I was experiencing the same slip and lock-unlock you are all talking about. WARNING... last weekend I was towing a light alluminum boat at highway speeds for 150 miles. 4.6,4r70w tranny, 97 4x4. I had the OD off because the trans was hunting. Everythinghad been going fine untill I csme to a stop on the offramp. From a stop, the trans doen't seem to engage. The engine just revs and only acelerates about like if you let your foot off the brake at idle. I was able to limp home at about 5 mph. It's at the dealer now... Reverse is just like normal (not the torque converter) Anybody got any ideas???? It's only got 26,500 miles and I am not satisfied with the power, milage, and the tranny. I'llpost the results of my trip to the dealer. HELP!!!!

update...$1200 rebuild..blown seals resulting in burnt forward clutch discs and OD band. after the rebuild..no change in performance. Is this normal. Absolutly no help from Ford!! has anybody got any suggestions?? FYI.. don't test drive a GM 5.3.. You'll put your Ford on the market the next day.... I did.

[This message has been edited by Walt46 (edited 08-17-1999).]

 

My tranny is really sloppy. The shift points are weird and unpredictable and the thing is slipping (2-3). I'm Taking it in AGAIN on Wed. Between the pinging and now the tranny, I'm about ready to throw in the towel.

It's only 4000 miles old.

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99 F150 5.4 4x4 ORP 3.73 styleside deep wedgewood blue ..no mods (yet)

 

I had a similar problem with my 98, but it did not let go like yours has. Mine would do the lock/unlock thing and also resonate thru the cab at highway speeds. After many trips to the dealer finally got a FORD rep to go for a ride. Got a new tranny haven't had the problem since.

 

thanks for the input. Update.. blown forward seal resulting in burnt clutch discs and od bands... 26k miles and no help from Ford except a $1200 bill. I am throwing in the towel. I refuse to acept this kind of product for that price... plus I drove a chevy5.3..WOW!!!

 

Well guys and gals, coming to work I lost only the overdrive of the trans. I took it in and the dealer informed me that I couldn't get an appointment until 8/30/1999 and that it would be alright to drive until then with the overdrive button off. I see the perfomrnace of the FORD TRANS has not changed. I love the truck but the Trans sucks. Does anyone know what makes the overdrive go out 1997 f-150/54,000 miles?

I took my 97 F-150 to dealer for repairs and the dealer announced to me that the trans was gone and needed to be rebuilt and it would cost approx. $1795. Everyone know that I went directly to the phone and to Ford for assistance with my two year old vehicle. I ended up on paying $100 for the entire rebuild job after a few phone calls. This is an end to a troubled problem.

Love my FORD.

[This message has been edited by baronc (edited 09-14-1999).]

 

Totally agree! The tranny sucks! It never knows what gear it wants to be in and doesn't want to go in the one I want it in! I have to bury my foot in the accelerator to get it to downshift. There is a kit on the market to make the transmission "smarter". Mine needs one!

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'97 F150 XLT XCab, 4.6 V-8, 4x4, Red as Rita's Rooster, Towing Pkg, 17 inch wheels, Tonneau Cover. Want more power! Want a black Lightning, but glad to have what I have!

 

Walt46, are you saying ford is not covering the costs of this? Even though you have under 36k? I'm with you on the power thing, the 281c has to be the lowest hp of any v8 nowadays.. Wonder how the 5.4 compares to the 5.3. I can read all the magazines but the proof is driving both of em.. let me know how it turns out..



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J Randall
elktag1az@aol.com
Arizona F150 4x4 SC '97

 

I had a 97 with tranny problems, started at 6000 mi and went to 26000 before Ford finally agreed to put in a new one. They first tried to change the 1-2 shift accumalater and a piston in the tranny but the problem still existed. Finally they found the pump was no good and replaced the tranny, that one lasted only a day and the pump went again. They replaced it again and it ran fine, long enough for me to trade it in and get a 99, so far no tranny problems this one feels alot better than the 97. If you need any copies of the paperwork to help you get your truck fixed e-mai me at GINOT99@aol.com, i'll be happy to fax them to you.

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Gino Tedesco, '99 XLT 5.4l, SUPERCHIPPED, 3" Gibson catback exhaust,4x4 S/C Flareside D.wedge bl/Dk.graph manik grlgaurd w/piaa lights

 

Maybe you guys can help. I got a F150 XLT SC 4x4 with the 5.4 engine. About three weeks ago I noticed that my transmission has started to "slip". It does it all the time. I give it a little gas and my rpm's will shoot up about 400 and then the tranny will engage and the rpms' will drop back down and compensate for the 400 gained. For instanced if it's hovering at 2500rpm, and give it some gas and it'll jump to 2900rpm before the trans kicks in, then it will fall back to 2500rpm and steadily increase accelleration. Any idea's on what the hell is wrong? Overall it works good, including 4x4 mode, it's just that "slipping" is worrying me. I don't feel like getting stranded because my transmission finally went kaput. Any input would be WELL appreciated.

Blake

 

I had 12000 on my 97 sc when my tranny went. Ford replaced it with no question asked. However my dealer failed to inform me that they were going to replace it. "my service advisor is a boob. He was always on a donut break." Now the truck has 33000 on it and the slipping is starting up again. I'm currently looking into doing a V-10/auto trans swap. Is it possible?

 

The V10 and 5.4 V8 both have the same trans. I forget what Ford calls it, but basically its an updated version of the E4OD. Now, its possible the V10 version has beefier clutches than the V8 version. I know for certain the Diesel version has heavier clutches because they used some parts from the Diesel version to beef up the Lightning trans. The most economical way to beef up your trans would be to upgrade your existing trans to the Lightning standards. You also might want to check out one of the aftermarket companies that sell upgraded transmissions such as Jet Products.

One of my pet peeves is that all the automotive companies are taking shortcuts on transmission quality. Thiry years ago transmissions had cast iron, brass, steel, aluminum parts and lasted well over 100K if you weren't too abusive. Now transmissions have many plastic parts and it seems you are on borrowed time after 60-70K. This is mainly to save weight (and production costs too).

BTW, one of the benefits of getting the 5.4 is you also get a heavier transmission than you get with the 4.6 V8.

Hey Ford, why not give everybody with a 5.4 engine the Lightning trans. It couldn't cost that much more. And give us the option of the heavy duty transmission with the 4.6 V8?

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'93 Regular Cab XLT Shortbed, 5.0, K&N, Borla, 160,000 miles; Future SuperCrew owner.

 

Walt,

I too don't understand why you were charged for a transmission fix with only 26,000 miles on your '97 truck.

By the way, Chevrolet/GMC has had sufficient problems with the '99 Silverados having cracked rear frames after towing ..... and God help you if your heater core goes bad ... engine removal to replace it.

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Dunbarton "The Middle Aged Kid" '99 XLT SC SB 4x2 4.6 auto 3.55 ls The occasional Z-71 Eater! Wedgewood & Denim, SuperChipped, Airaid FIPK, Rhino Liner, leaky rear slider. Man, I got it all! (New Jersey)

 

walt,
Are you sure you have the 4r70w. For some reason I was thinking that the 4x4s came with the A4OD. Maybe I am wrong. Does everyone else out there have the 4r70w or A4OD? I have heard the A40D is better does any one else have a comment on the difference on these two transmissions. My mother has the 4r70 in her 4x2 Expedition and I have the a4od and we havn't had any problems even though they only have about 30000 miles apiece. I agree that with only 20000 miles Ford better fix a faulty transmission.

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1997 4x4 extended cab ORP xlt Dark Toreador red

 

BTW Walt test drive a 99 5.4 and you won't beleive the power. They are faster than the 5.3. You might have been just used to the 4.6 and went to a bigger motor. The new gmcs and chevys are having thier problems too.

 

Ford-Tough1 -- For model years 1999 and 2000, the E4OD (order code 44E) is only available with California Emissions (order code 422) or Bi-Fuel or Dedicated CNG packages. For those of you in California, Northeast States or "cross-border" states, you get the E4OD with your 5.4 liter. The rest of us get the 4R70W. Also, I believe that the E4OD was upgraded in mid model year 1999 to the specs of the 4R100, the heavy duty transmission found in the Super Duty line.