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!!Transmission Trouble!!

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Old Mar 5, 2007 | 01:49 PM
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!!Transmission Trouble!!

I Drive a 2001 Ford F-150 5.4L, with a 4-speed auto trans, she has right under 80,000 miles on her. Last week I was driving to a friend's house, and when the trans. went to shift into 3rd gear it didn't grab anything (it would just rev up like it was in neutral)! After the rpms slowed down, and the truck decelerated the trans. shifted back into 2nd gear. So I sill have 1st and 2nd gears (they work fine), but 3rd and 4th are gone. I took my truck to a transmission shop in my town, and they hooked it up to their computer. Everthing was fine, and there is nothing electronically wrong with the trans. The pan was dropped and there was no sign of any major damage inside of the trans (no metal chunks, nothing), and the fluid was clean and full. The shop seems to think that $1,200 to $1,500 would get the job done!!!! I was hoping there was a easier, cheaper fix. Has anyone had or heard of this problem before? Has FoMoCo recalled anything on this trans? If you can please let me know anything that could help. !!Thanks for any help!!
 
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Old Mar 5, 2007 | 01:53 PM
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sorry no recalls on 4r70w like you have.
and from what you state it may well be a bad seal or poped snap ring inside. even some thing as simple as a blown out valve body gasket from a tuner turning up the line pressure to high.

level ten tech
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by captchas
sorry no recalls on 4r70w like you have.
and from what you state it may well be a bad seal or poped snap ring inside. even some thing as simple as a blown out valve body gasket from a tuner turning up the line pressure to high.

level ten tech
what do you mean by a tuner turning up the line pressure too high? like a hypertech tuner and using firm shift?
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 05:05 PM
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Do you have the extended drivetrain warranty?

Yes, I think Capt is referring to firm shift.
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 05:15 PM
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I hope thats not it because I have been preety pissed off at the hypertech. #1 it doesn't read error codes properly like it should. #2 the firm shift causes my belt to sqweel when its floored then shifts, #3 now this! Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh!
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 05:17 PM
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blown out vavle body gasket? should I just take it to a reputable trans shop and tell them this or just see what they say. I here you say easy, does that mean not to expensive? what should something like that cost?
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 05:28 PM
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Did you try taking your tune off? You can access the valvebody by taking off your tranny pan.
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 05:36 PM
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I took off the hypertech and went back to pure stock on everything. With my 35 inch tires on. I say it still happen one time that day. Now after my memorial day of off road racing it is over, I put my 33 street tires back on but haven't noticed it happen again. I will have to drive it more to find out if its gone or just a coincidence. I hate when stuff doesn't work right. But I don't mind replacing 10-20 dollar parts that are easy to get to before i get into a 100 dollar shop fee for diagnose. Ya know?

I want to try the sensor on the tranny but I need more info on replacing it. (i read it on another post) Would a valve leek show up outside the housing of the trans?
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 05:50 PM
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I don't know much about the valvebody, other than it looks like a maze and routes fluid to various places to cause the desired shift. It would probably leak back into the transmission.
I would personally ask about it in the transmission forum.
Which sensor are you referring to?
 

Last edited by StephenH; May 30, 2007 at 05:53 PM.
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Old May 30, 2007 | 07:17 PM
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some variable speed sensor on the outside of the trans?
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 07:25 PM
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The VSS? You will not need to replace it. You may need to change the plastic gear attached to it to make up for your tires. This is the VSS. If you have 4x4 it will be in your transfercase. Unplug it, unbolt it, and pull it out. You will see the gear I'm talking about.

 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 07:38 PM
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say on the highway at 70 and going up hill the truck will sown shift to about 2500 rpm and then up to about 3000 rpm'ms (big hill). but after cresting the hill and level for miles, the trans won't go back down to od it stays at 3000. I must take the cruise off, go to N, rev the motor and then put it back into gear to get back down. could the vss failing cause that?
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 07:41 PM
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You normally get a VSS code and a flashing o/d light if it has issues.
 
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Old May 30, 2007 | 11:50 PM
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I havn't gotten any codes or od flash. Is it also safe to say that the programmer only changes the readout for the speedometer and does nothing to change any info for the transmission? I know it sounds stupid but I don't know how much the trucks computer has to play in with the transmission shifting.
 

Last edited by monster buck; May 30, 2007 at 11:53 PM.
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Old Jul 6, 2007 | 01:29 PM
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We have an 03 with the 5.4 and automatic and it did the same thing last week. Driving down the road at 70 and it seemed to slip out of gear like it was in neutral and revved up real high. However mine is throwing a shift solonoid code. Could this be your problem as well? If so does this require a full transmission rebuild or just replacement of the solonoid?
 
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