E4OD won't shift into 3rd gear, please help.
 

Hello,

I have a 1992 F-150 4x4 with a 5.0 and an E4OD Transmission. The transmission started leaking from the front so we took it out and replaced the front pump seal. Since then the tranny will not shift into 3rd gear. There are two electronic connectors on the transmission and I have made sure that they are attached well. It seems that it trys to shift from 2nd to 3rd but it never quite makes it. The only thing I can think of that could be related is this. When I took out the tranny, I left it attached to the transfer case. While out of the vehicle I disconnected the transfer case from the tranny, but at first I seperated it from the wrong place. About 9inches too close to the tranny and I noticed that a rod was connecting it with a spring attached. The spring came out and I placed it back in. I’m not absolutely sure if I put the spring in correctly. The truck seems to drive fine up to shifting into 3rd. I replaced all of the fluid and it is at the proper level. Any help would be very appreciated as I miss my 4x4. Thank you, Sean


sspeakm1@tampabay.rr.com

I'm not sure this is it, but is it possible that the seal on the front of the pump (little green or sometimes orange one on top of the stator) could have been damaged during the swap. It controls lockup, but I think it might effect the shift also if it was split. I'll look for some other things, but it's strange to happen if all you did was take out the converter and replace the seal. Is it leaking any fluid at all now?

G

Thank you for the quick response. I'll check that as soon as possible. No it's not leaking any transmission fluid. Oddly though now it is slowly leaking oil, from the same location, appears to be coming from the rear main seal of the engine. Also the truck has a hard time starting sometimes and often stalls while going into reverse. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you, Sean

Small update: Thx to a friend for some documentation on the E4OD I was able to determine that the TPS sensor was bad which is known to put the transmission into (FMEM) Failure Management Effects Mode. I replaced the TPS sensor and reset the main computer. I don't know if the transmission is in FMEM or if resetting the main computer would take it out. But after test driving it, I still do not have 3rd gear. Although it idles better, lower, and stopped stalling out. Still any info is much appreciated, thx, Sean.

Yea my dad has an F-350 w/ a E40D (Every 40 days) transmission. sometimes it shifts extremely hard into 2nd gear (even at low speeds) and other times it shifts nice and smooth like its supposed to. The transmission feels like it may be starting to slip a little though. Any ideas on what I can do to possibly fix it?

Could it be a sensor? or something else?


I am new to Fords... I just bought a 1997 F-150 XLT truck about 6 months ago.. (although I will have my 1986 Oldsmobile cutlass supreme that has some mods done to it that i play around with on the weekends)

Thanks!

Another update, heard that a wire can be broken in the steering column harness, remembered that my OD light doesn't work. Tested the OD switch with a voltmeter it is working fine, the light merely went out. Replaced the stock red led with a new blue one. Switch works fine, light too, but still no 3rd gear.

Additionally, heard that the 2 plugs that connect to the transmission could have problems.
I looked under the truck with a light and saw that the plug on the passengers side had bare wires and were even shorted out in some cases. I took the harness out, separated all the wires, filled them with hot glue to prevent further shorts. Hooked everything back up, reset the computer and still no 3rd gear.

If anyone has any clues based on this further info please, please let me know.

Thank you, Sean

Was this ever resolved?
 

I am having pretty much the same problem. I have first and second gear - but that is it. I am not able to upshift at all. I replaced the TPS sensor, replaced all seals - am not leaking ANY fluid. I also replaced the solenoid. Next, I will have the computer reset to see if it is in FMEM as stated in prior posts. My main question is this: Did you fix your problem? If so, please let me know how you fixed it.

Thank you very much!!

Hey, I sure did fix the problem, I recently had the transmission rebuilt. When the shop stripped it down they said that just about everything was wore out, so much that they would not be able to reassemble it and make it work at all. I guess after 193k miles without a prior rebuild that is expected. Good luck! Sean

210,000 miles
 

Thanks Sean. I am looking around for another E4OD for my 1990 Ford F150 XLT. I love my truck - I guess after 210,000 miles this is expected. This is a great website. Thanks for the reply Sean!