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Posted this on the transmission forum as well, but don't know if it's really a transmission issue. I've got a 2001 F550 7.3 4R100 automatic 187,000miles on the od. Been having intermittent issues lately. Half the the time I have to shift it to nuetral to get it to start, won't start in park. It will sporadically not go into gear, engine will just rev while in drive It will eventually start move. Sometimes moving the shifter back and forth will correct it, other times it won't. At times it acts like it doesn't know what gear to go into. It will do this while the transmission is cold, or hot. It has gone into limp mode with the of light flashing. It goes back to normal after a while. Sometimes it acts up after going over a bump. The rest of the time it runs fine. Did a flush, just the usual amount of crap on the magnet, no chunks of metal. Fluid levels are good.
Sounds like a problem with the range sensor, AKA neutral safety switch on the left side of the trans where the shifter cable connects. I've heard of some having issues from water getting into the plug and cleaning it up fixed their problems, probably a good place to start.
Thanks for the quick response. After looking into transmission range sensor it seems pretty likely. I was having doubts about it being an actually transmission issue as it is coming and going with no real pattern.
Got the old sensor off and discovered water and grimed worked around the seal on the electrical connector. When I shook the sensor I could hear rattling and sloshing sounds. That may have been part of the problem. Started raining before I could get the new sensor on. Will see if that was the whole problem, or just part. When it acted up the other day it was raining, so fingers crossed that was it
Got the codes pulled after downloading FORScan onto the laptop. Torquepro didn't pick anything up. P0733 incorrect 3rd gear ratio and P1247.Boost low pressure. I'm guessing the P0733 has something to do with the issue I'm having with the transmission. The P1247 probably has to do with my leaking up-pipes. I have replacements that have been sitting in the garage waiting for me to have time for them. Further information is while I was going over the transmission I was about a quart low on the fluid from when I did the flush a couple of months ago. Must have miss-measured while flushing. Sometimes it's hard to see when the fluid changes color after a few beers. I figured my boost gauge has been broken as I barely get a reading. Could it be right and I'm not getting boost accounting for the sluggish take off I attributed to the transmission? I knew the up-pipe, especially the drivers side is pretty bad. Though that doesn't take into account the intermittent part.
There are two #30 Torx bolts that attach the shift cable bracket to the shift tube on the lower end of the steering column. These bolts are known to loosen, causing problems like you are describing.
If you crawl under the driver's side dash and look up the steering column you'll see them.
