E4od questions/trouble

Ole BlackBetty

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First off, I have always had trouble with my Transmission going into limp mode OD light flashing. If i keep OD turned off until i get to hiway speed, approximately 50mph and then turn on OD truck does fine. I turn it back off when i get below 50mph and drive around town with no trouble. just have to remomber to turn it off or it will go into limp mode accerating and stopping around town. Driving down the interstate it does fine with OD on traveling at speed, but as soon as I have to let off accelerator suddenly and brake, then accellerate again, it goes into limp mode. I try to pull codes and there are not any.
Who can give me some answers?
 

Nero

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Are you pulling the codes after it goes into limp mode and are you shut the engine down? I've had a similar issue where codes kept going away, but I had to make it act up, then scan codes before shutting er down.
 

BeastMaster

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Erratic tach, vss, and TPS signals WILL cause really erratic and random PCM actions. So will a misadjusted TPS.

Inova makes an inexpensive code reader. Model 3145. This one works with our E4OD:


One of these may come in handy to let you watch for codes while in the truck...


Edit: For what it's worth, I have found several .PDF of the Innova 3145 code reader user manual on the net...here's one...

 
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Ole BlackBetty

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Are you pulling the codes after it goes into limp mode and are you shut the engine down? I've had a similar issue where codes kept going away, but I had to make it act up, then scan codes before shutting er down.
KOEO just like instructions say
 

Ole BlackBetty

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Erratic tach, vss, and TPS signals WILL cause really erratic and random PCM actions. So will a misadjusted TPS.

Inova makes an inexpensive code reader. Model 3145. This one works with our E4OD:


One of these may come in handy to let you watch for codes while in the truck...

this is the exact one i have, ive used it for years.
 
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Ole BlackBetty

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Update, on the way home this evening , ol Black Betty went down. All forward gears quit working, only has reverse. Trans was 183 degrees going 60 mph when forward gears just stopped working.
 

BeastMaster

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Weird...now that sounds to me like an internal transmission problem involving damaged bands...has it been slipping?

I don't know of any state of the control solenoids that would kill all forward, but leave reverse still working.

I guess you could try unplugging the valve body solenoid cable from the transmission, but I seriously doubt it would make any change in the transmission operation. If this were a control issue, my understanding is that unplugging the solenoid control cable places you in limp home mode...no access to third gear or overdrive. From what I see here, I think your bands are shot...but a transmission guy will know. I am more of an electrical guy.

Hope you have a transmission shop nearby. The good news is the Ford E4OD is a pretty well known transmission, used across many Ford products for many years .
 

Ole BlackBetty

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With everything I've read on internet, it is an internal failure. It did have a slight shudder on acceleration, I have been battling the limp home mode for years. I think it finally caught up to me. I was always hoping the problem was in the torque converter, but I don't think so now.
 

IDIBOBS

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What's everyone's opinion on this ?
Never used them. But anything is better than a Jasper. Mine local last years was 3000 out the door and I didn’t have to pull it or reinstall. When I do pull them my self I use monster. On paper these from trans depot look just as good.
 

KansasIDI

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What's everyone's opinion on this ?
It’s probably fine.

I understand you may have a current need for your truck, I certainly do of my 91.

I likewise have a 94 F350, but for me it’s more of a long term winter project. Once it’s finished I plan to use it often.

At any rate, I went the DIY route with my 94’s E4OD rebuild. It wasn’t too hard. New range sensor and solenoid pack. I upgraded plenty of things internally, billet shafts and drums, clutch packs, Transgo Tugger kit, Revmax ultra low stall triple disc billet torque converter, all the fixes in the pump, center section, tail section, and valve body areas, added a Baumann Quick Shift 4 controller, external filter, and 2 huge coolers with a thermostat cooler bypass. This made it significantly more expensive than anything close to OEM, but it really wasn’t any more difficult.

I recommend with any E4OD rebuild all the fixes, a large cooler, external filter, maybe the Transgo, at least a Superior shift correction kit, and a triple disc torque converter. Beyond that is probably unnecessary for anything close to stock, or 50% more power. Such upgrades should provide strong, reliable service for many years to come.

Best of luck whichever route you go.
The DIY route takes longer, but it’s not difficult. There are videos on YouTube by a channel called Transmission Bench, very well done and easy to follow. They did the fixes, and new sensors, the Transgo, but not much else in the way of upgrades.

Have a good evening.

@XOLATEM might have some good input about your situation.

@trackspeeder is likewise E4OD/transmission savvy IIRC.
 

Ole BlackBetty

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I would love to do it myself, I am mechanical. What did you do about the specific tools needed? My problem is with a rebuilt, you never know what they put in there.
 

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