What controls second gear? Its gone all of a sudden

[Billyisgr8]

Had the truck parked all winter till today...Now no second gear. First is hanging on till 3800 limiter, second just revs to 3800 limiter, 2nd does not seem to engage at all. 1st , 3rd and overdrive are fine. We used the truck last fall towing the trailer on a 4 hour trip, also used the truck to pull a trailer in December. then it has been parked since. I find it odd that this didn't happen before, so it must be electrical right?

Can anybody shed some light on what controls the gears, and what I should be checking?

Thanks

 

[icanfixall]

The injection pump switch called a TPS sends the voltage message of .96 to 1.2 to the cpu under the drivers side kick panel.. If it sees voltage over 5 volts it goes into limp home mode. You only have secod and reverse... Then the cpu sends messages to the trans. The cpu gets messages from the mlps on the side of the trans... Also the speed senser attached to the speedo cable at the trans tailshaft.... Lots of places to look now.....

 

[OLDBULL8]

You can preform a KOEO test and see if any codes come up on the CEL. Just make sure the throttle is held down "WOT" during the entire test. Could be Solenoid #2 or bad wiring to it, check the connector on the pass side of the tranny, don't pry it out, use a screw driver to unlock the latch and pull on the wires to pull it out with a little wiggle. Look for corrosion on the pins. Have to use a mirror to see down in the connector on the side. As Ican said check all he indicated also.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Gary, 2nd only is a C6 thing, the E4OD will give you 2nd and OD and if you have your converter lockup on full manual control you could use that too provided the PCM still sends voltage to the VB.

Oldbull is onto something with his connector suggestion tho, the wires in the harness can get damaged where they pass through the plastic plate that retains the connector's rubber seal, mine were pretty bad and at least two were bare and touching resulting in coast clutch lockup in 3rd gear regardless of whether it was automatic 3rd or manual 3rd (coast clutch only applies in manual 3rd, that's why even with a locked converter automatic 3rd gear will not yield any significant engine braking), and at least one of the wires was holding together by some magic too... I repaired and tripple-insulated all wires before filling up the entire connector with JB weld, I'd like to see them suckers baring up and crossfiring now

 

[oldmisterbill]

"I repaired and tripple-insulated all wires before filling up the entire connector with JB weld, I'd like to see them suckers baring up and crossfiring now "

Hot melt glue is waterproof-I have used it many times to repair a connector. It is also an insulator. Your imagination is its limits.

 

[sootman73]

the E4 will give you third only and no lockup in limp mode..... unless you manually downshift the trans. i would def check the solenoid pack plug on the passenger side. change fluid and filter also after sitting. could be some crap built up in the pan.....

 

[Billyisgr8]

Didn't crawl under the truck yet but got the code read out, just have to find what the blinks mean. Can somebody point me to where there is something that explains blinks?
In case somebody feels like figuring it out here they are. Did this 2 times to verify.

Blinks
2
6
2
4
2
6
2
3
1
6
2
6
2

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Hot melt glue is waterproof-I have used it many times to repair a connector. It is also an insulator. Your imagination is its limits.

Good to know! I didn't have any of that tho, nor the gun to use it, I do always have JB Weld and it's an insulator too, so that's what I used. And the problem with my connector is that little plastic plate that all the wires go through, the holes for the wires have sharp edges and because the wires are not tightly affixed under it (there's a rubber block that allows for some movement due to vibrations) they cut their insulation on that retaining plate - the plate is gone now so the wires have nothing to strip on, and since the rubber block is gone too and the connector is packed tightly with JB Weld the wires can't even move in there to begin with.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Guess I should have told you to warm up the tranny before KOEO test.
26 code is TOT Transmission Oil Temperature out of range for testing.
Can't figure out the way you wrote the blinks down.

Looks like you have a 62 service code which indicates that it is the connector on the side of the tranny as I indicated in my previous post. If the connections are OK, then the S2 solenoid may be bad. To check that you have to have a test connector or if you can get to the Black and the Green wires on the connector, connect an Ohm meter to them, the negative lead to the Black wire and the positive lead to the Green wire, 20 to 30 Ohms, the Solenoid is OK, High resistance= Replace solenoid pack. If the solenoid is OK then you have to tear down to the converter clutch regulator valve and converter clutch control valve. Valve's may be stuck or springs broken or stuck.

 

[Billyisgr8]

Took it in and pulled the pan, metal in the filter, and lots of clutch material. This is the second tranny in this truck now, first stock one lasted 180 thousand, this one lasted 250 thousand, but it had every bell and whistle in it when built in 1999.

Will see tomorrow what exactly is wrong with it inside.

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[OLDBULL8]

If the solenoid is OK then you have to tear down to the converter clutch regulator valve and converter clutch control valve. Valve's may be stuck or springs broken or stuck.

Since you pulled the pan and found lots of clutch material, prolly the intermediate clutch disc's are shot. Needless to say it's gonna need an overhaul. Most likely one or both valves were not shifting correctly. Usually your not in 2nd gear very long unless your kicking a$$, then the clutch material gets into the valving, and thats where your at now. If your going to overhaul it, make sure all the updates are installed.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Billyisgr8
Googled Earth for your location, Sicamous BC. Beautiful country up your way. Came up 97 to Kamloops on the way to Alaska in 08. If I recall there was some serious mountains around there.
Good luck with your tranny.

 

[Billyisgr8]

Billyisgr8
Googled Earth for your location, Sicamous BC. Beautiful country up your way. Came up 97 to Kamloops on the way to Alaska in 08. If I recall there was some serious mountains around there.
Good luck with your tranny.

Thanks

Definitly some good mountains right out my back door. I am blessed to live where I do.

 

[Billyisgr8]

2nd gear clutch pack , was gone, as in the paper lining had flaked off in big chunks, and left some of the bands bare. One of the valves had been stuck in the valve body ( still aluminum), and the other was not smooth moving. 3rd gear clutch pack was abit darker not bad at all. Torque converter also being replaced with a triple disk unit. They also machined .050 off of ?? and put in a shim cause it had worn into the thrust surface. Total cost will be $3400 cdn including all taxes for a complete rebuild installed. Tranny already had all the steel good parts, and powerstroke pump in it from the last rebuild in 1999 250,000km's ago.

 

[sootman73]

with that kind of mileage it sounds like you did very good in getting a long life out of those trans! especially an E4OD. i got 6600(yes not missing a zero) on a rebuild once. dont really know what happened but it was something about the pump going out. something must have been out of tolerance.

and i just checked what that is in Us $. i didn't think it was so close?