93 F150 4x4 302 E40D 3.55 125K

I was driving in 95+ temps yesterday at about 75mph with the A/C on. I think my fan clutch started failing as the engine temps were climbing...the engine never overheated, but the guage is never past the N normally even in hot weather --and yesterday it was between M and A. Anyway, when I got off the thruway there was smoke from tranny fluid spilling over (I believe it was coming out the bell housing or top vent). I let it cool down and tried driving at a low speed with the heater on to keep temps down and it seemed to drive fine and no more problems.

Fluid is still pink but I think I might flush it to be cautious (rebuilt about 20K miles ago). and wonder if I should install a tranny cooler? The fan clutch is being replaced this weekend and I think it is the culprit. I am worried that it overheated fairly easily. I really don't ever tow, and occasionally haul a load or two, but nothing big.

Think I did any damage? and suggestions are welcomed.

BTW, what the the proper procedures to check the tranny fluid? Is it warm, running and level in park?

Dave

 

Your fluid should be more reddish than pink and not brown or black. It should also have a nice chemically smell, not burnt.

You may have overheated the tranny. If the water cooler got too high, then it transfers heat to the tranny fluid thru the in tank cooler. I assume during your last rebuild that they used the uprated parts since your model year had problems with the E4OD. Sometimes the trannys will spit some fluid out if they get hot, usually no permanent damage is done.

Wouldn't hurt to change fluid. Would be worthwhile to drop the pan and inspect for particles and take a good look at the fluid color and clarity as it sits in the pan. When the fluid is in the pan, it should be a nice dark red and you should be able to see the bottom of the pan, assuming the fluid is maybe 3-4 inches deep.

Depending where you live, it may be worthwhile to get a tranny cooler. Don't go wild and get the biggest one you can find, just a step up over factory rating. Wild guess is that your truck is rated to tow about 5,000# so I would go with a cooler to handle about 10,000# total. Looks like someone advertises coolers on the side bar of this page, may be worth a look.

If it was me, I would consider a temp gauge for the tranny. At least that way you will know how high you swing. Should rarely get over 200, more likely down around 150-180 if you don't tow.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

I blew out some fluid this weekend under similar conditions. I have noticed, both before and after this "Towing" incident, that shifting is getting a lot more pronounced and not smooth. I'm also getting a periodic "Rattle" sound from the drive shaft if I am not hard on the throttle. Any Idea about the cause. My fluid is pink and smells OK, but it does not seem to be performing correctly.

 

Keep in mind I am no tranny expert, just a guy who has had a few trannies do unfortunate things and I like to tinker.

Usually when your tranny starts to shift harshly, it is because the computer is sensing a problem and boosting pressure to keep slippage dow. Slippage causes heat which kills trannys. One other symptom that almost surely means you have heat damage is torque shudder. This is a feeling like driving on grooved pavement that occurs when you are gently accelerating around 45mph and shifting into 4th and OD. Letting off the gas makes the shudder go away. Also downshifting or hard acceleration makes it go away. Gentle to moderate acceleration is where you will feel the shudder, it is the converter clutches slipping.

You didn't mention what tranny etc you had or how many miles on the fluid. May be worth dropping the pan. You can tell alot from a fluid change and dropping the pan.

Not sure what the rattle could be. Could be all kinds of things and maybe not even the shaft. If it is the shaft a guess would be the Universals are going or you have a lot of backlash in the drive train. It might also just be something loose under the floor board like , heat shields, rock guards, exhaust hangers etc. I like to crawl around under the truck with a strong light and wiggle anything I can grab to see if anything is loose. More often than not, something needs a bit of tightening. I have noticed the heat shields on the 460 sometimes crack and make a metallic ringing. Usually a hose clamp will fix that.

Good Luck,

Jim henderson

 

Oh Boy, this is exactly what I have! Is it time to sell my truck? How bad does it get before you replace a torque converter? I find this symptom periodically and more often while towing.

Any comments?

 

When the TC starts to shudder, it means it is slipping which causes heat which damages the seals which causes debris to circulate which causes more damage. So sooner you take care of it the less damage that occurs and the less expensive it is.

Some people are able to resolve the problem by a good fluid flush and fill. Others have the shudder caused by the shift sensor, forgot technical name.

When I took my 94 E4od in due to harsh shifting and shudder, the tranny shop said "Ah ha torque shudder, got to drop the pan and take a look etc" He said it was a common problem for the early E4ODs.

I had put up with the harsh shifting for a couple months or so but it was becoming more frequent and the shudder was getting slightly stronger. My fluid was pink and smeel kind of OK. It should have been red and smelled very chemically. I knew there was a problem but hoped a fluid change would fix it.

I got a rebuild at 50K miles(my stupidity letting fluid run low while towing). Told the guy to make it bullet proof for tow and spent $2,500. He put in an uprated TC, new valve body and solenoids, new Sun shell, and misc parts and a shift kit.

If you have a pre 95 E4OD, the converter was a weak link and prone to shudder. The sooner you drop the pan and at least change fluid, the less damage you will have. For some that is all it takes, for others a new TC, for the lucky ones, a rebuild to varying degrees.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

Using THIS method is MUCH better than just dropping the pan. If you only drop the pan you'll change less than half of the fluid and won't fix the shudder problem.

If you do want to also drop the pan, read carefully. There is a step in there to drop the pan without dumping a gollon of ATF all over yourself.

 

Code 628 just what I have. I never saw a flashing OD Switch, but I had the stored code. Well, I'm am going to service and add "shudder stop". I hope that works and I don't have any sparkles in the pan. Torque Converter Shudder is not something I was looking forward to in my "Family Car" a F150 1994 5.8L.

 

I'm wondering how the clutch fan could be the problem at those speeds? I thought the fan was pretty useless after about 40mph? Maybe give the cooling system a good flush.

 

Probably the biggest reason to drop the pan is so you can look at what remains at the bottom of the pan. Sludge, metal flakes, clutch material will all show up in the bottom of the pan. You can tell alot about what is wearing in the tranny and how normal it is, just by "stirring the tea leaves" around abit.

You also get to change the filter, which on an E4OD is some kind of spun synthetic material, kind of like cottony paper, not just a screen.

There is also a magnetic donut in the pan which will capture stuff for you to examine. You won't see any of that with a machine flush or any method that drains without dropping the pan.

Unfortunately dropping the pan does only account for about half the fluid. You also should drain the converter and the cooler lines and coolers. WIld guess is that this will account for about 90%+ of the fluid. I think the last time I did that I got within about 1 quart or less of the book specification for capacity.

As the tranny shop told me, you gotta drop the pan and take a look around.

To prevent future spills, put in a drain plug. B&M makes a nice one and for some strange reason there is a dimple in the pan where it should go, but Ford didn't put one in. Note to the naysayers, yes a plug is another opportunity for a leak and or could catch on something on the trail and get yanked out. Determine your options and make your choises. I put a plug in and have been fine so far. Draining the pan is almost drip free now. Yah still gotta drop the pan tho.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

OK, I had two boil overs. 1994 F150 5.8 E4OD Towing at capacity on hot days, once at 60,000 miles. I changed the fluid and filter shortly thereafter. All ok till 90,000 miles, same thing. You really need to watch the temps while towing, OD off and AC off when hot. two letters above your normal temp is risking overflow from the vent. The second time I had shifting problems on a hot day , not towing, preceeding the incident.

I have once again changed the fluid and filter (no problems at inspection), added 16 quarts* fresh MERCON (Dextron III) with one pint of "Shudder Stop" additive. My transmission has no more shifting problems (like a clunk from 1-2 & 2-3, or TC Shudder) and it back to the smooth transmission it has always been. I am so happy to have my true truck back. *to get 16 quarts in you must drain the TC.