I have an '01 F-150 with about 80,000 miles. At about 65,000 I started experiencing the "transmission shudder". At first it was rather predictable, it occurred between 50-65 mph and usually when accelerating out of a coast. I took it in for transmission service and had it flushed.

This didn't help and I'd done some research as well. Most folks recommended having the torque converter checked. I have a friend who has his own repair business about an hour from me so I took it to him. As i described the problem he said, "Most likely the torque converter." He pulled it and said he really didn't see anything obviously terribly wrong so he could replace just that ($500-600) or just rebuild the transmission since a lot of the labor was already done. Well, after so many signs pointing to torque converter I took a chance and replaced justthat.

Now, a couple of months later, the problem is back. However, now the problem is much more random, though still seemingly during acceleration. It seems worse when pulling my boat, which I have been doing a lot (small fishing boat). I live in a hilly area so there are frequent coasts downhill and then small uphill climbs.

My question, are we chasing ghosts in the transmission? I have felt all along it seemed more fuel system related to me (non-mechanic). The shudder is much less "hard" than I would expect from transmission problems. It really feels like it is misfiring or not getting gas for very brief cycles, so much so that I changed the spark plugs (6 hour affair). Anyone have some "outside the box" ideas worth pursuing?

 

plugs,wires and a sticky egr are the usual causes of this problem. Make sure the transmission has fresh mercon V in it and put a cooler on it to keep the fluid cool.
Alan

 

I am going thru the same situation right now, mine started doing it about 65,000 miles, I attributed it to bad fuel from a new station that I fueled up from, added some fuel additives, etc. I never got a check engine light though to say what the code was. After that tank it didn't do it again, then one day after Katrina got thru kicking our a** it did it just one time. It was like that for a while just every once in a while it would do it. Until, the other day coming back from a hunting trip in Central Mississippi, pulling a trailer with a four wheeler and ice chest, etc. it begain to do it just about every time I got in the fuel to get up a small hill, aggrevated the crap out of me. I just changed the plugs, last night, so at 76,000 miles that is where I am at too. I was fixing to have the transmission flushed, needs it anyway, but that doesn't seem to be what the problem is according to the second post. Hope you find out for the both of us.

2001 S/C 4.6/NEW 3.55 GEARS
:santa:

 

Be advised that an ignition coil breaking down under load can feel like a torque converter shudder as well.

 

I have a '96 F150 w/ 302 & 4R70w Trans. I have 42,000 orig miles (sweet!)
I've got shudder at 30-45 mph holding steady speed. Worse holding steady speed up hill (not many hills in Daytona, but a few high bridges). Is it possible that this is a fluid change problem?

 

Not only possible, it's likely the problem. Get it changed!

 

Mine started almost 3 years ago... randomly and slight. overtime it became much much worse. at 110,000 i had the transmission flushed against the advice from my dealer. They said everything looked good and even flushed the torque converter. It worked great for about 6 months... not once did it shudder. Then it started slowly and slightly again.

Now it feels as if the truck will vibrate off the road going to and from over drive, wether it's in cruise or not. I am saving my pennies to replace it.

 

My 02 Screw 5.4L 4x4 was doing the same exact thing. Took it to All Transmission World and the overhauled the tranny and replaced the torque converter. 2000 miles later and it hasn't shuddered again since then. They did decide to put a shift kit in without asking me and the 2-3 shift would rattle the dash, so it's back there right now getting the shift kit removed. Boneheads.

 

a shift kit is the best thing you can do for these transmissions. it's just like a manual transmission where if you ride the clutch between shifts you'll get really smooth shifts but the clutch will wear out and overheat. automatic transmissions have clutches between the gears that allow for smooth shifting. when these wear out you need a transmission rebuild, not as easy as replacing just a clutch.

with a shift kit you will feel shifting but the transmission is no longer self destructing with every shift.

the fact that the shop actually installed a shift kit automatically shows that they know what they're doing and they want your transmission to last. they're not just out to make a buck.

installing a shift kit does involve permanantly modifying the valve body separator plate by drilling some holes bigger than stock so they are probably going to have a hard time finding a separator plate to match up with what you have in there. the best thing you could have done would have been to just leave it the way it was.

 

I'm experienceing the same with my 97' , I'm not much of a mechanic, are there any sensors that could be causing this problem ?

 

normally I'd agree with you, but this shift kit they put in was garbage. The 2-3 shift at zero to no throttle would hit so hard the dash would rattle. The rest of the shifts were fine. I took it back in to have the 2-3 lightened up and they pulled a spring out of that shift?...Still hits too hard. So, they pulled the kit out and left it stock. They did have to order a new valve body and separator plate to replace the one they drilled out though. So...either they are morons and don't know how to properly install a shift kit, or the kit they used was garbage. Either way, I'd rather have a "self destructing" stock transmission than one that breaks u-joints, and shakes the truck apart at no throttle.

As soon as I gather up some $ (the rebuild was covered by warranty) I'll get a quality shift kit/valve body put in it.

 

This brings some enlightenment to me... i didn't know that torque shudder could ruin a u-joint. See i just replace the rear u-joint, i had a pinion seal leak and found the u-joint was going bad. Small flat spots were forming on one of the arms. I wonder if this was caused by the torque shutter.

Fellas... i've been thinking about something. I have friend with chevy and dodge. My brother has a dodge. THey don't have near the problems that i do. Plus my friends 2001 Z71 (i have a 5.4 lariat 4x4) blows me off the line. Now i didn't buy this truck to be a sports car, but damn he killed my truck. His truck is completely stock except for his flowmaster. Why should i stay with ford? Tranny problems, the header problem... my family has always owned fords and i love my truck, but some of the others seem to be a bit better.

 

No, I was talking about the hard shift from 2-3 wearing out/breaking u joints and stuff. Sorry, we got a little off topic.

 

It makes sense that less clutch smoothing equals less wear. But with a shift kit, isn't the added impact of the hard shifts putting more stress on the drivetrain's hardware?

 

it doesn't shift any harder than transmissions in the trucks from the '70's. a stage 1 kit won't do any other damage. a stage 2 kit will probably start ripping at other stuff and cause problems.