I picked up a 1990 F150 2WD with the 4.9L 6 and an E4OD. It had a real bad shudder when it locked up, getting worse with heat.

Researching, I find this is a common problem, the fix is to fix the TCC sleeve and new bakelite material on the lockup unit - which means you gotta pretty much be a torque converter rebuilder guy, of which I am not...

Thinking it might be something else, I did cap rotor, plugs, wires. Ok, the truck ran smoother, but still shuddered.

Thinking who knows how old the fluid is, I changed the tranny fluid incl the converter (the old fashioned way. The flush machines are just a super efficient way to put clutch material and metal shavings into clutch pack seals)

Shifted a little better, but still shuddered when locked up. Just about to snip that purple/yellow wire (TCC ECM GND) I heard about this stuff called 'Dr Trannys Shudder Fix'.

I called up NAPA - never heard of it, researched a little more and got a NAPA part number, called back and they guy goes "Oh that, will have it tomorrow".

I picked it up, looked at the little red toothpaste tube sized bottle and thought I was about to **** $6.36 away. Dumped it in, started my 93 mile drive. First lockup - shudder. Oh well I thought. Next lockup, not that bad.

It never shuddered again!

I dunno what it is, how it works, but it stops the E4OD lockup converter from shuddering. (the shuddering, actually is the clutch slipping across the not-so-smooth face and the sudder you feel is the resulting pop-pop-pop)

Here is the NAPA number: 765-2969

It was $5.99 + tax.

Im not a shill for the company, Im just a guy with his own shop and 5 trucks, 4 of which are Fords.

 

i have recommended this product in the past.

 

Is this product for real? I am having this problem with my 93. Do you add this right in with your ATF?

 

dump it right down the dipstick tube, take it out and let the converter lock/unlock a few times.

 

Quaddriver (or anyone else who has experience with this product), do you know what is in it? Is this something that is going to help in the short term but end up putting you on a quick route to a tranny rebuild? I would kind of like to know how it works or at least what is in it.

The reason I ask is because I am experiencing a bad shudder on my 95 when I accelerate from a dead stop. Did you have the shudder at higher speeds too? Can you be more specific about how it was acting?

Thanks a lot for the information about this stuff.

-Chris

 

I only expirence it at speeds greater than 50MPH (Passing on the highway, accelerating up a hill, etc etc) . It seems to work fine other than a very hard shift from 1st to 2nd gear if I let off of the gas quick. Would like more information on this product aswell. My truck is an F-250 w/ 5.8 E4OD

 

Hi again.

Seems as though I cannot even get it up here (Canada), Went to Napa, Never heard of it, Called CarQuest, Never heard of it.

 

first, it works best if you drain trans., convertor and put in a new ford trans. filter at the same time.

second, do a search on google for where to buy it on the web.

it is for shudder above 40 or 50. feels like washbard for a road surface.

 

bought two tubes on ebay. i'll give it a shot.

 

I have a couple questions.

First off, I have a 95 E4OD and people say that it doesn't like Mercon V (I'm assuming because of the friction modifier in it?). I assume this means that the E4OD doesn't like friction modifier, and from what I understand, thats what this Shudder Fixx is, right? I just did a full trans. fluid & filter change (TC drain and pan drop, no flush) 2 days ago; refilled it with AMSOIL universal synthetic, so I think that I am potentially ready to put this stuff in.

Second off... My truck only shudders when I'm accelerating from a dead stop (or VERY slow speeds). Every once in a while at the right RPM going up a hill I'll get a little bit of a shake, but its so small that I usually dismiss it as uneven road; almost undetectable. It sounds like all you guys who have used this stuff had a shudder at higher speeds (and more severe). Could my situation also be a mild TC shudder or is it something else completely? Thanks.

-Chris

 

The only additive I would put in a tranny is lubeguard. They have several formulations of friction modifiers for different needs. And before I added anything I would run a can of seafoam tranny RX through then drain/replace filter and fluid.

 

So I gave it a try. I have driven the truck about 10 miles since adding it and I don't notice any difference. For anyone who has had success, how long did it take for the shudder to be noticeably better?

-Chris

 

from what you describe this is not what the product is for.

sounds like you have another problem.

convertor shudder is at highway speeds and feels like you are driving over a washboard.

is that your problem?

 

Negative. But I was willing to give anything a try, short of having the transmission dropped.

-Chris

 

i do not know that much about synthetic trans. fluid but i use good old regular trans. fluid.

did you get a ford trans. filter?

i used valvolire trans fluid, with a bottle of lucas trans fluid, i did have freeway shudder and it cured it.

in another vehicle i used valvoline trans. fluid and shudder fixx and it cured that trucks shudder at highway speeds.

in both cases used ford filter and drained convertor.

when was last tuneup and what did you use for plugs, wires etc.?