1997 F-250HD 7.3 Diesel PowerStroke 4X4 E4OD CrewCab Short Box (calif. version)..

Anyone know why Ford Engineers...set up the flashers...to ruin the E4OD torque converter... ?

Here's what happened to me !

I am pulling my 30 travel trailer into Reno Nevada..southbound on 395,
Out north of Reno a few miles is a grade about 1 1/2 miles long...So I'm pulled down to about 30mph (factory truck)...I turn on my 4 way flashers to warn that 70 mph traffic coming up from the rear that my rig is -slow traffic...

The instant my 4 ways begin to flash..the tranmission begins to engage-dis engage the torque converter clutch with each flash of the 4 ways !!!!

And I drop to 3-5 mph burning the converter clutch on off on off ..etc

Got up the grade -on the shoulder in 1st

The ford tech says.."its designed up that way to indicate a faulty flasher module !"... (but the lites were still flashing) ....

I call it "Evil Intent Engineering"...5 minutes of that, out on the interstate, pays Ford several thousand $$$$$ for transmission repairs !

YEP..new flasher-behind fuse box, butt up against turn signal flasher-..and matching turn signal module,(from NAPA) cured the problem !

 

Just seems like shoddy engineering to me. They were probably working under the premise that if your 4 ways are flashing the vehicle is stopped on the side of the road. But I do thank you for that warning. I've got a 96 F-250HD with the 460/E4OD I'll keep that little piece of info in mind

 

YA...Ford replaced (it)...$$$

I got home and went looking for the ever elusive "4 way flasher" -hidden behind the fuse box

They had put in a ford (blue) plastic flasher that when I searched motorcraft parts #'s it came up -for a "Ford Pinto".....

..(I'm towing a trailer that with all lites included flashes 6 bulbs)

I tossed it, and went to NAPA for a "motor driven, heavy duty flasher" - I bought two..and installed them both...

...........I'll carry at least one spare from here on out

 

Engineered obsolescence. Most people would buy a new vehicle rather hear that the electrical system killed the transmission, as the dollar signs swirl in their head they wouldn't want to deal with repairs.

Honestly though, at the first sign of transmission trouble you should have taken action other than keeping on in the same manner. I don't know the exact situation, but pulling over and letting the traffic pass by sounds good, as does a quick cool off of the trans fluid. Hind sight is 20/20, but should something like this happen again, check for other options.

(I know this sounds pithy, but cooking your trans isn't good.)

 

YO ReAX..
Yes..I was pretty much stopped on that grade, and plenty of high speed cars coming up from behind...
I realized that the problem started with my 4 ways, so shut them down and made it for the (paved) shoulder
By then it was a 1st gear pace to the top.....(no flashers engaged) and I was really glad it happened where there WAS a -paved shoulder....

 

I am not doubting what you felt with the four-ways on, but I'd want to see the wiring diagrams for your vehicle to confirm that this was Ford-intended. I'd sooner believe the tech was just "shooting from the hip" with his response to you, and this may be a mis-wire as a result of someone tapping into your wiring with a brake controller (or the like) incorrectly.

Since it sounds like you aren't familiar with wiring, you likely had to take the last guy's word that he did it correctly. Maybe he didn't.

Something just doesn't sound right that the converter lock-up wiring has anything to do with the four-ways, and it's a little early to blame the design guys.

There's a ex Ford tranny design guy (handle: Mark Kovalsky) that occasionally hangs his hat here. He'll know. Or you can PM him.

Pop

 

Ya SpringerPop..
It sure seems (to us "older" americans) that it would be a shame to have "our"/the corporations now turning to...engineering that is cetain to cost the consumer ever more $$$ by design !
But the more I get -into- the newer vehicles (& other products)...It's the only conclusion I can arrive at !

And the landfills are overflowing..with "plasti-crap products"...

I have begun to -Blacklist- many corporations, that have long held the highest reputations... (GE for instance..dont tell me you still have faith in the GE bulbs..for anything !)

Well I can go on & On

AND it's -possible- that the wireing on my 1997 F-250HD Powerstroke, has been tampered with, as I bought it used..

But had all the trailer brake-lighting hook ups installed by a large and "reputable" RV dealer !

 

Well, most folks consider their local Ford dealership "reputable", too, but the quality of their employees' training and motivation is sometimes quite questionable, and their service quality is apparent to those of us that know how to "do it right".

Not quick, not cheap, not profitable, but RIGHT!

Those are the guys where I prefer to spend my money. From his advice here, I'd use Kwik's services in a heartbeat if I had an Audi or VW, and lived in the Northwest.

There are those of his quality and work ethic all over the country, but they're usually well-kept secrets amongst good friends.

We don't know anything about the guy that worked at the RV center. It might have been his second day on the job.

I worked for a LONG time for a now-defunct company called RCA. They were bought out by GE. Thirty Rock has never been the same, and General Sarnoff's body is mangled from rolling over so many times. There's not a thing you could tell me about GE, and what makes them tick, that would be of any interest to me.

Light bulbs? Nahhh, I prefer to use stop-signal bulbs. They are a lot more reliable and they're still made domestically.

Consider that they build jet airliner engines, and I get even scarier thoughts! :-))

Pop

 

4 Way flasher was probbably back feeding to the brake pedal switch through the turn sigs/MF switch. This would make the PCM think you were stepping on and off the brake. From what I remember from the Ford schooling, the tranny will unlock the TC whenever the brakes are applied. I run into the same thing on my SD's at work (Power trucks). I tell the drivers to use the strobes and leave the 4 ways off unless they are parked.
Saves a LOT of flasher replacement and trans problems while patrolling lines at night.

 

OH YES....
It's "THE GODS THAT SCREW WITH ME" ...me me me me

Seems that EVERY TIME, I have service done ANYWHERE..they put the "learner" on my project and on my bill $$$....at the "EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL" $$$$$ RATE, !

So no argument there.....

bulbs...I getem at the dollar store..If I can find them there.....The ones I do get are lasting many times longer than the far higher priced "brand name" one from other places

 

Somebody buggered up your trailer brake controller

I know fords are designed that with the 4 ways on, it applies the electric brakes on the trailer.....Ridiculous. But that is the way it is. I had 3 shops look at the wiring, check it with a test box, and tell me the same thing. Designed that way

 

It's the way the MF switch works. No way around it unless you want to rewire your truck. I am suprised you didn't feel the trailer brakes coming on and off with the 4 ways.

 

Maybe the brakes coming on/off are what felt like a converter lock/unlock?

Seems to me that some carefully placed steering diodes would have helped, but I suspect that "professionals" couldn't figure THAT out. :-))

Pop

 

Yeah, I do know about this.

It's true. The four way flashers will cycle the torque converter clutch. It wasn't intentionally designed that way, it was an oversight.

The PCM unlocks the torque converter when the brakes are applied. The PCM looks at the brake light circuit to determine when the brakes are applied. The PCM can't tell the difference between the brake lights and the four ways, in the circuit they look identical.

There was a fix put in, but I can't remember exectly when. I thought it was around '97, but that's too long ago for my limited memory. The fix was to calibrate the PCM to ignore the brake light circuit if the go pedal is more than 10%.

 

Whooda thunkit?

And to think, the Ford tech was right all the time! He, alone, gets an apology from me for knowing that.

Most of the rest of 'em, I stand by my assessment of their usual training.

Thanks, Mark!!!

I knew if anybody knew, you would!

Pop