I'm getting ready to replace the MLPS in our 1995 E150 (E4OD) conversion and may have to rebuild the electrical connector at the switch. Is there a step by step for this? New connector plug housing came with the new NAPA MPLS. I guess the trick is to get the wires into the corresponding holes between the old and new connector plugs right? Also, does the transmission need to be in neutral? I know about the "notch/mark" on the new switch body that needs to line up perpendicular with the flat sides on the shaft out of the casing and the way to get the park/neutral start adjustment and reverse lights. It's mainly the connector I'm wondering about. Do the wires have to be cut or do they pull out of the old connector and just push into the new connector?? Thanks!

 

The outer shell of the connector seals better to the mlps. If the connector on the harness fits the new mlps you don't need to change the plastic shell unless it is damaged. To switch the wires you have to remove the red plastic insert from the shell and with a small screwdriver release the plastic clip inside to pull out the wire. Push the wires into the new connector in exactly the same position they came from.

When you install the mlps onto the transmission the marks on the outside of the mlps must be lined up and the transmission in neutral when you tighten the retaining bolts.

 

Well I lucked out and the old connector was in great shape and clean/dry inside so it was reused. The new MLPS was installed with the trans in PARK by mistake but it starts in PARK and NEUTRAL only. Is it absolutely necessary that the trans be in nuetral? The little square box mark is lined up with the shaft correctly. It seems to be OK. Will MLPS installation in PARK instead of NEUTRAL affect the shifting? Need to road test but ran out of time today.

 

Well, the new MLPS didn't cure the hard shifts. Still intermittant but seems to shift hard after stop and go operation.

 

No, you don't have to have the transmission in neutral when you change the MLPS. Only that it fits over the shaft correctly and is adjusted properly. If it starts in Park and Neutral, you are fine.

If it still has a hard intermittant shift, then it could be the TPS or an internal problem. Can't remember if you changed the TPS or not. Hard shifts in stop and go sounds to me like an internal problem.

Steve
'95 Clubwagon XLT

 

I haven't swapped out the TPS yet. Removing the TB doesn't seem so bad a chore in comparison to internal trans problems! I have an appointment at a local CERTIFIED TRANSMISSIONS shop to get it diagnosed next week. The shop is highly recommended by the local BBB. Like I posted before, it is so intermittant that I doubt it's a temperature issue as it may hard shift on a cold start and drive off. But I'm no trans-tech so with 193K miles the E4OD is way beyond its normal service life I've been told. Would a partially plugged up transmission cooler cause it to increase line pressures? Some times the OD OFF light will flash when it shifts hard and sometime it won't flash. I'm leaning toward internal problem simply with the miles on it. I'll repost after the diagnosis at the shop. Thanks!

 

If the OD light is flashing when it shifts hard, that is a transmission code. Sometimes when not its likely a hard shift because of something internal. At nearly 200k miles on an E40D you _are_ well beyond any reasonable expected service life. The hard shift could result from the servo or accumulator seals being hard and bypassing pressure until it finally seals and then the pressure is higher than normal and it shifts hard. A common problem.

A plugged cooler will not cause the problem. I am leaning toward the internal problem. With that many miles I know all of the internal seals are hard. Most likely there will be a cushion spring or pressure plate broken. Probably some slightly burnt clutches and heat checked steels. All of these will combine to deteriorate performance and shift quality. It due for an overhaul anyway.

My van went 235,000 before I overhauled it (4R70W). It got regular service and was in good condition. The only real problem it had was a roller clutch coming apart but the band was slightly burnt and the seals were all hard. I reused the clutches and steel plates but everything else was renewed.

Steve
'95 Clubwagon XLT

 

We put new Michelins on it today and ran errands with a 50/50 hiway and city combination driving for 150 miles and it didn't shift hard even once! I wonder if a bottle of LUCAS Trans additive would get me anymore miles out of it before I repair/replace it. Those new Michelin LT"s make for a nice ride I must say! Thanks for your input Steve!

 

I have a 1998 F-350 van w\5.4l efi and i can not get reverse lights to work? i have power to the switch and if i run power to the wire the lights work so it must be the switch new switch was 62 dollers and i still have no backup lights . how do i adjust MLPS? ( ford told me it wasnt adjusted right but van will start in park and nutral only so am i super far off? how do you adjust this thing