I have a 99 F150 4x4 with the 5.4 and 4r70 trans.

It has been clunking into second on the upshift and downshift. It has been doing this for awhile intermitantly, but now it is doing it 90% of the time. On the upshift when you are driving normally (not very hard acceleration) it will clunk and bang into second. It doesn't do it on any other gear. On the downshift it seems to slip then clunk down to the second gear. On hard acceleration it works great. Also sometimes, more noticeably when the engine is cold, it seems to not want to upshift when it should. You let off the gas and you can feel that it is staying in the lower gear. It feels like letting off the gas in first or second on a stick shift where the car will decelerate greatly when let off the gas in gear. However I don't notice this when it is warmed up.

I also have been noticing a reduced gas-mileage within the past few months, don't know if it is related to this or not.

I took the truck into ford twice when it was under warranty to correct this problem, but they ran the codes (they were all fine) and test drove the truck and noticed no problem. However now that the problem is noticeable, the truck has 45k miles on it.

Any suggestions on what this could be? I am going to make an appointment at ford to have an estimate done but wanted to know if others had similar problems and what the fix was.

Thanks,
kev

 

try changing the trans fluid. mine was doing pretty much the same thing and i had the fluid changed. seems to be fine now. i have 41000 on mine

 

Two weeks ago i changed the trans filter and fluid (4qts). Still didn't help the shifting problem. Didn't even notice a slight change. I understand that the trans holds more than 4qts, do you think it would help if I was able to drain everything and replace? How do I even get ALL of the fluid out of the trans? Only 4 qts stays in the pan.

Thanks for the reply,
kev

 

Changing only four quarts isn't enough to make a difference. Here is a way to change almost all the fluid.

Changing ATF

I've done this alone. It's easier with a second person, and sometimes helps prevent spills.

1. Things you need to get started:
a. The transmission system holds almost 18 quarts of ATF, and you must waste a couple of quarts to be sure you get it all purged and replaced, so buy 20 quarts of MERCON V ATF [do NOT buy MERCON]. Ford also warns against using a fluid that has a dual MERCON and MERCON V rating. You may use either conventional or synthetic, as long as it meets the above requirements.
b. I replace the transmission filter every other fluid change. Note that Ford does not recommend ever changing the filter. I've opened filters with over 300,000 miles that were not even close to being clogged.
c. Don't buy a new pan gasket. The original is reusable.
d. A 10 foot length of clear tubing and one hose clamp, sized to fit over your cooler hose. There have been different size cooler lines over the years, so check before buying!
e. If you don't already have a special funnel that fits into the transmission dipstick tube, then you will need one of those, too.

2. If you are changing the filter, drain the pan.
a. Remove the pan and clean the pan and gasket, including the magnet on the bottom of the pan. Fuzz on the magnet is normal, that's why it is there!
b. Change the filter. It just pulls out, there are no bolts that hold it. It is held in place by the pan. Make sure that the O-ring is removed, too. Sometimes it does not come out with the filter.
c. Replace the pan, using the reusable gasket.
d. At this point you can drain the torque converter. Some people think it is necessary, but I don't. Running the engine in the next steps will pump the fluid out of the torque converter.

3. If you drained the pan, pour new ATF into the filler [dipstick] tube until you have added about as much as you earlier drained from the pan. At this point overfilling by no more than one quart won't hurt anything.

4. Disconnect the transmission-fluid return line at the transmission - from where the ATF returns to the transmission from the cooler. Clamp the clear tubing over the line that you removed from the transmission. This is where the fluid comes out.

5. This is where the second person comes in handy. One person starts the engine, while the other holds the line over the drain bucket. A clothes pin can replace the person holding the line in the bucket.
a. Run the engine until you see some air in the clear tubing. As soon as you see air shut off the engine. Refill through the dipstick tube with the same amount as you just pumped out.
i. NOTE: If you drained the pan and the torque converter, fluid will not run out until you fill the pan a second time. Run the engine for 30 seconds, then stop and add six more quarts.

6. Repeat step 5 until you have added 19 quarts of new ATF to the system.
a. At least one time while the engine is running move the shifter through each position from P to 1, pausing about 5 seconds at each position. This will change some fluid that would otherwise be trapped in the valve body, accumulators, and clutches.

7. Remove the clear line and reconnect the cooler line to the transmission.

8. Check the fluid level and use the last quart to top off.

9. Properly dispose of the used transmission fluid.

10. Congratulate yourself! And your engine starter/killer person.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. This procedure is great! So I just drain some out, pour some in, drain some out, pour some in, etc etc.

I will try it this weekend. I wish the trans fluid didn't cost so much damn money, oh well. A lot cheaper than a new trans. I will try it and let you all know the outcome.

Thanks again,
kev

 

i had mine done at a local oil change place. they do the same but with a machine. it take almost all of the fluid out[they said about 95 pecent],even the torque convertor. cost 60 bucks

 

Well the procedure worked good and I changed all of the fluid this weekend. However, it still clunks as described before. It might not be as bad, but I'm not sure. I haven't driven it enough to tell yet. I guess it was beneficial to get rid of all of that old fluid though at 45k miles.

Does anyone have any other suggestions on what this clunk could be before I take it into the shop?

Thanks,
kev

 

2000 F150 2wd XLT Triton 5.4. When mine goes into 2nd gear, it barks the tires and if its wet, you all over the road. When you get on it, it feels like a porsche, it grabs and goes but when you let off, I thought a few times I was going to be looking at the front bumper or my transmission was going to be laying on the ground. Ford says thats normal? Ok whatever. Here is the fix and I hate to say it becasue I have always had a ford, but buy a Chevy.

Clint

 

--NEVER!!!--

Mine isn't anywhere near as bad as yours and I also don't believe what your dealer is telling you. I have driven many f150s and none of them did what you are describing. I think you just need to switch ford dealers.

kev

 

Have tried that, been to 3 different dealers and at Ted Russell ford the sales manager went to the service manager and said there is a problem and the service manager said "no there isn't" and the whole time, ford corporate office is saying, no there isnt a problem but I can drive through the lot and it jerks into second gear and sometimes barks the tires. I hate to say it as much as you hate to hear it but Chevy will at least admit when there is a problem. I have owned Fords all my life but possibly not any more. And another funny thing, Ted Russell Ford found nothing wrong but the print out sheet they gave me detailing what they did, they changed about 8 things. But they said they never seen it or noticed it do anything wrong. Well they changed alot of stuff for nothing to be wrong.

 

Take a look at the post that I just made https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=55792 my truck was doing the same thing, and then this is what I got out of it. Mine shifted hard from day one. Just an idea as to what you might be in for.

 

MNFORD99,

Thank you for the reply. I sure hope that my torque converter is not screwed up. I guess I had better get this thing in the shop ASAP.

Again thanks for the help,

kev

 

Not a problem, gald to help. Hopefully it is nothing major like mine was. Good luck with the dealer as well.
Still wouldn't drive a chevy...even if they paid me to.

 

Lets no get into that stupid Chevy vs Ford Discussion.
All vechicles companies have problems here and there.
"One guy has a sticker of a Boy pissing on FORD and another has a sticker of a Boy pissing on a CHEVY" These really mean allot to me, I am going to take that guys advice because he has a sticker and his window and it must he must really know his stuff, more than the 1000's of engineers that design ALL the trucks.

My new Screw clunks a little once in a while, hopefully it wont develop into something big. But thats why they have warrenties.
If you want the latest technology buy a new car, but with new technology comes possible problems.

Look at the 80's when they were getting electronic **** in the cars. The cars were very unreliable and people woule say "If they would just stick to the carburator..duh..everything would be fine..duh..I could adust it myself"

Yeahm whatever...look how reliable the cars are today because we went through that learning curve. They start all the time in all weather, run great, etc.

I do not knwo where my reply went but I think FORD vs CHEVY died with the Mullet!

 

Lars,

I think halfacre's issue is more on the Ford dealerships than Ford itself. I can reason with him because I have been having bad luck with the 'inexperienced' techs at the dealers in my neighborhood as well. To me it seems that the advance in automobile technology in Ford is not being properly transmitted to the repair technician. I don't have any hard evidence to support this but it is just a strong feeling I have.

Anyways poor dealers could easily persuade someone to purchase a different brand of vehicle, especially if you have a friend with a Chevy that has problems as well but his dealer fixes them with no questions asked and within a good schedule ALWAYS.

Also Ford vs. Chevy is not dead, it is kicking just as strong as always. USA manufactures vs. Foreign Manufactures is still the biggest debate in my mind (especially since I also own two foreign cars as well as my ford). However who cares, it is all personal opinion.

I take my truck in on Monday to have the dealer look at this clunking of the trans. This will be the third time I'm taking it in for this problem, but this will be the first time since the warranty expired. So I will be letting them know that if they don't do a better job or at least try harder to find out the problem, they will loose my business for good because now it is not only my time they are taking up, it is also my money. I sure hope they figure it out because I am out of Ford dealerships in my immediate area to take it to, lol. Anyways I will get this fixed eventually and I won't sell away the vehicle over this.

kev

BTW, I got my 35s and 3inch body lift sitting in the garage waiting to be installed, . However I want to have the dealer look at the trans while the vehicle is still 'stock' so I don't have to listen to the tech say 'Well if you wouldn't have those big tires, the trans wouldn't be screwed up'. I think most of you have experienced this if you have mods on your truck.