I finally got sick enough of my second to third gear clunk and brought the truck into the dealer. Tranny specialist test drove it and of course it did not make a clunk for him. It is intermittent and does not happen as often when the tranny gets warm enough. He did give me a TSB on the issue saying some 03 and 04 TS transmissions may exhibit a pop or clunk sound going from second to third gear and that it is mechanical lash which is normal and no repair should be made.
All I know is it didn't do this when new, so how is this normal? Anybody else ever have this and has it ever been fixed. Over 16000 trouble free miles on my PSD. I love the truck, just hate the clunk!!
Mike

 

been there done that its normal per ford.

but not to me i made so much noise that they gave me 2000 dollars less then what i paid new with 20,000 miles on it.(all over the country when hunting season starts ) granted it was only 10 months old. the 2nd to 3rd shift was only one of my many problems that i had with my 04 . but that clunk that you talk about is the only thing my 05 does when its realy realy cold out.

 

My 04/04 4X4 does the same thing. Once the tranny is warmed up and under light acceleration, she will clunk/honk when shifting into third gear. I have not taken it in yet, but it has only started doing it with in the past month or so (16500 total miles).

Doesn't seem to do it when you get into the pedal a bit, so maybe that is telling me something.

It doesn't seem normal to me either. I have had great luck with my dealer and service department, so I suppose I should give them a call or take her in and get their opinion.

 

The TSB that your tech refers to is this...

Clunk or Pop from TorqShift at 2-3 MPH:
A clunk or pop may be heard or felt on drive away after starting the engine, backing up and shifting to drive, usually around 2-3 MPH. This condition may be intermittent. It is the result of normal backlash (movement) between the splines on the low/reverse one-way clutch. Broadcast Message 1335

NOTE...That it's a concern for 2-3 Miles Per Hour and not a 2-3 UPSHIFT complaint, or any info. in regards to it..
As far as I know, Ford hasn't released a TSB/Special Broadcast Message in regards to the complaint that 'not only you' have, but others here as well.. MYSELF included, with both my 03 and now the 05.. AND as with yours, my 05 had ZERO shift concerns when new, drove/shifted flawlessly, and developed this 'clunk' within the first 500 miles or so.. We have several (6) of these S/D's 5R110's in our fleet and mine is the only one that has this 'clunk' between shifts.. Although, a few have the 2-3MPH clunk which my 05 doesn't have!!

Our latest 05 will be a good test as to the 'development' of this concern.. As with mine, I drove this one at all temps, throttle angles, and multipal times with NO noises when NEW..

A normal condition or not, and may not have been the primary cause, but mine started to fill the remote filter with metal and was dealer built at 2K.. Two or three days later the 2-3 upshift clunk was back.. Barely noticeable at first, and graduated to annoying from there on.. Since then, it has been VERY noticeable (to even the passengers) at times, especially cold, and on 'about' the 'third set' of shifts cycles between 2-3..

I would suspect that there will be an upcoming info. release at some point from Ford to deem this 'clunk' as normal shift situation as with the 2-3MPH TSB..

WHAT was that!! has been asked many times....

.........................HP................

 

The TSB the dealer gave me yesterday (#18100 effective date 8/26/04) addressed the clunk at take off and the 2nd to 3rd gear clunk. It reads as follows:

18100 2003-2004 SUPER DUTY F-SERIES/EXCURSION AND 2004 ECONOLINE TORQSHIFT-CLUNK OR POP DURING INITIAL ENGAGMENT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE OR LOW SPEED 2-3 UPSHIFTS
SOME 2003-2004 SUPER DUTY F-SERIES, EXCURSION AND 2004 ECONOLINE VEHICLES WITH A 6.0L ENGINE AND TORQSHIFT TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A CLUNK OR POP ON INITIAL ENGAGMENT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AT APPROXMATELT 2-3 MPH (3-5 KM/H), OR ON LOW SPEED 2-3 UPSHIFTS. THIS CONDITION MAY BE INTERMITTENT AND IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF POWERTRAIN MECHANICAL LASH. NO REPAIR ATTEMPTS SHOULD BE MADE.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/26/2004

 

Is it true that second gear on the auto's is a variable ratio. I believe I read it on here somewhere.

 

No, that isn't true. Second gear is 2.21:1.

 

Mine clunks too - into 3rd and low power. Sometimes I don't notice it, but think I'm just getting used to it. I squawk it on every trip to the dealer - if I ever have trans problems out of warranty, I can reference the 20 or so times I told them the trans was clunking. I also squawk low power, heavy smoke at idle, and oil in the intake tubes. They say all of this is normal, but I want it on the record in case something lets loose later. I honestly would not worry about the clunk, at least I'm not for now.

 

I stand corrected..

I hadn't heard that the 2-3upshift was grouped with the earlier TSB but knew they would... There is also a flash for 05 for shift improvement/enhancement.. They flashed mine after the 2K build, and in my opinion the shifts were better outta the box.. I miss the trans that left the dealership..

BUT The fact is, that we have other 5R110's that don't have this concern at much higher mileage than mine.. And for the life of me, I don't understand how only 'SOME' of these trannys can be aflicted and others are quite.. OR, how they can be TOTALLY quite when new, and like mine, be pretty severe after only a few hundred miles.. The hard parts couldn't have change that quickly, especially twice, but learned strategy can.. Unless it build quality/tolerance issues, or lack of, between units..

My 05 is totally quite on the pull away, where my 03 had both concerns.. If the noise isn't there when new and develops (as stated by other members here) then there has to be a way to eliminate it.. Either through flash/programming or a build/upgrade.. Easier to call it normal.. Mine seemed to develop the 'clunk' after about the first 5 drive cycle or so (came on very slow) which would change the Learned Shift Strategy.. So, is it a loaded strategy from Ford, that is replaced by real life conditions that causes the bump, or a hard parts lash or engagment situation.. Most of the complaints here about the 'clunks' are after some mileage, and NOT out of the gate from the dealer.. Had I heard the clunks (and I checked it) I would have went with the ZF 6sd..

Either way, we have had a 50% failure rate 'to date' on our fleet/employee trucks with the 5R110.. Don't mean to talk smack, as I really like my truck, but also think Ford needs to address these concerns.. And a trans that hammers isn't a good selling/re selling point and concerns me as to longevity and build of these units..

........................HP....................

 

I have been lurking here too long and have finally been able to re-register. I love my 04 F-350 SD PSD 4X4 FX Lariat 25,000+ miles, but it too has developed the "clunk on driveaway" condition. Thanks to all for the pertinent information about the TSB. It is some consolation, but only some. I will now watch out for the other "clunk" conditions as reported by the members. As suggested by Tekrep, I will complain to my Service Manager and ask that this condition, and any others as they develop, be entered into my trucks repair history, TSB 18100 notwithstanding, just in case. Now that my Service Manager knows that I read this forum, he is quite a bit more attentive to my requests.

 

Just bought my 2004 Super Duty 4X4 with only 90,000 miles on it. It has the 5.4 engine and the 4R100 automatic transmission. I have a 30 day bumper to bumper on the drive train which will soon run out. I have a rubbing/shuddering noise when shifting into 4th and overdrive. It only happens under a slight load. Tranny has to be pulling slightly while still gaining enough speed to upshift. I had it to a transmission speciaist who couldn't make it happen whilie I wasn't there. I had the fluid and filter changed and added some gunk that's supposed to quiet the torque converter. He road tested the truck and said not to worry that it will run forever. No improvement noted. I not only hear this noise but can feel it too. Help anyone?