Thought Mark might be able to chime in here and maybe direct me a little as I'm started to get rather pissed off.

Plain and simple, 95 CCLB Auto - This is one of our fleet trucks and last week i was driving it and noticed the torqu converter would not stay locked when the throttle input was minimal. It would lock uponce you stepped on the throttle a bit more. Truck typically tows a 7-8 lb chipper and the crew has mentioned it to me as of late. Transmission is a fresh built unit by a shop i have used for years without ever sending one back, has a tugger kit and billet converter.

I needed to swap the rear end this past weekend and held off troubleshooting untill it was swapped hoping it was a VSS issue. Swapped over rear end and now the speedo is dead and the truck is hard shifting with a flashing OD light as it should. ABS light is on. I swapped VSS thinking that was the issue, no change. The plug itself had seen better days, I went and clipped one off a 10.5 under a 2000 7.3 as they look identical and soldered it in. Still no change, thinking my luck the VSS in the old axle went bad too, I swapped a 3rd with no change.

This is where I am as currently. Still do not have a speedo, and still do not have a proper shifting trans. I am going to stop by ford and get another pigtail and new VSS even though I do not think this is the issue. I have followed the wiring and all looks good up to the cab. Trying to keep it simple, all that changed was the diff, and now I have no speedo... The rear end was super clean as well, both VSS that were pulled were very clean without any grime.

Looking for advice. I am aware that once I have a proper signal from the VSS and a speed reading the trans will shift normally. Only then will I be able to see if the lockup issue has gone away. If it has not I'll post a video. Not sure where to go from there. I am not a transmission guy, I have installed a few dozen 4r100s and e40ds without ever having an issue, and luckily my first issue is on my own truck, unrelated to a trans install to my knowledge.

 

Since the problem started with the new axle I think the problem is inside that axle. Something is probably wrong with the tone ring that the sensor looks at.

 

Well I hadn't even thought of that and for some reason I don't remember seeing a tone ring on it when I did the fluid.... Thats likely not the case I hope

I didn't think it was a mid 80s axle that came without one (85-86 if I remember correctly), but if that's the case i guess its a simple fix, and also one I have not done. I wonder if they are standard accross the board or if this one is a unique one since it may have not came with one from the factory.


Thats all speculation, I'll confirm when I get home.

EDIT after typing that if it didn't come with a tone ring why the heck would it have had a VSS in the pumpkin? Just for ABS?

Are there any fuses I could have popped? I guess I'll check them all.

 

If it had a VSS it had a tone ring at one time. Does it have one now? That's the question that needs answering.

 

I will confirm as soon as we are off today, you are quick to respond. Thank you!

 

Well it did have a tone ring. I picked up a new VSS and pigtail from FORD on the way home. Put in the new VSS no change, redid the plug a second time and replaced a 3a mp fuse in the panel and its working again. I was relieved to see a tone ring in there and one that was not trashed.

I personally think it was the plug all along, however i thought the one I grabbed from a spare parts truck wouldn't be bad. Or 3 VSS going bad...

So to conclude the speedo is working and the trans is shifting properly again. I will try to take the truck for an errand or two and see if the lock up issue has gone away. I sure hope it has.

I have always put 6.0 cooler on these trucks, I don't have a spare currently or a lot to invest in one as this truck has bled me dry this fall. Does tru cool or another aftermarket company make a quality and not terribly spendy cooler? I have a spare 7.3 cooler on the parts truck, however it was hooked up to a ZF6 not a 4R100, never tried to use one from a zf6.

 

Tru Cool has a good rep, don't remember the number.

 

This is the one I got. Fits perfectly behind the bumper.