I've just replaced my e40d transmission out of a 1995 Ford E-350 cutaway. This is better known as a cube van in this version. I used the same type of e40d tranny out of a 1989 or 1985 Ford E-350. Both vehicles have the same 7.3 diesel motors. But the van supplying the used tranny is just a regular type E-350 van, not a cutaway vehicle.
When I had the trany out of the donor vehicle it all seemed to work right, the little shifter on the side of the tranny allowed smouth easy shifting to all the possition. 6 different click in spots on the tranny. However once I got it installed in the cubevan, and I started to fill up the tranny with fluid I noticed that it would no longer shift back into the R, and Park positions. it did but only after I had turned off the truck. then it went back to park. I kept filling up the tranny by adding oil, then running the motor and shifting through the different detents to get the oil into all the parts like the torque converter. Once it was full I noticed that the transmission was completely locked into most likely what seems to be 1,2, D, I think this is where it's locked in because the truck will not allow any starter action, the truck won't start, and I've disconected the cable leading to the stalk shifter lever to be certain that t his was not the problem. There is a small shift lever on the side of the trany and it will not move out of those 3 spots. I've disconected the electrics going to the tranny and still locked. I need to get this thing mobile, not locked in gear.
Thanks for any advice.
Larry.

 

First, welcome to FTE.
If I understand you right, you have a 95 and replaced the trans with one out of an 89?
They are both 7.3, but the 89 is an IDI not a power stroke. The van verses the cutaway will have no affect. I am not a trans guru, but I would think the first possible problem is the electronics might be different. I know for the engine they are. An IDI with a stick has no computer at all. It only has one for an automatic trans. The power stroke has a computer for the engine too. I am not sure how that affects the trans. The computers are getting input from different things. Are you saying that you have disconnected all the electronics and the linkage and it will not shift by hand?

Was the donor van trans running ok before you pulled it out?

 

Welcome to FTE Pokendeye

I moved you from General diesel to a more specific year forum. Although it may be a van, these guys can shoe horn a Powerstroke into a lawn mower if asked...

 

It doesn't affect the trans.

There is nothing electronic that can cause the shifter linkage to not move properly. Something is binding the linkage. It's either outside where the lever is, or something inside the pan has jammed the linkage on the inside.

 

Thanks to all for the fast responces. I'm now looking at t his with renewed interest. I think it's stuck inside the pan.I pulled the tranny out of a wreckers yard and the pan had been flattened out by carrying the van on a fork lift. This I pounded back out. but maybe not quite enough. The trany's little shifter will not be moved by hand, and as I said even with all the electronics removed I still cant move the shifter. It's something solid that's preventing the shift, and not electtronic. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know if I manage to get it fixed. I noticed when I put the pan on there that there may have been a slight amount of binding but I thiought it was just rubbing against the filter.It may have been something else. Now all I need to do is find a pump that will get the oil back out of it. lol.

 

First I want to thank everyone, who answered my question so quickly. And I'd like to ask forgiveness for not replying in a timely manner. I did get the thing fixed. And the tranny out of a 89 is working and shifting just fine in the 95. I'll have to replace it again before very long. But that's mostly because I've got a tranny that cost $89.00 + filter and oil. So I can't expect it to run like a fresh unit. The locking shift problem turned out to be something inside the tranny. I fixed it with a hammer!!! Also the linkage didn't throw the little shifter outside far enough so I had to make a new shifter unit, and brought it up through the floor and right beside the driver's seat. Very simple system, and it's working great. Welding equipment pays for itself again. The shifting is right on time. everything works including the speedometer, and the backup lights. High and low range. I've still not connected the wiring harness at the very back of the unit. this is the rearmost plug in on the driver's side of the unit. I'm not sure what it's supposed to do. I thought it was the speedometer sending unit. But that's working fine without this plugged in. I can't figure out what it's for, as everything seems to be working fine without it. Thanks again for all the help. And please forgive my slowness on thanking everyone. I thought I had sent this in. But now I've found the reply in my mailbox, and it wasn't supposed to be there. so I must have forgotten to send it in. Bad habit using the mail for a spell check. All the reply's we're very useful.