OT-Ford E4OD transmission

[Cam.Hedrick]

Hi all, does anyone know anything about this transmission. I have a 1993 F-250 Diesel 4x4 with it and all was fine until we arrived home from Nashville, TN this evening. I came down the road to our house which has switchbacks and decends 970 feet int the valley we live it in low gear and backed the trailer up our driveway....fluid was pouring out of the tube under the torque converter when I put it into reverse...not in any forward gears though. Any ideas...did it jsut overheat? The fluid wasn't hot to the touch, could the front seal have blown when I shifted into reverse? HELP!!:confused:

[Keith Zavodney]

I have that transmission in my truck, but can't help you. Try asking that question at http://www.batauto.com . Click on forums and then select the transmission forum. Be warned... they just switched servers and are still having some problems. I just checked and the domestics forum was up but the transmission forum was still down.

Keith Z.

[Tom Sweeney]

Might it just be a bad seal? When you switch gears in an automatic the fluid is diverted to different places. Maybe when it goes in reverse the fluid goes through this tube & leaks out the seal.

It's been a lot of years since I've worked on the innards of a transmission. :confused:

I know you got a lot on your plate right now - I'm hoping it's nothing major.

Good Luck!

[Jim Young]

Try this site

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/

Same format as this one.

There's even a transmission room

[Keith Zavodney]

Thanks, I didn't know about that one.

Keith Z.

[Cam.Hedrick]

Front seal is my bet too, didn't sleep well on this one. Salling the seller this morning to see if tranny is under warranty or not.

[Cam.Hedrick]

Thansk for the tips! I foudn out that the problem is the front seal, and a sporadic problem with this tranny. No need to R&R right now for an $8 part...now design front seal. Ford Mechanic said just keep a quart of ATF with you on long hauls in case it happens...siad it might happen again in a hundred thousand miles or today. If it occurs to often I R&R the tranny ...have it done and get the problem corrected permanently.
Thanks again for you tips:)

[George Summers]

Just for Information:

Two more good Ford truck forums:

http://f150online.com/

and

http://www.fordf150.net/board/index.php

I visit them quite often

George

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I'm not a mechanic, but we had a similar problem a couple years back in a gasoline F250 loaded down and pulling a trailer. Fluid was pouring out and we were a giant plume of smoke driving happily along. Stopped at a tramsmission joint some miles west of Houston, fully prepared to get 'taken'. Friendly dude said it looked like it was just 'venting' to him. So we drove on to Houston, then back again...and another 30,000 miles before the truck was sold.

I suspect the local 'quick change' place topped off the fluid when it wasn't necessary, which casued the problem. Since then, I've seen a handful of Ford trucks pulling trailers and looking like they were on fire. Gotta wonder if it's a common problem?

KC

[Cam.Hedrick]

The E4OD does this when backing after pulling a trailer unless you put it in Low Range 4x4 as it places a lot of strain on the torque converter causing it to spin the clutches. A Ford mechanic also suggested checking with the dealer in town to see if it has the right dipstick. Also Ford has a replacement front seal to eliminate the problem. R&R costs about $700...think I'll do it myself since I have the nohow...used to be a crew chief for a pro Formula Atlantic racing team as a teenager. Also drove for them for a while...loved it!
I'm glad to have it narrowed down and know how to prevent it!:)