Ok, Now that my new/old truck is running again(thanks guys) it is time for me to start thinking about upgrades. I eventually want to pull my boat trailer(7ooo lbs) with this truck. I have heard there are problems with the E40D, especially the 1989 version. What if anything can be done to this tranny so I can feel comfortable towing with it? Any updates for a 1989? what does that mean anyway? Aftermarket shift controllers? The truck already has a pretty good size trany cooler and I know the previous owner towed a fifth wheel with it, just not sure if he ever had any problems and I would rather be safe than sorry.

1989 F250 4X4 reg cab 7.3L non-turbo E40D

 

Well, I can't remember everything I went thru on my 91' E4OD but here are a few things to consider:

1, Torque Converter: (could easily spent $500 to $1,000 depending on quality)

If you got the factory torque converter you need to replace it with a stronger RV type or tow-truck type converter. The usual problem is that the converter locking clutch will start to slip which puts metal shavings into your oil which will eat your tranny up in short order.

2, Main Shaft Center Support Bearing: (Good Tranny Rebuilt = $$$$$)

There is an oil lubricated sleeve bearing on the main shaft that has a tendency to fail especially on the earlier E4OD's. Ford upgraded to a antifriction bearing in the later years but that design also had problems. The shop I worked with eventually went back to a beefed-up lubricated sleeve bearing that does work better. Unfortunately your are looking at a total tranny rebuild to address this one. If you are going to go with a total re-build then there are a number of upgrades available that will make the E4OD a much stronger tranny for towing. Refer to the attached link for some of the stuff that is available for the E4OD. Note, the E4OD is getting quite old and support for it from the aftermarket is deminishing. The link below had more information on upgrade components a year ago than it does today.

http://www.becontrols.com/products/e4odcat.htm

3, Temperature Measurement / Tranny Cooler: ($ priceless $)

A second large tranny cooler is a must have. The E4OD can generate huge amounts of heat and the factory coolers just don't do the job. You can also overheat it by lugging the truck in OD. If you got the pedal to the floor you need to keep the tranny out of overdrive using the OD button. The overdrive gear generates a lot of heat and pulling heavy trailers will cause problems. The best way to ensure you don't overheat is to add an aftermarket temperature gauge. Don't exceed tranny temperatures in the 170 to 190 deg. F range.

The attached site has some cooler information:
http://www.bakerprecision.com/trucool.htm

4, Tranny Sensors and Controller:

The link under section 2 above offers a better tranny controller than what came from Ford. Too expensive for me.

The tranny control sensors (TPS, FIPL, VSS, MLPS) that came with the early E4OD's were not very good and if one of them malfunctions it usually causes all kinds of tranny problems. Especially on the 89 I would recommend you change them all to the latest available sensors. To upgrade to the 1995 MLPS you will have to also change the cable connector. All told the above could cost you $400 to $500 in parts.

5, Oil changes:

Oil changes every 30k are a must especially if you are towing. Just neglecting to change your tranny oil can result in all sorts of weird tranny trouble codes. Just ask my Dad, his E4OD in his 92 started shifting weird and spitting out all kinds of weird shift related codes, all because he had neglected his oil changes.

6, Buy an OBD-I Code Reader:

If you own a early E4OD you should buy yourself a OBD-I code reader so you can quickly troubleshoot tranny shift problems as soon as they occur. The problem is that if you drive too long with a shift problem you could end up with damage to the tranny itself. The downside of the OBD-I scanner is that it is pretty limited on what it can diagnose and often the code you get does not right away point to your problem. Or you get multiple codes that indicate a problem that is not related to what the code points to. A good mechanic will usually be able to interpret the codes better than you.

There is lots more I could tell you, personnally I am between a rock and a hard place on my 91 these days. I wanted to tweak it for towing a large 5th wheel but I darn well know I would have to invest about 3k to 4k in the E4OD to make it do what I need it to do; Thats a lot of money, and I have been thinking about a conversion to a ZF5 or ZF6, but again, a lot of money.


Seb....

 

thanks for the info and links. I will definitely add another cooler and temp gauge. I would also like to install a valve body recalibration kit unfortunately the link you posted only covers 90 to 95 E40D's for their valve body kit. Hopefully I can find one for an 89. I would like a stronger torque converter but if I do that I might as well do a complete rebuild while I have it out.

Thanks,
WSM

 

Best advice for an E40d- take it out and replace it with a C-6. The E40D could not handle gas applications reliably, much less the torque of the diesel. The last E40D I ran I was lucky to get 80K out of a tranny.
In my opinion, the best option for an E4oD is to simlpy buy it through Ford, get the 3 year waranty with it.

 

A new E40D from Ford is not an option. I'm sure that would cost more than I paid for the truck. I am just hoping to strengthen what I already have for the infrequent towing I will be doing.
Thanks,
wsm

 

I would think your E4OD, if used for 5th wheel towing has likely been apart at some time or another. 89 was the first year and had it's fair share of grief to hand out. A good cooler and a temp guage should be all you need, if your not planning larger amounts of towing. If it is working OK at present, why mess around with it?
I have a friend's 1989 E350 in the shop. E350 is a dually with a double bunk. I did an overhaul about 7 years ago, it is just now giving some more problems. He tows a racecar, about 9000lbs car and trailer, about 10,0000 Km. a year. I don't think that's unreasonable given the weight and the age of the equipment.
A big problem with them is overheating, controlling that will extend it's life. Don

 

Overheating is definetely the No. 1 problem with the E4OD followed shortly by problems with the torque converter clutch.

The factory torque converters were not very good and unfortunately once the TC clutch starts slipping it is all downhill really fast from there.

If you are not willing to spent the money on an RV grade Torque Converter then maybe consider disabling the clutch so it won't damage the rest of the tranny.

The attached link(s) discuss how to manually lock/unlock the TC. If you leave it unlocked so it can't slip during towing this should extend tranny life. Just make sure you got a huge tranny cooler as an unlocked TC will pump a lot of heat into the tranny fluid that needs to be removed to keep the tranny from overheating. A un-locked TC will also hurt your milage considerably as your engine will rev 200 -400 rpm higher than a with a locked TC.

To learn more follow the link below:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...ml#post3388209

 

Thanks for the info. I will get a temp gauge and a huge cooler. I am a little confused though. Why would i want the torque converter to stay unlocked for towing? I always thought the opposite. Keep it locked to prevent slipping and overheating the tranny.

Thanks,
WSM

 

Your reasoning for locking the converter is correct assuming you have a torque converter that can handle it in the first place. Unfortunately the Factory Converters were not strong enough and the lock starts to slip under heavy load. (towing)

The reason for having the unlocking capability I suggested is so your controller does not engage the TC lock and then destroy the tranny by putting all that metal from the slipping TC clutch thru-out the rest of the tranny.

I ran my E4OD for about six month with the TC lock off until I could get my Torque Converter upgraded. Ran like a charm and did not damage the rest of the tranny.

Watch you RPM carefully to see when your TC lock starts to slip. Usually by the time you notice vibration or chattering it is already to late as the TC clutch is already gone.

Installing a RV torque converter now "may" save you from doing a full tranny rebuilt later.

Unlocking the TC permanentely with the switch is intended only as a short term fix.


Best of luck and Happy New Year,

Seb...

 

OK I think I get it now. We are assuming that the torque converter will slip under a heavy load when it is supposed to be locked and this causes way more damage than the normal heat from friction in an unlocked converter, right? So was the stock torque converter the weakest part of the original E40D tranny? I know this truck was used for towing a fifth wheel in the past, I can not tell if the trans has had any mods done to it. I guess I need to take a closer look.
Thanks,
WSM

 

The factory torque converters were all weak and most in most trucks that did any significant towing or have a significant milage on them would have probably failed by now.

One way to tell if you got a newer style RV converter is to pull your bell housing cover and turn the torque converter thru a 360 deg. turn to see if you still have a drain plug on the converter.

All the newer converters do not have a drain plug on them anymore. The original converters had a drain plug. I think somebody told me once, but I can't remember right now why the newer converters no longer have oil drain plugs.


Seb....

 

That sounds like an easy check. So if no drain plug I can assume it is a newer converter but can I also assume it is an RV type? Could it also just be a new factory replacement but not upgraded?
Thanks,
WSM

 

If you don't have a drain plug than your torque converter is definetely not the factory converter which to my knowledge all had drain plugs.

Which converter you have depends on what was installed. When I looked at my options last year they ranged from about $300 up to almost $1,000 for a replacement torque converter. I ended up settling for the RV grade which was in the $500 range.

If you want a bullet proof TC go for what the Tow Trucks use. These units can go for as much as $1,000.

There are significant internal differences and what you pay for is pretty much what you get.


Seb.

 

If your just going to to pull the boat and not work it everyday i see no reason why the factory style convertor would not suffice and I'm sure there are reasons to go to a beefier unit. The bir problems with the oem convertor were mostly due to the vibrations and torque from the diesel; all whitch should be eliminated in a rebuilt unit. Ilike to use an independant builder down here in Houston, I don't trust "over the counter ones". the problem with (convertor) clutch slippage would be adressed through the transmission with a valvebody update/recalibration kit as it will improve l-u control and pressure. i hope no one gets upset with this advise, I'm just showing another option.
control

 

If you are going to look at a new TC, work with a tranny shop that can give you all the options. I agree, stay away from the over-the-counter TC's you might pick up at NAPA or the like.

I also put a new shift kit into my 91' before I changed my TC; however my TC was too far gone to do it any good. As soon as I put too much load on I notices the TC lock started slipping.

No matter how you look at it you would want to update that Factory TC. Pulling the tranny and transfer case is not that difficult. I replaced my TC with my truck in my driveway. It took me a couple of hours to get the tranny and transfercase out and a few more to put it all back together. About the only specialty tool you need is a small 500-600 lb rated lift that you can use to raise and lower the tranny-transfercase assembly.

If you have a shop change your TC you are looking at almost $1,000. 8 to 10 hrs of labour will kill you these days.

I know it is a tough call, I thought about it for several month, what made me tackle the job myself was that the tranny shop wanted me to do the entire tranny as they would not give any warranties just on a TC replacement. Don't blame them.


Seb......