I have a 2000 X V-10 2wd. Ive been noticing a sputter/bucking at low RPM's in overdrive ususally between 45-55 mph. I have pretty much ruled out the sputter to be from the engine (engine missing, fuel filter, etc). I believe its the tranny and someone suggested it may be an electrical problem with the torque converter. Does this sound accurate? What does it take to fix it if this is the problem? It seems to really do it at the same speed when going up a slight hill. We are leaving on vacation and pulling our 34ft camper in 30 days and I need it fixed!!!

Thanks in advance...

Aaron
DrinXsgas

 

Have you changed the fluid? That is about the best & most economical place to start... especially if you tow.

 

I had the same problems with an F-150. I checked on that web page and found it was not an uncommon problem that I fixed by rerouting the spark plug wires. The spark was jumping across the wires causing premature ignition in one cylinder which cause the knock sensor to trigger a timing advance and that caused the bucking. Check your firing order and see if two of the wires running next to each other fire in order, if so re-route the wires and it might fix it.

 

V10's do not have spark plug wires in the sense that older vehicles do. There are low voltage wires that feed the coil-on plug but I cannot imagine that those would create the problems in which you noted. Of course, I can be wrong...

Did your F150 have the same type of ignition set-up as present day F150's?

 

How many miles do you have? If it's over 20K you need to change the transmission fluid.

Old, worn fluid can cause torque converter clutch shudder. Changing the fluid in the pan and the torque converter almost always fixes the shudder problem.

I submitted an article on how to do a complete fluid change. It should be posted on this site soon. Until then, here is another version:

http://www.ford-diesel.com/faq/1999faq/Maintenance-AutoT.htm

Mark

 

I have 80,000 on the truck. I checked the fluid and it looks new and clean. I bought the truck with about 75,000 on it. Still think it needs changed? This "shimmy" Im talking about feels like a miss in the engine however Im fairly certain it is the tranny.

Thanks for the help

 

It is a 93 F-150. Every time I would put a load on it at low RPM it would really buck. Once I moved the number 8 spark plug wire it solved the problem.

 

>Still think it needs changed?

If it isn't the engine and you don't know how long the transmission fluid has been in there, change it.

Mark

 

OK...I tried the complete tranny fluid change and it didnt help, however it didnt hurt either. There is an instant oil change place here that pumps a cleaner through the system and totally cleans out the converter and tranny. It cost me $100.00. However, the jerking is still there!! So now what???!!!

Im not real familiar with the mechanics of a torque converter and how it works which is part of my problem. I guess its about time to take it to a professional.

Any other ideas, please let me know. Remember, it only seems to do this in overdrive and possibly in 4th gear on occasion but much more noticable in overdrive.

Thanks

DrinXsGas

 

Did it do it in every gear?? Which ones?

 

>Remember, it only
>seems to do this in overdrive and possibly in 4th gear on
>occasion but much more noticable in overdrive.

Overdrive *IS* fourth gear. I think what you mean is it does it with the torque locked and sometimes with the torque converter unlocked.

Since it does this in both conditions it is not the torque converter. I think it is probably the engine missing.

Mark

 

I noticed this weekend that my wifes X was doing the same thing. It only happens at 1500 RPM and 35 MPH in 3rd gear. The truck only has 12000 miles on it.

 

>Did it do it in every gear??


Not that i can tell. It is by far more noticable in overdrive and third gear.

 

>>Remember, it only
>>seems to do this in overdrive and possibly in 4th gear on
>>occasion but much more noticable in overdrive.
>
>Overdrive *IS* fourth gear. I think what you mean is it does
>it with the torque locked and sometimes with the torque
>converter unlocked.
>
>Since it does this in both conditions it is not the torque
>converter. I think it is probably the engine missing.
>
>Mark

Yea, youre right. My mistake. OK...so it does it in OD and third gear. Thanks. Does the converter only work in OD??

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 21-May-02 AT 09:00 PM (EST)]No, depending on throttle the converter can lock in all four forward gears.

Mark