need some tranny advice...please??
 

men,
i haven't posted in a while but i need some help. My '94 Bronco, (302,) has developed a really rough shift and my check engine light came on around the same time. (I have the e4od transmission...I think!) I went to my local garage and asked the mechanic to take a look. He said the clutches between 1st and 2nd gear were shot. he replaced them and the problem persisted. My mechanic is admittadly not a trnasmission specialist but gave it a shot at my request. So now I have a choice to either buy a rebuilt tranny, (which is way too much coin,) or take mine to a trans shop and see what they reccomend. Are there consistent problems with these transmissons that should be obvious that I can tell my mechanic to take a look at? any help would be appreciated. thanks guys.

My brother had a similar problem with a 92. He checked the codes and found the problem was with the speed sensor on the rear end. He replaced the sensor and the problem went away.

1988 EB Bronco - 302 - AOD - 3.55 Lim Slip 8.8- Manual Hubs and Transfer Case - BFG 32/11.5 AT - 209,000 miles

I dont want to sound like a jerk....but I will give it a try. You should have FIRST checked for codes yourself (this way you will know you aint getting slammed when the guy at the shop says "its this or that").

Then take the truck to a "known good" trans ONLY shop......where they would have also checked for codes, and went directly to the offending componant.....repaired/replaced/adjusted it, and you would have been on your way.

A quick question for you.....did the "trans fault light" on the end of the shift stalk (it is also the OD off light) start flashing when your Check engine light came on?

The E4OD is a very good trans.....it does take a bit more TLC than some of the others to keep it tip-top, but I like the E4OD. There are a bunch of areas that could be beefed up in it should you need a rebuild, and in the long run it would be well worth the extra $$. I think out of all the AT's available for our Broncos the E4OD is the best for a rig that is a daily driver and sees 90% street use. I run a big ass B & M Supercooler, and use only Mobil-1 fully synthetic ATF. I drop the pan, drain the ATF from the trans, and TC, and change the filter once a year to the tune of about 16qt's.....but my E4OD shifts like a champ still!

If I had a wheeling only rig....it would have a manual or a C6

isnt thier a difference in the early edo4 then the newer ones found in the 96's ?

Between the 93 and 94 model years Ford reworked several internal components and changed some tolerances to help improve the shift quality and longevity of the E4OD. If you buy a remanufactured E4OD or have an older unit rebuilt, these upgrades will automatically be included in the process since the older versions of the components are no longer available.

I do agree that pulling the EEC codes before assuming the problem is major or even internal to the tranny should be the first course of action. The EEC computer controls so much and derives so much information from BOTH the engine and tranny sensors that something amiss in even one can create untold woes. Do yourself a favor and pull the codes. www.fordfuelinjection.com , a Haynes or Chilton's service manual provide information for pulling them yourself. Autozone and some other parts suppliers will provide the service of pulling them for you too.
By way of example on this issue (and you may want to do this simple check yourself), the E4OD's shift control is so tightly monitored by the EEC computer that on some models, just having a burned out brake light will cause erratic behavior in the shift pattern. I know it sounds contrived and silly but I've seen these symptoms and its just eye-popping to see and feel the difference that simply replacing a burned out lamp will make. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this is necessarily the root of your problems. What I am saying is that what may feel like slipping or shift problems can be caused by a multitude of other problems that are not necessarily as critical as a transmission failing. VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) malfunction that jem270 mentioned is one of the more common issues that can cause erratic transmission behavior.

could be the maual shift lever position sensor (mlps) located on the driver's side of the transmission too. I replaced mine because it gave me a code, and the vss too. She shifts fine now.

Is this something a regular mechanic can even get at? I don't know is why I ask the question, seems to me special tools would be needed to get in there to get at those cluches or perhaps the e40d is ease?? I also don't think worn clutches would give you a code error, don't think theres anything technically speaking that would pick up on that other than the seat of your pants. So its possiable they were worn and should be replaced but unfortantly it wasn't the cause of your error. Hopefully you can track it down to a sensor or something.

thanks for all the feedback, i guess i should have checked the codes before giving it to the shop so quickly. i didn't realize you could pull these codes..i thought the check engine light had to be blinking to get them, (that mistake will surely cost me.)

i'll report back when I know more. thanks again for the info.