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I had a catastrophic E4OD transmission failure. I want to impart my experiences and research to the Forum in the hope it helps others.
I have a 1994 Ford E350 7.3L IDI Goshen Bus. (Short Bus)
History: In 2009 I paid $5000 to have a Ford Remanufactured transmission installed by my mechanic. Since then, all was well. Never a problem. I rarely use my e350 which is probably part of the problem. It sat for two years at one time. Normally, I drove it about once every three months.
I've begun using it more frequently to haul things around. 5 days ago, I was on my way to a campground in the Sequoia National Forrest. About 100 miles before arrival, I began to feel they symptoms of what I now know is Torque Converter problems. The transmission shifted a little softer and the car started to shake a little bit, like going over some bumps in the road. I ignored that. I traveled up to 3000 feet up highway 180. The engine seemed to put out more and more for less forward movement and the tranny started to shift a little softer. I ignored that.
The engine oil pressure rose a little bit but well in the normal range. The engine temperate rose a little bit but well in the normal range. Unfortunately, I did not have a transmission temperature gage. That is about to change. Then the the transmission started to smoke. I ultimately lost all gears and was broken down in the middle of a two lane highway, on the side of the mountain and in the dark. I was S*%!-ing a brick!
A volunteer ranger hooked me up to his 4x4 and got me onto a shoulder where I was able to get a tow truck. My truck is at A R Transmissions is Fresno.
I vowed to put the strongest transmission I could find into the e350.
Research: I looked here on the Forum and found Brian's Truck Shop in Arkansas. I saw many videos on Youtube and he seems to be THE MAN for E4OD and 4R100 transmissions. He even forges/mills some of his own transmission parts. The transmissions are guaranteed forever and they only make one level. LEVEL 10. These go into haulers and dragsters and 4x4 offroad trucks. Very heavy duty. Unfortunately, they are backlogged until October and I need a transmission within a month.
The reason I choose them is because they make a Heavy Duty Transmission (The Road Ripper 3000). The transmission is warrantied for 3 years or 100,000 miles. If it breaks, you tow it to a shop, they subsidize the labor and, if the tranny is broken, they replace it. Here's what they say:
THE ROAD RIPPER 3000: Towing 10,000 lbs. or more and/or equipped with a fifth-wheel, engines with added horsepower of 250 or more, aftermarket-tuned diesel trucks, and drag cars running 10-12 seconds in the quarter-mile.
Road Ripper 3000 is for the serious full-time racer and for the reprogrammed, stump-pulling, overloaded vehicle. This is a beefed-up transmission that can handle the extra horsepower and torque with a geartrain built to the highest capacity available. Optional hardened shafts, where available, are used to take on those extreme-working vehicles that can break components. In this unit, we increase the pressures in the transmission. We use high-energy clutches and bands like red, blue or even Raybestos® Z-PakTM clutches and Pro SeriesTM bands. We address servos and accumulators in this unit to match up with the shifts you like. We replace all rollers and sprags with the maximum element available and increase the sump capacity for additional cooling. Converters are custom built to handle all of your applications.
(Converters with a higher stall rate are available at an additional cost.) This is a very tough, very hard-working unit.
Some specifics:
Use of the highest-flow pumps that are available.
Complete valve body and separator plate modifications for durability
and improving shifts.
Installation of a heavy-duty planetary gear.
Increase in the base line pressure which also provides a better linear
line pressure increase for higher shift quality.
Optional hardened shafts and other hardened upgrades available for select units.
Improvement of the throttle pressure circuit for a faster and more responsive line pressure boost.
Resized servo and levers for maximum holding of any bands.
Increased sump capacity for additional cooling.
Use of high-energy clutches and professional series bands in
the transmission.
An increase of the clutch packs by as much as 38% for more holding power.
Custom-built converters to handle specific applications.
Improved lube circuits which feed all the bushings, washers and geartrain in the transmission to keep them lubricated.
Improved torque converter charge circuit which will ensure that the converter stays fully charged with fluid so you don’t lose power during heavy demands or a wide-open throttle.
All sprags and rollers are replaced with the maximum-strength element available for increased capacity.
You got 15 years out of it? I guess that's not terrible. My '94 idi ambulance is a very similar size, hope the tranny that's in it lasts like that. I like the approach you're taking to replace it.
Today: 7-31-2024 The transmission shop called me and said the following codes were detected OBD 1
Code 11: System Pass
Code 91: Shift Solenoid 1 SS1 Circuit Failure
Code 92: Shift Solenoid 2 SS2 Circuit Failure
Code 93: Coast Clutch Solenoid CSS Circuit Failure
Code 94: Torque Converter Clutch TCC Solenoid Failure
Code 97:Transmission Control Indicator Lamp TCIL Circuit Failure
Sounds like I fried the crap out of the transmission!
I hate to tell you this, but you probably just needed to replace the solenoid pack plug and or the solenoid pack. The trans itself may have been fine still. Both, very easy, affordable do it yourself fixes, with the trans still in.
Very common problem:
Failed shift solenoid pack plug. This is an example of what you don't want to see! This is the main harness that the ECM uses to communicate with the transmission. If yours looks like this one,google search: E4OD solenoid wire harness repair kit 1989-94 (that will be for all idi trucks with the E40D.)
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transmission you installed years ago didn't last. Let us know how the truck drives with the new transmission.
