Fluid chnage in E4OD throws a code!

Updates? I'm curious what your trans guy said...

reklund said:

Updates? I'm curious what your trans guy said...

Click to expand...

Thanks for asking. I was just about to update. That trans guy is a friggin' idiot! He and I have parted ways for good now! He called me last Friday and told me that he was holding his "big lift" open so he could work on my truck this week and get it done before he left for two weeks vacation on March 31st. He asked me drop off the truck this past weekend so he could start on Monday. I dropped the truck off Sunday afternoon. Sunday night we had a big snowstorm, so he couldn't work on it becuase he was plowing snow. Monday afternoon OLDBULL8'S new TC arrived (Thanks OLDBULL!) so I ran it right over to the shop. I talked to the guy and he said "I will be working on it tomorrow". I told him no uncertain terms "I want oyu to drive the truck around a lot and then call me with what you think the problem may be before you start working on it. Of course he said "no problem". He finally called me this morning after finally driving the truck and says "the TC does not appear to be locking properly". Oh, no ***** Sherlock - tell me something I did not already know. "So what do you think the cause of the problem might be". "Well, it is hard to say at this point - could be TC but there is no shudder, could be pump related, but could also be a leak in the valve body". :***: So now my I am getting pissed and then he says "I don't have time to work on this now before I go on vacation - I will give you a call when I get back." Don't bother calling me! I called another shop and the gal there said they could get the truck in early next week. So, that is where we are at now. I will drop the truck off at the other shop over the weekend and see what they diagnose. I am going to have them document everything becuase if idiot wannabe trans guy frigged up the trans, we are off to small claims court. Man, this has really turned into soap opera. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode in the continuing saga.........

Wow. So he had the lift open, plowed snow on Monday, drove the truck on Tuesday, stumped on Wednesday and Thursday on what to do, waited til Friday to call. Wonder what he did besides that all week, packing for the Vacation? I'm thinking your doing the right thing going to a different shop for sure. With a lift, an hour to drop the tranny, an hour or two to tear it down. Check the pump seal, drop the valve assembly, check the valve, fix whatever. Next day, reassemble, install tranny with new TC. Drive check. Sounds like he didn't want to do any of that, maybe out of fear he couldn't fix it or know how. Did he do the original work himself, or have an employee do it? Going to Small Claims, better print out all you said on here, then assemble for sequence of events, so you don't forget how things went. Claims Judges get rough sometimes, they like to see an Attorney with you. It's an experence if you've never been to one before. I thought I'd get some good news.

this is a real drag.i thought for sure she was going to be all fixed up for ya.where did you buy the used converter from?

OLDBULL8- Yeah, I got the distinct impression that the guy is not all that enthusiatic about digging into this problem. I also suspect that is because he does not know at this point what is actually wrong or what it will take to fix it. In our brief conversations, I have also tried to make it clear that we are not just going to start throwing more new parts at the trans until something finally fixes the problem - I think that is what he really wants to do - new TC, new pump, etc. In the end, it may take that but some diagnosis once the trans is out is what needs to be done first. Maybe he is worried that he really did muck something up during the install. He did all the work himself. His Dad is a trans guy and started the business, he and he now runs the business and his Dad helps him out as needed but his Dad is basically retired. I have been to small claims court several times for non-paying clients in my business. It is not an experience I enjoy, and the Judge is always very short with everybody. The first place they send you after the intial hearing is to "mediation" to try and avoid wasting any more of the Court's time and work something out. Now I just file a construction lien on the property and avoid court altogether. It may take years, but that lien gets recorded and must be cleared out when the property is sold, so eventually the bill gets paid. This doesn't happen all that much in my business as I require everybody to sign a pretty specific contract and pay 50% down before any work begins. Those that refuse to do that are free to do business with someone else. Of course, if this used TC that I provided is the "root of all evil", then that one is on me and I can then accept the consequences of that as I "took a chance" on used part.
FORDF250HDXLT - I bought the used TC from a guy that had a full rebuild done on his E4OD. It is a billet triple disk TC with only 15k on it. The motor went bad so the guy yanked the whole drive train and swapped in a cummins with manual trans. I proably should have bought the trans too. I spoke to the guy before I bought the TC to try and make sure he wasn't knowingly trying to sell a bad TC, and we have been corresponding via email and he has been trying to help me diagnose this thing just as you guys on the OB doing. The TC still could be the culprit, but it would seem the seller wasn't intentionally trying to sell me a bad part. Again, I took the risk and accept the consequnces of that choice should that prove to be the problem. When I had the trans guy do the work, I had him install the Superior knurled bushing and metal pump valve, but gave him clear instructions to do the TRANSGO pump mods and not the Superior pump mods. I also printed out and gave him your write up on installing that bushing. (thanks for that write up BTW) I can't help but wonder if he didn't mess up that bushing install?
I am dropping the truck off at the other trans shop later today. They come highly recommeded and have been in business for over 35 years (as an actual trans shop). The only problem is the shop is about 1-1/2 hours away, so we will see how warm a trans with a non-locking TC gets.

May I get you to share that write up with me? Just got an F5 pump in the mail, getting ready to send for the bushing and valve kit.

did you double check the fluid level once the trans is up to operating temp? if it's a bit low lockup wont occur.could be something as simple as this,at this point.you know how it is when your filling the trans back up right? you pour it down the dipstick tube,which makes it difficult to get a true reading until the next day or so.then you can really tell where the level is.id personally start here if you haven't yet.
no worries about the bushing install.it's either right or wrong.if it was wrong,you'd know.she'd walk forward and puke trans fluid out of the front of the bell housing like the Yosemite falls i just visited.

mccall52 said:

May I get you to share that write up with me? Just got an F5 pump in the mail, getting ready to send for the bushing and valve kit.

Click to expand...

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...go-s-E40D-HD2-D-reprogramming-kit-(shift-kit)

It should have taken the shop about a half day to fix this problem. The hard part is electrical. That is already done. Knowing that, its time to look at the pump. So what should be done now is check the lock up valve. From the sound of it, I would spit the pump to check everything that was done. Maybe a little overkill but the pump is out so it wouldn't hurt to check.

FORDF250HDXLT said:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...go-s-E40D-HD2-D-reprogramming-kit-(shift-kit)

Click to expand...

Thank you for the quick response. I have seen that document, it helped me tremendously when I installed my Tugger kit. I agree with you as well, not to sweat the bushing install, it's either right or wrong.

I've had other cars come in for service with a transmission fluid leak on the front, which almost always is the bushing walked and seized to the snout of the convertor.

Thanks for your help guys! I just got back from dropping the truck off at the other shop. It was about an 1-1/2 hour mostly highway drive. The TC is definately not locking but the trans did not get as warm as I thought it might. The highest temp the gauge read was 160 and then she cooled down a bit and settled in around 150. It was only about 40 here today and I have a big cooler up front and a deep aluminum pan and was running empty so she stayed cool enough. My temp sender is the pan so reads a bit cooler anyway. I did check the fluid level several times after I got the truck back the first time and fluid level was correct. It is good to know the bushing must be installed correctly otherwise the trans would be puking fluid out the front. It could well be that the lockup valve in the pump is the problem and have asked the shop to document what they find and take pictures if they can. I detailed all the work I have had done for them so they understand that the pump was modded and may not have been done correctly. We will see what they have to say next week, so stay tuned for my next exciting update.....

Well, If I could laugh over all of this I would because this whole situation is just ridiculous and is getting even more so. I heard back from the other shop today and here is how the conversation went. "When we scanned the truck, we found two codes - Code 23 and Code 62." Before I could even say anything he said "we replaced the FIPL because that caused the Code 23". Okay you replaced the Fipl because you didn't hold the accelerator to the floor when you scanned the truck. "Oh, well, the new FIPL didn't help anyway". Now, there is a big surprise! The guy says the TC is slipping, the scanner shows it is slipping but they do not know why it is slipping. "It could be any number of things but we have to take the trans out". Okay, I get that. "But when we take the trans out, we must tear it down completely and go through it"What? That was just done and you are going to do it again? Why? "Well, that is the only way we do things here and we stand behind them 100%" "And that new converter you supplied -We can't use that"Okay, why is that? "We only install super special brand so and so because we have had excellent luck with them and trust them." Okay, so if I have you do all this work and pull the trans, go through it (again!) install new TC what will this cost? "Oh between $2400 and $2800, but we will guarantee it for 24 months or 24k miles." Ah, I see, well don't do any more work to truck, total up the charges and I will make arrangements to pay the bill and get he truck picked up.
Oh, boy - one extreme to another: the first shop wouldn't work on it and the second shop is only too happy to work on it, and work on it and work on it. So, the truck is coming back home and it can sit parked in my driveway until I decide to sell it or tear into myself as I have about had it with trans shops. This went from a somewhat annoying problem to a big problem. Some of that is my fault for trying to get away with a used TC - okay, lesson learned -again.

well if it helps any,the second shop you found here is right on (short of not knowing about holding WOT during the scan,but how many old diesel trucks like these still come through their shops to keep this info on hand right?) they all around sound like the real deal.unfortunately,that all costs money but they want to make it all right with a complete reman with no messing around.
man,i think id make sure to try a different TECA just to make sure the thing isn't being stupid and tossing a dud code.

FORDF250HDXLT said:

well if it helps any,the second shop you found here is right on (short of not knowing about holding WOT during the scan,but how many old diesel trucks like these still come through their shops to keep this info on hand right?) they all around sound like the real deal.unfortunately,that all costs money but they want to make it all right with a complete reman with no messing around.
man,i think id make sure to try a different TECA just to make sure the thing isn't being stupid and tossing a dud code.

Click to expand...

There is definately something wrong with the TC/Trans. I still have the led wired in and the computer is signaling for lockup but the lockup is not happening. But again, no chatter or shudder from the TC either. The truck just has no "pull" now either when getting on it. This second shop is "professional" and I have no doubt they could get the truck fixed up - just a big, bitter pill to have to swallow.

Well in all honesty, this sounds about right. Unfortunately, when doing business with another transmission shop that has not performed work on truck, they will want to do a complete tear down and rebuild in hopes to solve problem. Asking them to do something that you want them to do will likely result in the shop losing money and headache that they do not have time for. Their goal is to fix and/or rebuild transmission following "shop protocol" and to not see that customer for another 100k miles. Many shops will refuse a warranty if you supplied the parts as well. It would be like me buying a transmission rebuild kit and supplying a used torque converter just because it was cheaper and handing parts to my transmission builder. He would probably install parts, but would void his 3 year/50k warranty and charge me everytime I brought it back in.