I had my 1996 f150 parked in my garage for 2 days, it’s fitted with a stock 5.8 Windsor and an e4od 4x4. When I started it today it started fine with no lights on the dash. However, when I went to shift it into gear I moved the gear shifter into reverse and it clicked into place, however it took about 2 or 3 seconds for me to feel the transmission catch and actually shift into gear. This is not normal and after I backed out I ran through the gears while parked (park to drive to neutral to reverse than park again) and noticed the slow shift feeling on all of the gears except neutral of course. When I went back into the garage there was a small, dollar coin size puddle of what appeared to be dark transmission fluid. Please let me know any advice as this is my daily driver. Thanks.

 

How many miles on the truck?
How many miles since the last fluid and filter change for the transmission?
Has the transmission ever been ‘opened up’?

 

It’s got about 155 thousand miles. It’s about due for a fluid change (last one was done at 120 thousand miles) but just wanted to see if anyone thinks anything else sounds like an issue. However since the last time the transmission fluid was changed, again, 120k, the transmission hasn’t been opened up.

 

Check the fluid level, if low top it back up and see if shifts fine again. Find out where the leak is coming from and fix that too.

 

There is a check valve that prevents the converter circuit draining down. If the fluid circuit is bleeding down over time, then once that circuit fills up, the trans will shift. I've done a lot of modifications on my E4OD, but I swear one of the check valves is on the cooler fitting at the back right of the transmission. The front circuit is inside the transmission.