some maps at some point (when I fire the tuning computer back up someday).

Cold shift strategy. It does this to create more "slippage" in the fluid coupling (torque converter) to get the fluid up to temperature faster. You may have noticed that your 02 F250 will shift to 4th gear at the "normal" torque converter apply speed in 3rd when the transmission fluid temperature is cold; same thing.

Again, seeing the mapping will confirm this as normal.

This one is strange, but I will take a look at the calibration and I bet that it's normal. Vans are a weird creature and it's possible that the calibration is simply commanding that.


It's programming (Ford or otherwise}

Not bad-mouthing, but I doubt anything was done. TS Performance doesn't really "custom tune" their calibrations.

I bet it is......

I tried. Maybe my curiosity will cause me to fire up the other computer right now......

ON EDIT:
I can make it shift any way you want it to.

 

It turns out that I don't have the MLU5 calibration but I do have the JRA2 (which is the same save for commercial use). However, the definition file I have for "seeing" the calibration has some issues with showing the correct data.

The shift speed stuff is all correct however and it's as I suspected although the cruise control apply/release anomaly has me stumped.

I have contacted the maker of the tuning software and hopefully he gets back with me at some point about the definition.

 

Sorry guys, been busy last couple days and hadn't checked in on this.


Cleatus, thanks so much for all the detailed information, really provides some serious insight. If that PCM is programmed to shift it that way then so be it, if its right its right but doesn't mean I have to like it lol. I have a theory this program is why the 90's E4OD/4R100 behind the 7.3s don't last. With all that free spinning going on in the converter and delayed lockups and frequent unlocks, I can imagine all the heat buildup happening in there and tearing these up faster. My '02 Excursion has 272k on the original whereas this E99 van is on its third per the prior owner. Also had a '02 E350 5.4 with a 4R100 and that one had 335k on the original trans when we sold it, and had two '03 E150/250s with original 4R70's that had 260k and 312k respectively so I think maybe 2002-03 was Ford's best years there. I think its all programming related. That converter should lockup at 35mph and stay there, I feel it reduces heat buildup keeping things direct drive, just my opinion.


Also to add, T&S didn't really have a choice but to custom tune this chip. This is my third one. Reason being, the first I was sent worked good for a couple days but then developed a strange no start-check engine light every time I turned on the key. I'd have to cycle the key 7-15 times to get a wait to start light then I knew it'd run. I sent that one back and they sent me another. This one had no starting issues, but was locking the TC almost every time I put it in drive and was stalling out the engine. I spent 45 minutes one day trying to get it to move after stalling out about 30 times. Ended up putting it in second to get it moving/chugging along, then drive and it started working. I sent that one back (apparently I'm the first to have this issue per TS tech), and they sent me this one about a month later and said it was custom tuned to try and solve the issue. It was at that notice that I requested the TC lock early btw. This chip has worked good, but I still have (about once a week) a no start-check engine light key on cycle occasionally. I just turn off-on and I'm on my way. I just live with the "once in awhile" lol. It was during chip #2 when the TC was locking upon entering drive that I replaced the solenoid pack, I thought it was bad but it was chip. Oh well, preventive I guess.


And on another note, I found out the injectors are certainly ABs. Had the day off and just for nothing more than wild curiosity I pulled both valve covers to check the harnesses and run ohm tests. AB is whats stamped on there. I ran ohm tests on the harness and all eight injectors came back with .3 to .5 ohms, which, as I searched seems is correct. I also started it and unplugged each one with it running and all of them caused a misfire after disconnecting, so I guess they are all working? Could possibly be one of the cylinders has low compression, idk now. I do know the PO towed heavy (dump trailers with dirt) with it so wouldn't surprise me she's been pushed to limits.