My 09 F150 with 5.4 Liter was leaking trans fluid after sitting for a week over the holidays. Looked liked the typical bulkhead seal issue, so I ordered one as well as fluids and a filter. Looked simple enough, other than the mess associated with dropped the tran pan. A large drain pan I picked up at lowes used for mixing brick mortor was great at capturing 90% of the mess. Anyway, the new seal was a beast to get in, just didn't slide in and out like the old version. Applying generous amount of trans fluid finally got it in. Reconected it, put 4 qts of fluid in, top off with it running in park, almost 8qts total, lots of fun with the cat their in your face. Drove it and it was not shifting at all. Pulled it back in the drive way, checked the connector, seemed like it was on fully. Went to start again, no crank. Pulled the connector again and looked inside and see one pin bent over. WTH. No idea how that happned as I was super careful not to touch them and to be gentle with it as all that plastic makes me nervous.

Can I bend it back, or will it just brake off? Or try and see..ugh!
If it brakes I am probably going to have to replace the entire trans module that's inside there?

A simple job gone bad that might now cost ten times what the original job would have been by a "pro"! Some days!

Any input is appreciated!

 

You might be able to bend it back just be careful. If it breaks then the module has to be replaced.

 

Well with the aid of some long nose forcepts, I was able to get the pin to about 90 degrees. Getting it the final 10 degrees resulted in the pin coming apart. LOVELY!

I put the connector back on hoping it would at least start. Nothing, everything works but no crank.

I thought it would start and default to 3rd gear?

Is there a bypass to get it started and limped to the dealer to get this fixed without the aid of a tow truck?

Anyone have an idea what this sceewup is going to cost me?

Thanks

 

Damn that sucks. Bad. They are over 1000 from the dealer. Got to get the valvebody too it comes as an assembly. The early 6r80s have a separate TCM built in to the valvebody. Ford moved the TCM into the PCM in 2011 or 2012 and use a much cheaper leadframe in the trans to connect to the solenoids. Maybe you can get a used one but whoever installs it needs to be able to program it.

 

Thanks for the reply. That's what I was thinking plus heaven knows who much more for install. Doens't pay to be cheap some days!

 

Can you peel back the insulation on the wire on both sides of the connector ans install a jumper around? At least you can see if that's the problem and it's no big deal to re-insulate.

 

Sadly, no. The male side is inside the transmission.

 

Just to put a nice pretty geen bow on this mess. Picked it up from dealer today, they replaced the entire valve body/lead tray for a cost of $1,959. He showed me the old one and several of the pins were loose and not sitting correctly. Long story short, MAYBE this would have happened even if i had taken it in to have the bulkhead coupler repaired, MAYBE. He said this was more of an issue on the early rigs, this is 2009, where the valve body and lead frame are all one unit. Go figure the costlier of the version to fix is the problem child. Anyway, it's working, but my wallet is bleeding badly.

Thanks for the input and if your tackling this be super careful as the penalty is expensive!