Rebuilt E4OD 800 miles ago now having problems

[Greenie]

A local shop, member of ATRA installed a rebuilt E4OD last fall. I bought the 4 year warranty transmission. Recently the first drive after warming up will have some barely noticeable shuttering up shifts which lights the shifter LED and starts the limp home mode with harsh upshifts. If I shut the engine off and turn it back on the problems continue - however if I shut it down for 15-20 minutes it shifts fine. I plugged in an old Innova flashing light code reader and got no response. Thinking the code reader was old and had failed I bought the newer model with the numerical readout. It arrived today. The new one also reads nothing nor does it start the rattling sound from the transmission these code readers always seemed to cause as they "read" the primitive TCM. The speedometer reads fine, no jumpy needle - same with the tachometer. Any ideas? Does the transmission control module ever go bad?
One of the bell housing bolts backed out, the transfer case lever wasn't correctly connected to the linkage and fell off, and the heat shield over the wiring connector must have been locktited in as the screws that hold it can't be backed out - so I'm not all that pleased with the job the shop did and want to be prepared when I bring it back for warranty work.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

Truthfully I haven't had much luck pulling transmission codes on anything with the e4od. I have a '97 powerstroke with the e4od that is always in limp mode but my snap-on scanner doesn't show any codes. I think the transmission controller was very limited in the aero trucks.

Superduty pcm will show codes for everything related to the 4r100 which is basically the same trans.

James

 

[Greenie]

I have used the code reader on this same truck in the past - now it seems like the TCM can't be read.

 

[Nero]

Scan for codes while it is messing up, have had similar problems in the past where a key cycle clears it for some reason.

 

[Overloaded-dadbod]

I’d take your solenoid plug and ohm the pack and see if you are on the verge of out of range

 

[BeastMaster]

Anybody know if anyone has built any sort of manual switch array that plugs into the solenoid pack and let's one manually shift gears much like many of us here manually control our glow plugs?

Such a thing would make it much easier to tell whether our problem is in the transmission or the controller/sensor.

Of course, to do this via that one connector that controls the transmission, one would have to manually select SS1, SS2, Torque Converter lock, Coast Clutch, and set line pressure current ( I think an old school ohmite ceramic power rheostat would do ). One of those cheap dvm modules could probably be rescaled with some resistors to give a rough reading of TFT.

I'm thinking an old-school 2 pole 4 position rotary "band switch" wired to select SS1 and SS2 to ground for the gear selected.

I get the idea something like this would come in really handy about now.

And a few diodes so that the... Is it the coast clutch or TCS that is really bad to engage if in overdrive?

 

[Greenie]

Scan for codes while it is messing up, have had similar problems in the past where a key cycle clears it for some reason.

The problem with this is that the engine needs to be off for the scan.

 

[Greenie]

This morning I started the truck and drove it less than 300 feet and let it idle in park. No shifter LED blinking when I left it. 15 minutes later without the truck moving an inch the light was flashing.

 

[XOLATEM]

Anybody know if anyone has built any sort of manual switch array that plugs into the solenoid pack and let's one manually shift gears much like many of us here manually control our glow plugs?

Such a thing would make it much easier to tell whether our problem is in the transmission or the controller/sensor.

Yes, such an animal exists and I have one...I called it a 'Divide and Conquer'...it is an older model...the company that made it sold out to another company and a transmission shop that is heavily invested in its business would not be without one....

...it is a hand-held in the cab controller with a few functions...One...to manually control the shifts to see if the unit is sound enough to actually work...and two...to monitor the transmission and TCM to see if it/they are functioning correctly and what is or is not working...and also a mini break-out box to test component circuits.

Yes...you could fab up a controller with switches and diodes and other components but it would take a while and you might go though a few solenoid packs as well...but you would only be able to shift the unit. You need to also have pressure control to actually be of any real utility.

That coast clutch you are referring to can be applied from 1st though 3rd but it needs to be released for 4th. If not...then you will scorch the clutch. Its function is to add stength to the OD sprag while you are in manual ranges.

To Greenie...I would just write down everything you have noticed about the transmission function and make two copies...one for you and one for the Shop...they are going to need every bit of info you can muster to find the problem in short order and not waste a lot of time road testing and chasing an intermittent problem.

Take your time...be patient ...and answer any questions they have as completely as you can...they need as much info as you can provide.

The first thing I would check would be right at the electrical connector for the main harness...having bad connections there can happen...especially with a diesel...from the constant vibration from the engine pulses...the connection at the MLPS can cause problems...the speed sensor wiring can be suspect even if the speedo works ok...but the RPM sensor at the IP can go bad because the wires just lay sideways and the engine hammering can fracture the magnet in the sensor.

I also faintly remember a service bulletin that warns of problems with the main harness that runs up the back of the transmission...some models had problems there.

So...don't be surprised if you have to buy a couple of parts...to be totally fair to the shop...even if you saw a couple of mistakes with the installation...the electrical components on your truck need to be sound for the transmission system to work...and...at 280k miles...they have given you as much and more service as you can reasonably expect.

The warranty was meant only for the transmission and torque convertor itself (I would guess) and that it would be installed correctly...any other external components can not be expected to last into perpetuity. If the whole thing was working well enough to leave the shop and be delivered then that was all that could be expected in this day and time. They could not predict any failure of other electrical parts...they work fine up to and until they don't.

As a side note...this is the reason that I always drove a newly fixed vehicle home and back to the shop at the very least...I made sure that things would be ok through a few heat-and-cool cycles.

A lot of times I would drive one on short errands and other things...just to give the unit time to decide to act up...

I would never...repeat never...just hand one over right after the first road test...too chancy....

So....this is an opportunity for the Shop to handle a less-than-satisfied customer and an opportunity for a customer to be fair and civil with a service provider...and a chance for a truck to be restored to full function...

Wishing you all well and success...

P.S. Ford did not include live data in their computer systems until 1996 or therabouts...so a lot of things will not show up with a simple code reader...the ECM was not all that sophisticated...but they do not last forever either...I have had to send out a few to be repaired when I could not find a replacememt.

Signing off...

 

[Nero]

The problem with this is that the engine needs to be off for the scan.

Disconnect the injection pump shutoff solenoid to get it to stall without cycling the key.

 

[XOLATEM]

I have used the code reader on this same truck in the past - now it seems like the TCM can't be read.

Yeah...sounds like the TCM has had enough of that budget date...like going out for coffee instead of doing the whole dinner-movie-home thing...and is probably telling you it wants to be treated like a high--quality ****** that it thinks it is...

If you want to communicate with that number you are gonna hafta up your game...

At least find a Red Brick with the right cartridge and treat the TCM with a little class...

 

[XOLATEM]

This morning I started the truck and drove it less than 300 feet and let it idle in park. No shifter LED blinking when I left it. 15 minutes later without the truck moving an inch the light was flashing.

Do you have the factory tach..? I wonder if the RPM sensor is failing intermittently...? That would probably show up while it was sitting and not moving..

If you notice the tach dropping out on occasion then that would be highly suspect.

 

[Black dawg]

Have had a couple of these, (1 1989, and a 1990) that I never could get any codes from. Had to use a meter to solve any issues with them.

One was a truck that I had sold to a another guy, who after driving for a couple years started having trans problems. He took it to a local trans shop who "rebuilt" the transmission and racked up a few thousand dollar bill trying to make the rebuilt one work right. Guy got mad and went and got his truck after hours after paying a grand on his bill and refusing to pay any more. I ended up with the truck in a trade shortly after, only knowing that it had been at a trans shop that couldnt get it to work right (didnt know the lack of payment).
When I started to work on the truck, it was obvious that the trans had not been out.....bell bolts covered in accumulated crud, and no sign of any other bolts needed to remove the transmission ever being removed. I called the guy I got it from to question him on what had actually been done to the truck, and he showed up with a bill showing the transmission had been rebuilt, along with replacing a sol pack after the rebuild, and a bunch of diagnostic time. After some time, I found that the speed sensor (the one that the speedo cable goes through at the back of the t case) would intermittently start to drop out. Fixed it and drove that truck for 2 or 3 years before that transmission just quit one day. put a manual in it.

Never felt bad about the guy stealing his truck back from the shop without paying for the work they never did.

 

[Greenie]

The linkage for the transfer case wasn't fully clicked on when the shop installed the rebuilt transmission and came unattached a month ago. I drove it for a few days without realizing the 4L N 2H was unhooked. The transfer case remained in 2H. Are there any TCM switches that may have gone out of adjustment as result?
I started the truck this morning and sat watching the tachometer for 20 minutes as the truck warmed up. The tach needle never wobbled and the shifter LED didn't light.

 

[XOLATEM]

Are there any TCM switches that may have gone out of adjustment as result?

Not that I can recall...it is a manual shift TC and the only switch that I think it has is just an indicator light activator.

I could be wrong...it has been a while since I have seen one...

The linkage for the transfer case wasn't fully clicked on when the shop installed the rebuilt transmission and came unattached a month ago.

I do remember that it is better to have the special linkage bushing tool to seperate the link from the lever and it is not real easy to get the thing put back together well...the inner part of the bushing tends to tear away...(plastic)...it is easy to not have it latched up tight and secure...I screwed that up a couple of times as well.

I bought the tool for it after I learned my lesson and used it so much it has a permanent bend to it.

I found that it was good to spritz a little WD-40 on the link to loosen up some corrosion that helps the little booger to tear out the plastic.

That bushing was not readily available in the aftermarket for a long time...it was better to get them from a Dealer...if you could get a nice-enough and willingly helpful parts person to help you on it.

The tach needle never wobbled and the shifter LED didn't light.

It is on to us...it knows that it better mind its P's and Q's and quit messing around or it will go back to temporary Hell and have strangers handle it kinda roughly...

Seriously...open the hood and look at the RPM sensor and see if any insulation is missing on the wires right at the sensor.