Originally Posted by jerryparks

Removed the pan today. Good news, I think. Fluid looks clean, and nothing crazy in the pan I don't think. Anything look off to you guys?

Originally Posted by AuroraGirl

7) I believe a blinking OD switch means codes, fluid low problems, and engine managemt or electrical issue that will not allow torque converter engagement.

Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky

A blinking OD OFF light means there are transmission codes stored in the PCM. Those codes may or may not refer to the torque converter. It isn't true that if the light is flashing the torque converter won't lock. The converse is true, if the torque converter won't lock, there will be codes stored and the OD OFF light will be flashing.

There is no code for low fluid, but low fluid can cause any number of problems, some of which will set a code and flash the light.

Originally Posted by AuroraGirl

Oh lorde....
few things,
1) you should have drained the torque converter when you had the pan off, it would have made you closer to about 13 quarts to add back in.
2) OH LORDE.
3) Been there on the fluid overfill, just not this...
4) You are... you have a 97, correct? You have an E4OD from the best time they were made and there are a few important things to consider that ford had TSBs for and stuff.. ill detail that in a sec
5) 97 Trucks have a OBD 2 connector under the glovebox visible from the driver seat, should have a cap with data link or something wrote on it. You can use an OBD2 reader to find the engine or trans related codes, even if your CEL Is not lit. (cel doesnt light for all codes, they are in memory) if your CEL comes on at key-on, it is functional. if it does not, it may be a bulb wiring or other issue
6) can you show us both your MLPS(the switch on trans) as well as the shifter cable where its bracketed ? How are your trucks engine and chasis and battery ground cables? Is the shifter asy to move
7) I believe a blinking OD switch means codes, fluid low problems, and engine managemt or electrical issue that will not allow torque converter engagement. You are in a gas truck, right? DOES your third brake light and normal brake lights work properly, and are they incandescent or LED? LED? Resistors wired in?
8) you said gear grinding noise, but sir Im frankly inclined to believe you are mistaking a different noise that possibly is from another system or source, but unsynchronized gear meshing money noises are quite wincing to hear like, you wouldnt keep driving if that was the noise I feel.
9) are your cooler lines pinched anywhere and can you confirm the auxillary cooler part. there should be a top and bottom metal line going to your trans and I believe one goes to the cooler as a send and then it returns to the radiator one as a send, where it then pipes back to the trans, but i might be wrong. Also the diameter, show us a pic pls? You have no pics, show us picssssss
10) I didnt catch but do you have a transfer case and if so does it function fine
11) Your fluid looked like maybe it was a little hot.. but it could be my eyes. the fine particles floating in the fluid isnt comforting, there should only be mud(which you wiped with finger off magnet, that is fine)

So as I said, i would come back to the TSB thing. I do believe your trans cooler lines, because of the size of your truck, had a TSB for using larger diameter trans cooler lines because the factory ones were resulting in too little flow or perhaps the slightest blockages were causing it to be insufficient or maybe it was check *****... Something about cooler lines. And me personally, I have a smaller duty E4OD and I tremendously lowered my trans temps so it now is 190 at worst regular driving(hot out etc) but its almost always 170 or hanging around there now and it was going above 200 and i was puking fluid and having fun with that.... now it doesnt, and what I did to fix it was 1) fixed some engine management issues like my TPS and also puked enough of the fluid(which was the wrong fluid) and have put mercon spec in to replace it that it was probably flowing proper then, (will do mercon v soon), and also use a can of keyboard duster and carefully passed air through the trans cooler. I had the fittings off the rad and it spit a blob out and became a lot freeer, i didnt do any special treatments just didnt apply full pressure just kinda sealed the opening and slowly pushed air in and it didnt need much. i then drained the lines by drooping them so as not to be full of fluid at the ends, then did a little shot both lines of air and one of them flowed out a bit more. Currently one of the lines looks slightly kinked and I have a feeling the lack of rubber sections is allowed it to be a pivot which a tube will kink with that kind of scenario given time. But I eventually will put the bigger lines on.

If your truck has the bigger lines, I believe it has a factory cooler bypass block which circulates more flow but handles the excess of fluid that the bigger lines make I THINK so that it doesnt become a restriction or starve stuff for fluid. maybe.

So last question.. how much did you drive with the fluid overfilled..? please tell me nowhere and just at worst in idle please dont say reverse either LOL

Originally Posted by AuroraGirl

Also... your mileage. Whats your accelerator cable looking like? TPS full seated and plugged in? How about them throttle plates, any looseness or play
Does your shifter detents match the indicator and also match the trucks feeling when shifting between. like, unhook your trans shifter from the trans, check the shaft for play with a wiggle test, and then move through the detents on the trans with your hand. Truck off for this. Then shift your trucks shifter, (i believe it has its own detents, i could be wrong),does the furthest detent with it disconnected match the sensor on both extremes, like if you shift it to park on the trans and the column, does the little **** and the hole on the cable line up, then also at 1, And is the sensor square flat on the trans and did you clean the connectors by carefully unplugging and spraying contact spray. And do the wires look bent or pulled tight at a severe angle. Pics will help us here help you more

Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky

In the old body style (up through 1997) the Powerstroke diesel software was unique. It was written by a different group than the gas software, and they did things very differently. I think it will need a scan tool or Forscan to read the codes.

Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky

A blinking OD OFF light means there are transmission codes stored in the PCM.

Originally Posted by jerryparks

1. Should've, but I don't have the resources to do it currently. However, the torque converter is the last thing that the fluid goes to before going to the cooler, and that is where I drained from, so I drained most of it after I overfilled.
2. That was my reaction too, along with inventing some new swear words.
3. Glad I'm not alone.
4. Yes, it is a 97
5. I will check and see if there is a OBD2 port there. I have a decent tool for OBD2.
6. I'll get some pictures when I get home Friday. MLPS was dirty, but undamaged at first glance. I've gone over a few grounds on this truck and all have checked out. There's very little rust, for the miles it's been well maintained. The shifter moves smoothly and without interference.
7. I was told it indicated something of a limp mode, where the trans pushed 100% pressure to protect itself from damage, but I believe it would indicate a code at the same time. Truck is gas (5.8L). All of my lights work, the are regular except two LED marker lights that are not a part of the brake light system. I'll be replacing the rear lights with LEDs, but resistors will be added then. At this time, it is standard incandescent bulbs.
8. It sounds like driving a manual and trying to shove it into gear without the clutch. It happens very rarely, but I shift straight to neutral, roll to the shoulder and restart the truck. Issue normally goes away after I do that.
9. Fluid runs freely. Tubing is 1/4" I believe, I will take pictures Friday. Everything is routed as you described.
10. Truck is 2wd
11. I didn't see any floaters, just the magnet mud. The fluid was definitely darker than normal, but not burned, no unusual odors. I believe running hot is part of my problem, which is why I'm adding the gauge to monitor going forward
TSB: Everything looks factory, and undersized. However, the flow was pretty weak despite the small lines, I may have a kink somewhere.
Driving: No, the truck was just idling in the driveway. I wanted to check and make sure I had filled it enough before moving it. The excess fluid spilling out the side of my transmission pan said yes, it was filled enough. I don't think anything was damaged, I cut it off pretty quick then drained it using the cooler lines.

Originally Posted by wwhite

Not necessarily. I had a blinking OD light(very random), AND blinking air bag light(specific code).

Turns out, no codes, replaced the clock spring(fixed the airbag blink), still had blinking OD off light.
The blinking OD off light was because the OD switch itself was broken. The LED must have broke, since the trucks switch actually worked, just the light was the issue.
Replaced the OD off switch, no more blinking light.

Just an FYI if you PCM doesn't show any codes.