Blinking OD Light !!!!
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Redmond, Washington
Blinking OD Light !!!!
Last weekend we were headed out to go fishing in my 97 PS 4X4 with our 10 and a half foot camper on back and my OD light started to blink. I have been a reader of this forum for some time and have heard other talk about this but couldn't remember what the blinking light was tring to tell me. Made it there and back but tranny seams to be shifting harder !!!
A little about my truck:
1997 PS 4X4
Cat Gone
Down pipe changed to 31/2"
4" Exhaust
Air intake changed out to the 6337 filter
Skidder
A little about my truck:
1997 PS 4X4
Cat Gone
Down pipe changed to 31/2"
4" Exhaust
Air intake changed out to the 6337 filter
Skidder
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,137
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From: Marble Falls, Texas
VSS. Vehicle Speed Sensor. It is located on top of the rear axle, held in with a 10mm bolt. Last time I bought one from the dealership it was $20. If the computer can't tell how fast the truck is going, it doesn't know when to shift. Hense the harder shift. And the OD light will blink. Usually you lose the speedo too. I'm 99.9% sure that's your problem. Hope that helps.
RubberDuck
RubberDuck
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From: Redmond, Washington
Blinking OD Light
Thanks for the quik reply Rubber Duck I will replace that right away. Will that make the OD light quit blinking or is there something else that I need to do to clear it ?
Skidder
Skidder
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: MICHIGAN
You can fix the hard shift problem by pulling the #9 fuse in the under the hood distribution box. It resets the PCM.
BTW: if you have a bunch of fuzzy junk on the sensor in the rear diff, you can clean it up and try it out b4 replacing it.
BTW: if you have a bunch of fuzzy junk on the sensor in the rear diff, you can clean it up and try it out b4 replacing it.
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New User
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Redmond, Washington
Blinking OD Light
Thanks Cuda Jim for your input I wasn't sure if I had to do anything or not to reset the blinking light and I will check out the switch before I replace it...
Thanks Again
Skidder
Thanks Again
Skidder
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 435
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From: troy, Mo
It could be that sensor or when my truck did that it was the torque converter. I had a crack in the piston (cuz it's plastic if still stock) and caused fluid to leek by and the tranny went into "limp home mode". Thats what your tranny has done. Your tranny is in "limp home mode" that's why it is shifting hard. Please let us know if the sensor does it for you.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Redmond, Washington
Blinking OD Light
Thanks 14psd for your repy !!! When your torque converter went out did you drop any tranny fluid ? My fluid level is right where it should be...I haven't had a chance to pull the VSS yet but will this weekend. I will let ya know what I find ...
Skidder
Skidder
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U may b screwed. is the fluid bright red?, does it smell clean?
if it is discolored (brown) or smells burnt, its tranny time.
Fail safe mode, or "limp home mode" can be reset, by pulling fuse, and it may not go into fail safe again for months, however it is most likely the begining of the end.
I did the reset thing for 18 months before getting tranny rebuilt.
At first it lasted a couple months, then a month, then a couple weeks, etc. etc.
The only down side I found was when it did go into fail safe, every shift was like a kick in the ***.
My tranny guy said it really did not make a difference waiting, as a good shop will replace everything anyway.
good luck, I hope for your sake, it's just a stupid $20 part, but I doubt it.
if it is discolored (brown) or smells burnt, its tranny time.
Fail safe mode, or "limp home mode" can be reset, by pulling fuse, and it may not go into fail safe again for months, however it is most likely the begining of the end.
I did the reset thing for 18 months before getting tranny rebuilt.
At first it lasted a couple months, then a month, then a couple weeks, etc. etc.
The only down side I found was when it did go into fail safe, every shift was like a kick in the ***.
My tranny guy said it really did not make a difference waiting, as a good shop will replace everything anyway.
good luck, I hope for your sake, it's just a stupid $20 part, but I doubt it.
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Originally Posted by Level2
Yeah, I have had 3 PSD autos and 2 manuals and when that light blinks I can figure on spending $2,300-2,500 on a new tranny....I've done it 3 times.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2004
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From: Higginsville, MO
I didn't say the manuals failed, just the autos....I did one clutch but that was it. The auto's werent my fault....these were my company trucks and some of my guys are hard on the trucks. I have had 2 95's 2 97's and a 2001. Both the 97s were the stick shifts and the rest were autos. First 95 I got 232K out of the original tranny and I would still have it but at 300K my brother in law totaled it and I traded of both 97s. One I traded for the '01 and the other I traded for my Ranger. Wish I still had it instead of the Ranger.
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Originally Posted by Level2
The auto's werent my fault....these were my company trucks and some of my guys are hard on the trucks.
I'm not at that level yet, but hope to be puttin on more trucks eventually.
I always wondered if peer pressure might be the answer to that problem??
I mean u let it slip a few times.... "Gawd u guys keep beatin on these trucks and i gotta spend yor raise money just to fix 'em so y'all can work." might just get a few guys thinkin... I gotta say sumthin to this *** drivin this truck.
Originally Posted by Level2
and the other I traded for my Ranger. Wish I still had it instead of the Ranger.
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From: Higginsville, MO
Actually the 97 F350 PSD 4x4 reg. cab that I traded for the Ranger got a lot better fuel mileage....thats why I hate that I got rid of it....not to mention that it could haul or pull bout anything I wanted.....I loved that truck.
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From: Redmond, Washington
Blinking OD Light
Well I pulled the speed senser and cleaned it off. It seamed clean but I whiped it out and reinstalled it. Than I checked the Tranny Fluid the level was up where it needs to be but it felt a little gritty but smelt ok. I pulled the number 9 fuse to reset the tranny. It seams to be doing just fine. I don't know if there is a problem or not.... I will just have to wait and see if it goes back into the cripple mode again and go from there I don't no what else I can do...
Thanks, for asking
Skidder
Thanks, for asking
Skidder
