Well, this seems to be the topper for a week that's been just about as bad as the one Cookie just had. I was driving home from work yesterday (no trailer, no load), accelerating from a light in the middle of a pack of traffic. First gear OK, second gear OK, then it felt like someone lit off a bomb in the back of the truck when the trans shifted into third - or at least tried to shift into third. To make a long story short, I had no third gear and no OD. I tried turning off the OD to lock it in third; no change. Manually shifted to second and pulled into the next parking lot I came across. Fluid level was good, fluid was clean, so I shut 'er down and restarted it. Went to back up and discovered that I had no reverse. I was able to limp it 14 miles back to the shop - in second gear - and I tore into it today.
Now, having a problem with third, OD, and reverse is kind of an odd combination. No problem at all with first or second, manually selected or in D. My first thought was 'electrical problem', so I inspected the connectors for the inhibitor switch and the solenoid pack. All the connections were clean, no loose terminals. Drained and dropped the pan. Fluid was clean enough I could have put it back in with no hesitation. Bottom of the pan was just about surgically clean - nothing significant on the magnet or in the filter, either. Buttoned it all back up, refilled it and blew it down the road - no problems. I figured that I either had a piece of junk caught in the shift solenoids, or the solenoids were starting to hang up. Our Ford store had the solenoid pack on the shelf, so I picked it up and put it in. Returned the rental, drove home, shifted beautifully - for 15 miles. Then did the exact same thing it did yesterday. No reverse, no third, no OD. I'm about at my wits' end. About the only thing I can come up with is that either something's hanging up in the valve body, or I've got a faulty trans controller. Anybody know if the trans module is contained in the PCM or if it's a separate unit?
Anyone have any thoughts on possible causes and/or fixes? (And before anyone beats me up about it, yes, I'm strongly tempted to call BTS and order everything to build a Monster Box. I just want to make sure I don't have a controller issue first.)

 

Just realized I didn't leave any information about the truck. It's an 02 250 SC LB 4x4. 4R100, obviously.

 

Wheww...I dont evevn know where to start, but im sure sooner or later someone who does will chime in. Im interested in knowing what the problem is too. so please keep us posted.

 

I had just finished work and drove across town to stop for a burger before going home... everything was fine all the way to the resturaunt.
After dinner I hopped in to go home and my truck (01 f250 7.3 4x4 cc) would not shift into 3rd. When it would go from 2nd to 3rd it would feel like someone just through an ancor out! The thing would just labor terrably!
Shifted down into 2nd and all seemed fine so I started to speed up and shifted back into drive and it again seemed as I was pulling a trailer with no wheels!
Well I brought it to the tranny shop and after evaluation they informed me that a 'sprag' in the tranny ( one that they tried to cheep out on for about 6 months in production) blew up and pretty much chewed everything up I had to totally rebuild the tranny due to the secondary dammage from the failed sprag.
I guess its not all that simular to your issue but your not the only one who has had odd issues with the tranny... Hang in there someone will have some guidance for you!

 

Looking through my service book I have, there are a couple of commons between no 3rd OD and reverse. Aside from fluid level, pressure, and filter. Says to inspect Direct Clutch accumulator valve, also inspect direct clutch assy if 3rd is inop, Damged piston or seals, burnt or missing clutch plates, direct clutch ball check assy missing or damaged, center suppport seals damaged or missing, direct clutch hub damaged.

Sounds to me like you need to pull the accumulator valve body, check the piston and springs for 2-3 and 3-4. Which with the notch to the top, and the veins in view, would be on the left side. Make sure the piston is not sticking or binding, then pull the clips out and check the valves themselves out. That was the easy part, if it is the direct clutch assyembly it self, which it probably is, then you have to take it all apart to get to it, and you just as well order a rebuild kit why you are in there. Good luck, I am going to put my tranny in tomorrow morning, will see then if I put it back together right. Keeping fingers crossed.

-Mike

 

Sounds like what happened to me. After a rebuild in Houston including new valve body, clutch plates, triple lock TC etc. I hit the highway. Put the truck in R in Newton, Kansas and got a really funky sound. Put it in D. 1st and 2nd, no problem. Hit 3rd and it felt like we had hit a wall. I checked the rearview mirror to see if the tranny was in the road behind me.

Boils down to a broken sprag - defective part. The sprag for third and Reverse is the same. It literally cracked. Creeping along in second to get to a shop burned up some clutch plates, etc. It was one expensive lesson. Hope you find yours and get it fixed a lot easier.

 

Good luck. Thanks for the info. I'll be dropping the pan again tomorrow.

 

That might be worse than my week. My problems were easy to identify and correct...just a little on the expensive side. Yours sounds like it could be much worse. Best of luck to ya'....I hope it's something simple in the valve body and not a "rebuild" thing.

 

Man... I hate that things like this happen to us. I know when I get time, I gotta do a lot of things to my front end. Luckily though, its not a situation that leaves a person stranded. All my buddies buy new (most change every 2 years), and laugh that I am always doing "something" to my old rig. I just like the fact that when I talk about my truck the wife she says "THere's an US??" and none of my buddies have that kind of relationship with their truck. Maybe we are all just freaks, but its like another child.

 

Sounds like a good excuse to call BTS!

 

Dropped the trans after work today. Haven't had a chance to tear it down yet - the manager chased me out, something about going home and a wife. Guess that's a project for tomorrow. Called BTS today for a price quote, and was bummed to find out that Brian won't sell an upgrade/rebuild kit, only a complete unit. Much as I'd like to have a Monster Box, I just don't have $3900 to shell out for one. Is there anyone out there offering such a beast, or do I have to bite the bullet and get a complete unit if I want upgraded strength?

 

Have you looked at Suncoast or ATS, Suncoast offers some rebuild kits for the DIY that are super extreme duty, also offer lots of parts as well.

EDIT: Was looking through suncoast, their extreme duty master rebuild kit has the same components that I installed, with the exception that the kit I ordered came with transgo reprogramming kit. The only difference is mine came with a billet triple disc T/C. I don't know how it would compare to the Suncoast T/C, but my complete kit was 1100 from txchange.com Looks like Suncoast is about 550 for the kit minus T/C, their T/C are listed at 1300.

 

FactoryTech sells the "monster in a box" rebuild kit.
http://www.factorytechtransmissions....PROD&ProdID=13

 

Just looked through the kit for Monster box, looks like it has the same components as the Suncoast kit does, only cost is about double. If you are going to rebuild it, check all the sites out, nothin' to lose but a little time. I am very happy with the kit from txchange.com that I got, not too happy about the T/C though, it definately has some noise to it. Have heard about 3 disc T/C being noisy, but don't know if all do. The one I have definately does.

 

what is a BTS kit, i guess it's a tranny ??