Hard shifting E4OD
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 726
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From: Silverdale, WA.
Hard shifting E4OD
Well, I just got back from three months at sea, and while out my "friends" (a dodge guy and a ricer buddy...) borrowed my truck to the tune of almost 2000 miles. I have a 75,000 mile 95 F250 with the 460, E4OD and 4.10LS gears. I know they did some towing with it, and one of them has a lead foot on both feet. When I left the truck shifted fine, now it shifts so hard it feels like I'm gonna blow a u-joint on every shift. I have a B&M shift improver kit installed but it is set to the normal position, so no extra firmness should be happening... Did they break my tranny, or do I just need to reset the computer or something? Thanks for the help in advance.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
My tranny did this also. But it was after I tampered with the Torque Converter Clutch sylenoid lockup wire. It came out of it after about 100 miles. I actually liked it shifting a little harder.... No slippage= less wear on the tranny.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 371
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From: Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Well, I'm thinking that you should probably try to pull the codes from the ECM 1st and see if anything is registered. Is your OD light flashing at all - check the bulb to make sure that it didn't "accidentally" fall out or become loose. Your tranny is shifting that way for a reason and it isn't usually a happy occassion. I believe that your tranny has set itself into "trouble" or "performance" mode because something is amiss and it is bypassing all of the nice pressure gates and relief bypasses in order to preserve itself. You should also crawl under there and check all of the wiring harnesses in case one has come loose. While there also check the MLPS connector to make sure that it is OK.
Post back with your findings and check with your buds to see if maybe they have any confessions to make.
Good Luck!
Mike
Post back with your findings and check with your buds to see if maybe they have any confessions to make.
Good Luck!
Mike
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Silverdale, WA.
OD light is out, but comes on when you push the on/off button like it should. Will there be any codes in the engine ecm? I'll do a search to try to find how to read the tranny ecm if there isn't a flashing OD button. I don't mind a firm shift, but this is too harsh and will break something eventually. I bought the extended powertrain warranty with the truck, so if the tranny is toast it will get replaced out of their pocket and not mine... Kinda dark right now, I will crawl under the truck tomorrow to check out the wiring harness for loose connections or broken wires.
Oh, and the buds are already in trouble, the truck came back two quarts low on oil and a half gallon of antifreeze short. This truck has never used or leaked either before I left... Obviously I'm not real happy with them right now.
Oh, and the buds are already in trouble, the truck came back two quarts low on oil and a half gallon of antifreeze short. This truck has never used or leaked either before I left... Obviously I'm not real happy with them right now.
Last edited by hotrod_ta; Nov 14, 2005 at 11:21 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 371
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From: Wetaskiwin, Alberta
SIGH!!! Yeah, I have a few buds like that as well! The extended warranty was a VERY good idea. Just don't forget that the holder of the warranty will try to prove that the damage was caused by "abuse" or "neglect" and if they can do so then all bets are off on the warranty coverage. Let us know how you make out with checking the wiring harness(s).
Cheers!
Mike
Cheers!
Mike
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Silverdale, WA.
No visible damage to any wiring or transmission parts. I'm going to reset the computer here in a few hours and see if that makes things go back to normal or if a tranny shop needs to fix it. I am friends with a couple of dealers and repair shops so the "abuse or neglect" card shouldn't be a factor.
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 48
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From: Borrego Springs, Ca.
If you do a search on "slamming", and "hard shifting" you will find a ton of possible causes. My transmission started doing that too. It went away and came back. I disconnected the battery and it was okay for about 100 miles. I can't get my code reader to work, so I don't know what the code is yet.
Possible causes: fuel filter, timing not advancing, throttle position switch, transmission position switch, bad torque converter, bad connecters, full moon, etc. Seems to be a common problem and the worst case senario would be a bad torque converter. Sure hope mine is not bad.
Possible causes: fuel filter, timing not advancing, throttle position switch, transmission position switch, bad torque converter, bad connecters, full moon, etc. Seems to be a common problem and the worst case senario would be a bad torque converter. Sure hope mine is not bad.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: detroit michigan
trans
if they did towing with it i will bet they overheated the torque converter and it will need to be replaced. same thing happened to one of my work vans the front of the converter was blue from the heat put a new converter in it new fluid and a monster trans cooler cleared computer problem gone install a drain plug in the pan when you have it off my transmission guy says every 3 engine oil change change the trans fluid and every 2 transfluid change replace the filter e4od`s have problems with heat and dont drive in the city in overdrive never plow snow or pull a trailer in overdrive install a trans temp guage (autometer) and synthetic fluid is the best also when you have your trans out change all the seals input output and manual lever seals flush or replace the trans lines flush the transcooler on the radiator or just buypass it if you use an rv cooler keep all the garbage you can out of the transmission and keep it cool and the trans cooler is never big enough!!!
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Check and see if there is moisture in the MLP/TR sensor connector on the drivers side of the trans at the shift lever. If it has moisture in it, it can cause all kinds of trans concerns including the one you have and it will not set codes or flash the light most of the time. If it has moisture in it it will need to be replaced and add dielectric gel in the connection to keep moisture from getting to it again. I would say that 90% of trans concerns with out a flashing light or code are caused by this sensor and should be the first thing looked at in these cases after the fluid level and condition.
Last edited by Ponyracer; Nov 18, 2005 at 02:03 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Camarokid, next time you do a post, break it up a little and or use periods at the end of your sentences so it will be able to be understood
. You had good info it was just real tough to read.
I agree with Ponyracer also. I had mud and moisture clumped up around that sensor and they tranny wouldnt shift out of 2nd.
These E4OD trannys are pretty complicated but once you start to understand how it all works, it gets much much easier.
. You had good info it was just real tough to read.I agree with Ponyracer also. I had mud and moisture clumped up around that sensor and they tranny wouldnt shift out of 2nd.
These E4OD trannys are pretty complicated but once you start to understand how it all works, it gets much much easier.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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I am having the same problem with my 94 Lightning. I had heard abot the MLP and I re-applied dilectric grease to the plug, and it helped. It is still a problem sometimes. I found a way to test if that might be the issue. If I hold down on the shift lever, kinda like holding it in the bottom part of drive.... it doesnt have any issue. I can rest my arm on the shift lever, and no probs.... Maybe you could test it this way?