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I have a 98 f150 2wd with the 4.6v8 and 4r70w transmission. We bought the truck a couple years ago with the original trans blown and searched like hell to find one that would work with it, after 3 of them we found a working one. Not sure on the mileage of the replacement as the shop didn't have it, the trans was rebuilt by the shop and didn't come with a torque converter so we bought a replacement one direct from Ford. When we put the trans in everything was working but the overdrive off light is flashing and when we get up over 50 it revs like it's going in to passing gear then won't gain anymore speed and when we stop it stalls the truck. I have checked the fluid and there isn't any air bubbles indicating air in the torque converter and the trans fluid is the same color as out the bottle and doesn't smell burnt. I checked all the connections and I'm currently going thru the wiring harness to see if there are any broken wires. Has anybody else ran into this?
When the OD light flashes it indicates that there are codes stored in the PCM. You need these codes to fix this.
I recommend using Forscan. You can download it free at www.forscan.org. You don't need to buy a license to read codes. Their page shows how to select on OBDII adapter.
Or you could take it to a Ford dealer or a good independent shop to read the codes. The auto parts stores that read codes free CANNOT read Ford transmission codes.
Last edited by Mark Kovalsky; Nov 28, 2025 at 07:58 PM.
Why was the original trans just not rebuilt from the get-go?
Last shift kit I did for the 70W had a huge section regarding mixing and matching the shift solenoids versus model year. I can see if my bro can snap a pic of it for me and I can post it for you. At least that is where I would start with an unknown core...
The original trans was scrapped because the rebuild would have been way more expensive than we were willing to put into it, the torque converter sounded like broken glass and there was almost as much metal in the pan as there was fluid we even had to replace the lines and the cooler because they were plugged. The only codes it gave us when we got it running was for the maf and iac valve and we replaced them, no more codes we can find with 3 different code readers
Here is your code reader
It would have been cheaper to just have it rebuilt or replaced at the ford dealer
This is what was used at the dealer in 1998 for your truck
Last edited by manicmechanic007; Nov 29, 2025 at 08:02 AM.
Time is worth more than money, you are still messing with it after all this.
Any shop worth their salt could build it with a good case and valve body, this trans is super easy to build. You essentially have an unknown model year trans from an unknown engine with unknown codes.
That version 13.0 card with the black sharpie + is an updated card
Like the Hubble, they kept the tool relevant as long as possible
05 was it and I have trouble doing things on 04's with my NGS sometimes
Why was the original trans just not rebuilt from the get-go?
Last shift kit I did for the 70W had a huge section regarding mixing and matching the shift solenoids versus model year. I can see if my bro can snap a pic of it for me and I can post it for you. At least that is where I would start with an unknown core...
AFTER reading codes.
The original trans was dead, the torque converter sounded like broken glass and there was a hole in the side and chunks of metal in the pan so it wasn't worth saving. The replacement came out of a 98 f150 2wd with the same engine, the shop claimed they didn't know the mileage because the gauge cluster had been sold before the mileage was documented but they assumed it was around 100k. We've done some research, wire chasing and took it to a trusted mechanic and he claimed the tcm which is integrated into the PCM is most like the culprit. It hasn't given any codes on it but after it's started there is a series of loud beeps in groups of 5 coming from the PCM, I had thought it was something the state had added when they owned it but it's coming from the PCM, we ordered a new one and waiting to see what happens
