Good God you all sound like a bunch of women at the bingo hall. Christ I'm 19 and get along with everyone here! Chris, ignore QL2's ways of typing. QL2's- TYPE MORE JIBBERISH.

Nonetheless, Chris do me a favor and link me to the description of your problem. I can't find it anywhere. I think the reason why everybody's arguing is because nobody has a clue what the hell is going on to begin with. All's I see here is that you're having transmission problems. It's an E4OD, and if it hasn't been properly maintained, then it could be bad. That's all I got for now. Until more info comes along, we're beating a dead horse.

 

Here's a thread which describes the sound:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ird-noise.html

Thanks Chad.

 

Whelp! Just got a call from the transmission shop and the guy said he drove it for about 15 miles and then again another 25-30 miles later in the day and could not get my truck to make the damned noise. Go figure. But I've got to appreciate the guy's honest in not just saying "whelp! you need a rebuild!" like I kind of figured an unfamiliar transmission shop would do. So I told him that I admired his way of conducting business and he would definitely have my business for any transmission work in the future.

He said the transmission seems healthy as an ox to him. Shifts great, doesn't slip, solid as a rock. So I'll pick it up tonight and drive it as usual hoping the noise doesn't come back. If anyone else has any suggestions as to what it might be (maybe it's NOT my transmission!) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE speak up. Thanks a bunch guys.

 

Jeez Chad I had you pegged for a least my age, add 30! A salute to your maturity.

 

Alrighty, here is me take on it.

If the bellhousing is blazing hot, hotter than say the rest of the transmission or even the engine, there is a problem with the torque converter. That being said, blazing hot temperatures will QUICKLY burn up that fluid. See what you can do about draining a little bit of the fluid. You can either pull the rubber plug out of the bellhousing and find the drain plug on the torque converter by unplugging your TFI module or pulling the coil wire, and have someone bump the key until it lines up, or pull a line off the tranny cooler. It doesn't take much (a couple quarts at the most) to know whether or not your fluid is scortched.

I think your best bet is to drain the converter. Reason being is because these systems hold roughly 18 quarts, depending on your setup. It's going to take a few hundred miles, if not more, to scortch all of that fluid. If it has made this noise recently, you may be able to see some scortched fluid in the converter.

I've never personally heard of this happening, but hopefully we find a cause. You should be find with only 100,000 miles on it.

 

Well, most, no, make that all automatic transmissions overlap the clutch release of the gear you are in with the application of the clutch of the gear you are going into, or if there is only one other clutch to apply, slow the application so as not to have the trans jerk into gear.

A shift kit lessens the overlap and allows a faster firmer shift, and the clutches wear less as the slipping is reduced.

Full race shift kits are for those with neck braces as they shift so hard under full throttle (and with a HIGH hp engine pushing it) could hurt you.

I feel the steel planetarys are a must as they handle shock loading much better.

I have had some that shifted and seemed fine while I tested them, but were crap on the inside not worth rebuilding as a reman was cheaper.

Some would not mone in gear and were nothing to fix as far as $$$ to rebuild them.

 

Thank for the advice arch, you seem to know your stuff about trannies. I wish you lived in CA

And Chad, I'm not sure what you're getting at with the fluid drain idea. You're saying I should drain a few quarts to see if any of the fluid is burnt? Doesn't basic chemistry say that liquid mixtures will equalize their molecules until they are equally distributed throughout the liquid (ie, a few drops of red dye in water will cause ALL of the water to be red WITHOUT stirring it).

I changed the fluid through draining the TC and dropping the pan about 6k miles ago. Used Amsoil Universal Synthetic ATF. Also changed the filter while I was at it.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to drain a quart or 2 into a clean container to check the color thoroughly and then pour it back in when I'm done... But it seems to me that if ANY of the fluid was discolored then ALL of the fluid would be discolored, and thus would show this discoloration on the dipstick. I did notice, though, when I checked the dipstick that my fluid level is not in the hatched section, but about 1/4 inch below the bottom of it. When I changed my fluid, I finished after the sun had gone down and I couldn't see the hatch marks, only the two small holes on the dipstick, so I thought the level was supposed to fall in the center of those two holes. I would guess that I am 1-2 quarts low on fluid and have been driving it that way for 5-6k miles. Could 1-2 quarts out of 16-18 inflict damage on my tranny? The tranny shop guy didn't seem to think so...

 

i may have short answers because that is all that is needed.
/\
that is a cop out. Telling someone to google something or saying "i knew you would ask that" is not helpful to any community, I am new around here but have been on various automotive message boards for years, and there is nothing less helpful than a keyboard mechanic with one line answers. The guy wanted to know how to use a vac gauge. We both know thats easy to do and explain and takes just as much effort as saying google it.

Remember, you might know how to do something really well, while someone else might have never have done it. Help a guy out, even if it requires a couple paragraphs!

just my 2c.

 

Well put. I certainly appreciate when one takes the time to explain something that it is foreign to me. And I try to explain, in detail, to others who are having difficulties with something that comes naturally for me.

What goes around comes around!

At 2 quarts low, you are from 11.1-12.5% less fluid in your system. Without an external cooler (I assume your cooler is stock?), your ambient fluid temperatures will rise at a function 11.1-12.5% faster than a full system. Transmission fluid loses viscosity around 220* F. Slightly higher with synthetic varieties. From what I recall, your transmission was making noises after climbing to the Top of Tahoe. I bet your coolant was starting to cook. Just a hunch....

Don't underestimate the benefit of a full fluid system. An extra 2 quarts, takes a lot more heat displaced to kill the fluids viscosity.

That Derale aftermarket pan holds 3 almost 4 extra quarts for about $100. The B&M stacked plate cooler runs about $50 from summit.

 

Thanks Mike, I'm gonna get dressed in a little bit and head down to get some ATF to top her off.

And as for the comment about helping someone out if you KNOW how to do it, you read my mind John. If you know how to do something, and it is not as complicated as building a space ship, why not spend a minute or two typing a little more help than "google it". When I have experience that I can share with other guys in need, I always spend my time writing thorough and long posts so my words cannot be misconstrued. Now that doesn't mean that I would expect the same thoroughness from all of you (although some of you do it too, thank you), but part of the reason for posting dumb questions is not only to get quick answers but to hopefully gain some extra advice that cannot be googled. It's very hard to find results on google that are going to be SPECIFIC to our exact trucks, and many times there are words of advice from people that cannot be googled, they can only be learned through experience. For example, when I changed my transmission fluid, many places (such as the front of a Mercon V ATF bottle) said it was okay to use Mercon V in my transmission, but many of the guys on the forum advised against using it in the E4OD transmission. Had I not posted and asked "the dumb question" I might be running Mercon V right now (and who knows, maybe my transmission might now have THIS NOISE! )

And QL2, if you're reading this, this discussion is no longer aimed at you, but at everyone as something to think about when they are posting on FTE.

So just as Mike said above: What goes around comes around. I spend a lot of time on this forum trying to expand my knowledge and also share what knowledge I have gained so far. I think it shows in my number of posts that I've made since I joined last year. And very few of those posts were shorter than 2 or 3 sentences.


Thanks for the advice Mike, once I get this noise straightened out I think I'm going to buy that stacked plate cooler.

 

Got an update.

Drove the truck in the HOT HEAT today and sure enough the noise came back. Drove it home and immediately put the rear end on jack stands. Stuck it in drive and crawled underneath while it idled. The transmission was making a lot of clickity clack noises inside near the rear, towards where it meets with the transfer case. Also it seems that I could hear noises coming from inside the transfer case. Are these noises normal?

 

Nooooooo thats not normal. Make sure your transfer case is full of fluid. That could be the plastic inserts on the shift forks slowly making their way to metal to metal... or is it aluminum to metal? Nonetheless, check the fluid NOW!

 

Interesting... I changed my t-case fluid a couple months ago with ATF and I'm pretty sure it was totally full. How do you tell if it's full? Stick my finger in the upper fill hole and it should be right there right?

 

That usually works. It's also possible that the pickup tube for the oil pump inside the transfer case broke, and what you're hearing is pieces of the tube. However, I think the T case would have burnt up by now, if that's the case.

If you're pretty darn sure that it's coming from the T case, I would suggest pulling it. It's actually extremely easy to pull out, and apart. If you feel like this would be your best option, let me know, and I will give you a link to a write up for a fella that I made a few months ago on how to take it all apart.

 

Well I think you overlooked the part about my transmission also making a clicking noise. In fact the transmission noise seems to be louder. Is it normal for the transmission to be making noise too?

And yeah could I see that link please? Thanks buddy.