Got a new truck

[weldertim]

I just got a '96 psd. Still have the 90 idi, but went for something with some niceties for my family like head rests, a headliner, a/c ect.

I have a couple of questions for you guys.

First, the automatic transmission just shift weird compared to my manual idi. Slips every once in a while with a load when overdrive is on. I'm wondering if a chip would help the shifting. Flushed the trans and added lube guard and it still shifts weird. I'm really am not going to try to turn this into some coal rolling beast, just want it to tow my camper and boat and get over the mountains over and over. Truck has 230k and supposedly a heavy built transmission that does shift pretty well. Looking for suggestions on tuners, and thinking it would probably be safest to hook up an egt.

Second, the a/c smells like a wet dog. I pried open the top of the evaporator (plastic box next to the fan with the cold radiator in it) and sprayed it with alcohol and the smell went away for a couple of weeks, but is creeping back. Is there a drain hole in the bottom of this box?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[79jasper]

Should be a drain there somewhere.
For a tuner, php hydra. Hands down.
Trans could be a bad brake light switch.

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[trackspeeder]

A shift kit should fix the shifting issues. TransGo Tugger or Sonnax Sure cure.
You could get a modified accumulator body (valve body) From RacerX John Woods or BTS. If you don't want to dig into the tranny. Basically the work is done for you. Bolt it up and drive it.

 

[1995voyagerES]

The drain for the AC should be right under the box but coming out of the firewall (not directly out of the AC box).

 

[jhenegh]

Rickson 19.5" wheels?

Can't add to or disagree with anything else!

 

[weldertim]

Well thank you for the responses,

Yes those are the 19.5 wheels. Load range H tires very firm. Not quite sure about the driving characteristics yet. Been running them around 70 psi to soften them up slightly. Smoother ride than my '90 because fewer springs, but seem to wander a bit more. Thought I might have gotten some unintentional drift around a big sweeping turn in the rain yesterday.

I found a fairly large line exiting the firewall just below the A/C box poked a stubby screwdriver in but didn't bottom out. Thought I might try vaccuuming it out, or a longer screwdriver.

About the valve body, sounds like it's it a plug and play ad on? Install seemed fairly straightforward on the John Wood's site, but I don't normally mess with transmissions. I know I could look it up, but what does the valve body do?

Thanks again,

Tim

 

[trackspeeder]

The accumulator body controls the shift speed and pressure. By changing the springs for each spool valve. You can increase the apply pressure to the clutch packs.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Not positive about this , but there should be a cabin air filter behind the glove box, you have to pull the glove box liner out. they get stinky if someone smokes. Can't find it on azone or oreilly but they should be able too. It could be under the cowl.

Don't quite know what you mean by transmission slipping, need more info. The brake switch on the PSD's are very sensitive, they'll kick out OD by just touching the brake peddle sideways.

 

[weldertim]

Thanks again for the knowledge,

Sent an email to order the valve body.

The slipping happened around 30mph once and around 50mph another time. Both times I was accelerating with quite a bit of pedal into it. Not floored, but going up a hill with a camper on and trying to move along. The rpm went way up (2500 or so) and didn't seem to be pushing the truck at all. I backed off the pedal slowly depressed it again, and it engaged. I haven't had the camper on for a couple weeks, and only have had it happen once. If it is not in overdrive, it doesn't happen. I've been using the overdrive button like I would shifting from fifth to forth or when I am losing rpm going up a hill. I'll have a look for that filter.

Thanks,

Tim

 

[79jasper]

I don't think the trucks got a cabin air filter until the way newer trucks.
I wanted one for mine. Lol

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[madpogue]

Hint - is there anything in the owner's manual about a cabin air filter?

As for the tranny, fix now, mod later. Hard to say what's wrong with your tranny, but trying any chip, shift kit, etc. to fix a tranny that's not shifting right is just masking the problem, and not getting at the ultimate cause. Do you ever see the OD/OFF light flashing when the problems occur?

The way you describe using overdrive is exactly the way to do it. Ford could have configured a seven-position shifter (P, R, N, OD, D[or 3], 2, 1), but for whatever reason, they opted for a switch/button to shift in and out of OD. But indeed, you'll want to shift out of OD under the same conditions you'd want to shift out of fifth with a 5-speed.

 

[FordGuy100]

The slipping in overdrive is very worrying. I hope that you knew about this before purchasing, and were able to talk him down in price. It could be something as simple as a bad electrical connection, to the trans actually going. Start with the simple things and work your way from there.

 

[weldertim]

So I ordered a valve body from John Wood Automotive and the slipping has not recurred. What has happened are very rough shifts. I have to say that John Wood has been outstanding. The amount of time he has spent helping me on a 300 dollar part is amazing. I can only imagine what kind of back up you get if you buy a transmission from him. We are trying to figure out if the transmission had a shift kit, or a transgo plate. Here is a video of a rough shift. https://youtu.be/LpPNm8iQlLQ Note the small drop in rpm just before the big slam from second into third. It does the same thing from third to forth and into overdrive. Thanks for your help, -Tim

 

[FordGuy100]

Holy hell man.

 

[greenskeeper]

I'd put a manual TC locking switch and then manually lock the TC above 30mph and see how the transmission shifts. That would prove whether the TC is holding properly and engaging smoothly.