1994 Flareside 351w E4OD shifts really hard into reverse when warm, not cold.
Rear end used clunk really bad, replaced rear end, doesn't clunk any longer, but I think that hard shift into reverse caused the previous rear end to wear prematurely.

Truck shifts quite firmly into 2nd and third, as if previous owner had put a shift kit in, but maybe not.

What can cause the overly aggressive shift into reverse?
Is this a sign that the trans is going out, or has someone mucked with it to make it shift hard going forwards and side affect is that it also shifts hard in reverse?
Shifting from P/N into first is fine.
There is zero slippage, TQ lockup is good.

 

what is your idle speed when you shift
and have you done the fluid?
how does coast downshifts, especially 3 to 2 and 2 to 1, how harsh are they

 

Idle is at 675rpm, fluid is fresh, downshifts are not harsh at all, smooth and solid.

 

Do you have a properly adjusted MLPS and the wiring to it is okay? I recall the earlier e4ODs had a issue with wiring or the plug or something on the MLPS

 

I thought about that, interesting. I've never re-adjusted, wiring is good.
I think its time to get the new one, it is the old style.
Thank you.

 

Are there any codes stored in the PCM?

Someone could have modified it. Reverse and third gear use the direct clutch, if it was modified to apply it faster it would do this.

 

Thank you.
No codes, 111.
It has always felt like a shift kit 1-2, 2-3, compared to a fresh rebuilt e4od.
Previous owner has done some other minor mods to it.

So, is there an easy way to 'unmodify' it, without me guessing?
Can I just swap out the accumulator with a known good one, without messing with the main valve body?

 

You can swap just the accumulator body without touching the main valve body.

 

Blew the rear end.
Hard shifting in reverse very strong, pretty sure is the cause of weaking the rear end.

Locking bolt that holds the floating pin broke.
Floating pin came out and hammered the pinion.
Extensive damage to everything, pinion, ring, spiders, bearings.

Dropping trans, swapping in my previous rebuilt one.
Not going to let this hard shifting in reverse trans weaken another rear end.

 

Highly doubt with the force the engine has at idle that the reverse engagement caused the differential failure. Especially breaking the bolt that holds the pin in.

Sounds like a lot of stories I've heard from clients. Ever since you change the engine oil, the window stopped working. That's not how things work.

 

I’ll get a video of it, still drives.
ill do a before and after the swap.

trans shifts into reverse, hard, like doing high rpm neutral drops.
current rear end lasted 20,000km 2 years of normal truck driving and hauling. Rebuilt from reputable shop, but that shop also told me that the current problems are not in the rear end.

It is surprising it is still drivable.

what would cause the pin bolt to break?


8.8 can you spot the problem(s)?

 

Would you warranty a rear end knowing full well the trans shifts hard in reverse and this is will be the third rear end in 3-4 years to be installed?

 

I warranty any repair that I feel that I caused or is not acceptable, even outside the warranty period. If I left a bolt loose and it finally cause problems years later, of course I would take care of it.

I recently replaced a Bosch rebuilt starter 4 years ago. The starter has a 2 year warranty. I could never convince anyone that it is normal for a rebuilt Bosch starter to fail after 4 years. Why even have that conversation with the client? So I did, parts and labor. The customer never had to ask why it failed. I do not know why, but it was not right. Funny thing was that the customer insisted that he pay me. I told him if he did, I would never work on his car again. If the starter failed 10 years later, then I could not convince myself that it should be covered. Therefore, I would bill the client again.

I also recently replaced a battery that had a 3 year warranty. 6 months after the warranty period, the battery failed. Again, step up to the plate and replace the battery for free. Again, could I convince anyone that this is common? No. Just suck it up. It's what I would expect.

The engine is idling at 600ish RPM. Spider gears work when one wheel spins faster than the other wheel. If you are doing burn outs in reverse, then the owner should take some type of responsibility. Convince me how a harsh reverse at idle speed is going to cause a stress point on a bolt that is not part of that load? Since the differential is old and probably hundreds of thousands of miles on it, there is wear in it. All that wear/tear is caused because it's old. When a part fails because of all that wear and tear, why should the mechanic have to pay for the straw that broke the camels back?

Should I warranty every part in the car that is over 30 years old because a client thinks that because it shifts harsh in reverse and it caused the bolt to break inside the differential that has nothing to do with the stress of that harsh engagement? No, I would not. I doubt if many others professionals would replace it either. On the other hand most owners would probably think because I am a mechanic, it must be my fault. That is not how it works in my shop. If it is my fault, I would take care of it without you ever asking. It's how I work and why I am booked up for 6 weeks or more.

 

@1Butcher i appreciate your comments, work and business ethics. Wish your shop was closer to me. You sound like a top notch and trustworthy mechanic, getting harder to find where I live.