Transmission popped out of gear

[97F150JIM]

Hi, I have a 97 F150, 4.6, 4WD, Auto Tranny with overdrive. I was towing a 1500 lbs trailer. Driving in the middle of nowhere South Dakota I got off the interstate for gas, and pulling into the station the truck lurched and popped out gear and made some clunking noises. I put it in and out of drive, park, and reverse and put it in and out of 4WD. Somewhere in all the shifting it went back into gear and I could drive 500 miles home and it hasn't done it again. What could this be? Could the 4WD pop into neutral? Thanks for your comments, I am stumped.

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[scott1981]

Originally Posted by 97F150JIM

Hi,

I have a 97 F150, 4.6, 4WD, Auto Tranny with overdrive.
I was towing a 1500 lbs trailer.

Driving in the middle of nowhere South Dakota I got off the interstate for gas,
and pulling into the station the truck lurched and popped out gear and made some clunking noises. I put it in and out of drive, park, and reverse and put it in and out of 4WD. Somewhere in all the shifting it went back into gear and I could drive 500 miles home and it hasn't done it again.

What could this be? Could the 4WD pop into neutral?

Thanks for your comments, I am stumped.

from my previous experience either a worn bushing on the shifter(auto i know, the shifter rod that goes into the trans), or more common a broken motor mount allowing the engine/trans combo to move under load and therefore push or pull the linkage popping it out of gear

[RaWarrior]

For an electric shift transfer case, I have never heard of it slipping into neutral. This can happen on the floor shift flavor ones, but only if the case was previously damaged (hard or forced shifting, or not fully shifting it into a gear). Even still, pretty rare espically if it was in 2wd mode.

[97F150JIM]

Thank you Scott and Ra Warrior.

I checked for the bushings and motor mounts and also brought it to a shop to check and flush the transmisson.
No problem was found.

Scott, it is a floor shift model. I have only had the truck for a year so I don't know how much it has been abused.

If it pops out of gear again I will let you know.

Thanks again,
Jim

[scott1981]

Originally Posted by 97F150JIM

Thank you Scott and Ra Warrior.

I checked for the bushings and motor mounts and also brought it to a shop to check and flush the transmisson.
No problem was found.

Scott, it is a floor shift model. I have only had the truck for a year so I don't know how much it has been abused.

If it pops out of gear again I will let you know.

Thanks again,
Jim

Hopefully it was just a fluke. I have had my floor shift t cases bumped by passengers or items floating around the cab. They are just on the edge of going into nuetral and any load will kick them out. Hopefully something minor like this was the case, good luck man