the trans should go in overdrive before the converter locks up. torque converters create a majority of the heat a trans makes. with your converter not locking up, it produces more heat then it should in OD. i would get a new solenoid pack, and also service the complete trans, converter, and cooler. then start with some fresh fluid. be sure to get the right year model pack, as some of the plugs are different.

 

WOW! Way cheaper than what the tranny shops are charging.

Any advice on changing this myself, or would I be in over my head.

 

its pretty straight through swap. make sure around the electrial plus is clean, remove the pan, and remove the solenoid pack. then reinstall the new pack. while the pan is off, turn the engine by hand until the drain plus is down bottem and drain. then remove both the cooler lines and blow them out. reinstall everything and new filter.

 

Thanks, I think at that price and it does not sound hard to replace. I'll try to tackle this project. If it doesn't fix it at least I'm not out a bunch of money.

I'm usumming that I won't have to mess with the valve body to replace the selenoid pack?

Thanks so much for everybody's advice.

 

Anybody check this thing for error codes yet other then the trans shop? If so I must be missing that part?

Torque converter clutch lock up happens once in "drive" at steady cruise speed at about 35mph, shift to OD happens at about 45mph.

The pack, its solenoids, can be tested with it in place before changing it to see if it is the cause, nothing you've said so far has narrowed it down as the absolute cause of the problem.
Might be yea but might also just have a bad connection between it and the computer, the computer may not be giving the command to lock for other reasons.

If it has a failed TCC solenoid, or loss of connection with it it should fail the KOEO test, as well has store a CM code once driven for any distance over 10 miles or so at highway speeds over say 40 45 mph.

 

Danr1,

So you have given me more to think about... with saying that the lockup happens in drive.

If that is the case, something else must be going on because if I leave it in drive, I can drive it unlimited without any problems at all of overheating the transmission. It just overheats in overdrive.

I've been reading my manual trying to understand how to run the KOEO diagnostics test. When I get that figured out I'll post what the codes are, and like you said, try to narrow it down.

It seems that I am back to square one on this problem...

 

Here is the troubleshooting that I have done now:

1: KOEO Test - I get a code 11 and a code 62

2: I cleaned the electrical connections to the transmission with electrical contact cleaner

3: I flushed the transmission coolant lines with high pressure air - appears to be unrestricted

4: I cleared the codes

5: I drove 20 miles in drive (highway and in town) - Performed the KOEO test - I get a code 11 only

6: I drove back home exactly the same way - 20 miles - this time in overdrive. Performed the braking test - no increase in RPM
Performed the KOEO test - now I am back to getting a code 11 and a code 62

From the E40D ebook I downloaded - code 11 says "Computer Self Test Passes" - the ebook has no descripton for code 62.

Here is how I found the E40D ebook/transmission manual

"Use the advanced search function and search for E4OD trans in a post by aRKToS and you will get a link to a free E4OD ebook which may help."

Like I've said before - the truck drives perfect in every gear, including overdrive. I am at a complete loss as everything seems completely normal except for the transmission overheating in overdrive.

I welcome any and all opinions on what you may think is the problem.

Thanks
Steve

 

The problem is that the torque converter is not locking in overdrive. Code 62 means there is slip detected while in overdrive.

What you need is a REAL manual that has troubleshooting procedures for the E4OD. The Ford manual is available at www.helminc.com. That will show you how to determine why the converter isn't locking.

 

Did you do the brake pedal test when running in "drive", same as you did in OD? Did it unlock and lock the TCC when you pushed the pedal far enough to make the brake lights come on and let off?

62 - CM - Converter clutch error (E4OD).

What I would do is test the circuit and if it proves good I'd test the computer and see if it gives the command to lock up when it should without fail.

Several things could prevent it from doings so, first thing to do is find out exactly what the computer is or isn't doing.

TOT error, may not be reading right, the computer won't lock the clutch if the fluid is not up to running temp.
Won't do so if you're on the gas or brake for example, stuck brake light switch or TPS issue etc etc.

You could also easily mount a switch so you can lock it yourself at highway speeds, real handy way to find out if it's a tranny issue, or a electronic control issue of some kind. If you manually lock it and it holds, shows the tranny and solenoid pack are fine (at least as far as that aspect it is anyway).

I have one in my plow truck, one switch allows me to set it to Auto/on/off, "auto" (computer controls it), "on" (I lock it myself) or "Off"(no TCC lock up).

I also have a small led light mounted in the corner of the trans temp gauge's bezel, that light shows me what the computer is doing at any given time, if the light is lit up, the computer has given the command to lock it up.
That little light works the same regardless of my manual switch's position.

 

I have tested the converter in drive with the brake test. It does not unlock (no increase in RPM).

Testing the circuitry and such is getting a little over my head on this.

I did talk to a different transmission company today and they think it is possibly a bad torque convertor. They are going to do some tests on Friday. He mentioned driving it with a pressure guage hooked to the transmission line and hooking up a scan tool to try to isolate whether it is electronic or mechanical. He feels with the miles on it (165,000 miles) and the description I have given him that the torque convertor is slipping.

Hopefully I'll have a better idea on Friday after these tests.

By the way, how do you install a switch to lock the convertor? I'm assuming the switch overides the computer? Is this hard to do or something not too complicated?

 

You can do a simple test yourself before you take it in if you want, you'd just need to find one wire and ground it while running at highway speed.

The wire you'd need to find is purple with a yellow stripe. Should find it in a group of 9 wires on the drivers side inner fender running down to the trans. If you strip back some casing on that wire and add any ole odd length of wire long enough to reach from it, up inside the cab to the drivers seat and then locate a ground, say the e brake pedal bracket for example.
Now just get the truck up to speed, any steady speed over say 35 40 mph and then ground that wire on the bracket. The converter clutch should lock up, remove the ground and it unlocks.

Run the highway a few miles and see if the clutch holds firm, if it does you do not need a new converter or any other trans work. You can install a switch if you want to make it easier to ground the wire and hold it.

Be sure and remove the ground as you slow down to speeds under say 35mph and or stop, or you will drag down or stall the motor out. (Comparable to stopping with a manual trans without pushing and holding the clutch pedal in).

If you do that simple test and find it does work, let us know and we should be able to help guide you through finding the cause of the problem without to much trouble.

Installing a switch like I did is very easy to do, I originally installed it for the same reason, to aid in troubleshooting a trans problem.
I was told the same thing, that I needed a new converter minimum, and maybe a new trans, I did not need either one.

Not to say you definitely do not, just that some simple tests you can do yourself will say for sure.

 

I've got a question, to try to understand the torque converter better. I was reading last night about " How a Torque Converter works" but I couldn't find these answers.

How does the torque converter clutch lock selenoid work. Does it let the transmmision release more fluid to the TC making it lock?

I assume that there is no direct mechanical engagement of the selenoid to the TC?

Were earlier vehicles ( non electronic ) not able to lock, thereby having some slight slippage?

If the latter is the case then I would assume that having it lock is for better fuel Mileage, possibly more power?

Or am I way off base on my thinking? I'm trying to get my head around this to better understand so I can be more engaged with the trans shop when they test it.

I will try and do the jumper wire to ground and see what happens. If that works then I think what your saying is that the computer is not sending a signal to the clutch lock selenoid?

Mark I checked out that link for the manual but their sold out of them.

 

OK, I stripped some insulation on the purple with yellow stripe wire then hooked my aligater clip jumper wire to it then the other end to the E-brake bracket, ( first I tested to make sure it was a good ground ).

I drove it in OD and in drive it made no difference on RPM's doing the brake test. It didn't even try to die when comming to a stop.

The only noticible thing was idling in gear the idle would decrease about 100 RPM while the jumper wire was hooked up then increase 100 RPM when I disconnected it.

 

Well you were not supposed to ground it at an idle, only when moving and only if at a steady speed at or over 35mph.

There is/was a chance that wouldn't work from the start, if the wire between that point and the trans is damaged, or just has a bad connection somewhere along the way it won't work. All part of the testing, kinda jumped ahead hoping for the best.

You need to test that wire for continuity from that point to the trans, I can explain in more detail later, otherwise occupied at that moment just taking a break.

One thing you should hear if you listen real close down by the trans pan, when you ground that wire the solenoid should "click".
Turn the key to "run" but don't start it, ground that wire and you should hear the solenoid make a audible click if it has power to it, and that control wire is good all the way to it.

As for your other questions, simple answer is yea the converter locks up to improve gas mileage, I read how it works briefly skimming over it some months ago but not as so I could do justice in trying to explain it for ya.

 

There is a pressure that the trans sends to the torque converter to keep the converter clutch released. When the solenoid is energized it shuts off this pressure and pressure on the other side of the clutch moves the piston over and locks the converter.

Correct. The solenoid is on the solenoid body, which is inside the pan.

There were mechanical lockup systems before the electronic ones. Before that there was no lockup and the torque converter would have about 10% slip.

The driver for lockup was fuel economy. It does provide more power to the ground.

Maybe. It could be the solenoid, a seal on the torque converter shaft, a stuck valve in the valve body, a wiring problem, a bad torque converter, or a bad PCM.