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Driving from Alaska to Delaware....NEED HELP

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  madpogue 
#1 ·
Names Rob here is the Story:

Military changing bases in July. I have a 32 ft trailer needed a truck to pull it. Had a 89 Suburban 1/2 ton, wasnt going to do the job. So I found a CHEAP 96 F-250 HD 4x4, 7.3, 270k miles , body/paint looks great (like no dents not flaking clear coat), leveling kit front, helper spings rear, 33in new bf goodwrench A/T, has the E40D tranny, Paid $2200 for it, starting to notice you get what you pay for and looks aint everything
Feller wanted it gone and i had cash, MONEY TALKS!
Never owned a diesel, or Ford for that matter. The truck is all stock, its got gauges and a high idle kit, thats it.

Packing up everything I own and driving from Alaska to Delaware (5000-ish miles).....wife, kids whole 9 yards, around 10k weight wise. gotta get the truck somewhat relaiable. so any help would be GREATLY appricated!

Begining problems:
1. Tanny runs fine one week, like hell for a day, then run fine again. Holds out in first gear till about 2500rpm then the O/D light will start to flash. Will shift hard the rest of the time at a normal rpm range.
2. Speed-o bounces around starting at 45, just a little bit
3. Hard as hell to start when cold (in Alaska so all the time)
4 BIG fuel leak, from back of motor
5. Water temp gauge barely moves, heater works good.
6. gas milage is about 6 hwy/city mix
7. use alot of oil, 200 mile used 2 qts
8. rear pinon seal leaking

What I've done so far:
1. Changed out the VSS or ABS (which ever its call) sensor on the rearend. Sensor looked good. didnt look at the inside gear. changing diff fluid will do then. now speed-o bounces everywhere starting around 30mph. will go from 30 to 80 to 10 to 30, just goes crazy. connector had a chaffed wire. re-spliced it back together, dont know how good it will hold up. buying new connector soon.
2. changed out the injector o-rings. had 2 differnt sets on the injectors. 2 had the middle ring broken, all of them were cracked/falling apart. changing them helped/eliminated the hard cold starts, smoking, oil consumption, and checking the fuel mileage now, can tell already its better. was pretty easy to do, just took my time and read the forum alot
3. rebuilt the fuel bowl completly, fuel leak gone, coming from drain valve
4. flushed the tranny, like to thank the feller that posted the "how too" on that!, still will flash the O/D light once in awhile

questions:
what else could i look at for the O/D light flashing? I've read about the TC being bad or something. Really, really dont want to dig into that, running out of time/money/energy.
I'm thinking the thermostat is stuck open, would that cause the water temp to barley move? if not, anything else could be? gauge does move and work. it doesnt reach the N on normal.
ANY ADVISE on what to look over before we head out? I.E. whats common to break on these trucks
What should I carry spares of?

I havent ran the codes yet. been busy but will get it done. so far starting to feel better about this truck, when we first got it wife was pretty worried. I've read almost every post on here and thats how i've learned how to do most of this.

Thanks again for any advice! Between work and packing, i've been rushing to get the truck were we feel confident to make the drive!

Thanks,
SSgt. Maughan (AKA Maughanster)
Elmendorf AFB, AK
 
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#2 ·
Running the trans codes would help. Two things that I have had trouble with is the trans range sensor and the connector. Easy fix and cheap. It bolts to the driver's side of the transmission with 2 bolts. Also have had issues with the connector but I would change the sensor first and see if your issues won't go away. Seems like you have done most of the fixing your troubles already. Other issue with the OD light is the button or the wiring on the end of the shifter. Best way to fix is to replace the shifter all together. The wires get chafed or broken at the end of the shifter under the steering column housing. Not hard to fix. Takes 3 screws on the cover and a pin to drive out.

If you have good heat, I would not blame the thermostat. I have had coolant temp sensors fail. It is in the top of the water pump. Just screw it out and screw another one in. If it is the older one wire type, take a jumper wire and ground it. Turn the ignition on and see if the temp gauge goes up. If it does, you have a bad sensor.
 
#3 ·
every now and then mine shifts real hard and the light starts flashing. If I turn it off and back on it resets itself and works fine...it has a code of torque converter solenoid or something. My coolant temperature has always barely made it up to the low end of the normal area. You have to pull with that OD off....I say send the wife and kids on the plane for an adventure like that.
 
#4 ·
It is important that the truck runs at operating temperature. I would get one of the thermal thermometers to test the coolant temps. Check the temps at the thermostat housing, bottom of radiator, and top of radiator. Those areas will give a decent idea of operating temps. You want to be in the area of 200 degrees.
It is possible that in AK it's cold enough that the truck isn't heating on its own. A grill cover may be in order to get your temps up properly. A piece of card board can be used as well.
I wouldn't block airflow until you were certain the truck doesn't have a bad temp sensor or stuck/missing thermostat.


Sent from AutoGuide.com App
 
#6 ·
Changed out temp sensor and thermostat. Just for giggles. Got the water temp up to what I think is a good range with card board infront of the grille. Are these diesel's just that efficient with cooling? Thinking nothing was wrong with it to begin with, but feel better about it now.

Trans is running better. Thinking the connector is bad. Got a new one on order. Speed-o will be fine then hit a pot hole, which is everywhere up here, then it goes crazy again. Hit another just fine.

Just thinking if the connector doesn't fix it, is there a way to bypass the sensor and get the truck to run right? Or does the tranny have to have it?

As far as flying the wife and kids down. Trying to make some money off the USAF doing this move and twe are going to make a vacation out of it. Depending on the truck if we go to Yellowstone or not. I feel like it would make it straight there but wanna make some side trips too. Thanks again, this forum has helped alot! I'll post pics of the trip or be on the aide of the road begging for help!

Thanks,
SSgt. Maughanster
 
#7 ·
Out of curiosity have you checked all the brake lights? Like the tail lights and the 3rd brake light? Make sure all of those bulbs are working properly. If one bulb is out it will confuse the transmission. May not be the case but its a simple and cheap check.
 
#8 ·
have not done that yet. Will do.

I know this tranny uses alot of sensors and what not. Can anyone, in dumbed down terms I'm just a dumb ******* crew cheif, explain how/what does what? How does the brake light come into play here? seams kind of odd/diffrent. why Ford do that?

I know the ABS sensor on the rearend goes to the PCM to give a VSS and tells the tranny its moving. I think. I have a Chilton book but it does not go into details about the tranny and how it all works together.

Thanks,
Maughanster
 
#9 ·
I know Ford likes to run things through the same circuit (not sure if that's the right term). For instance when your fuel bowl heater shorts out it blows the #22 fuse (big style 30 amp) which the PCM happens to run through and you're dead in the water. I suppose maybe a change in voltage due to a blown light will change the amount of electric the truck's "brain" receives and causes it to shift funny.

That had to be hard for someone who knows electric to read!
 
#10 ·
Yes, these trucks run cool. Radiator is def. bigger than it needs to be.

If the speedometer is acting up, it will affect the tranny. Def. look at the tone ring inside the diff. And actually, the VSS (aka ABS sensor) doesn't feed directly to the PCM. It feeds to the speedo head first, a gizmo called the PSOM (programmable speedo/odo module), which THEN feeds the PCM. So that's another possible failure point. And it's not just to tell the tranny that you're moving, but to tell it how _fast_ you're moving, to determine shift points.

When you hit the brakes, the PCM unlocks the torque converter. This is based on the switch on the pedal, the one that turns on the brake lights. And the brake lights use the same bulb filaments as the turn signals in the rear corners of the bed. Plus, there's the center brake light in the cab roof, that goes on and stays on steady with the brake pedal, even when a turn signal is on. Wiring/switching for that is a byzantine mash-up of '50s-era turn signal switching (shared turn/stop) with '80s-era brake light switching (center stop light) that only works when EVERYTHING works. One little perturbation, like a burned out bulb, or even replacing a stock bulb with an LED, and somehow the PCM doesn't read the pedal switch correctly. So you could cruising down the street, flick on a turn signal, and doink!, your torque converter unlocks.

Gotta love Ford engineers....
 
#12 ·
Well the cab brake light was burnt out. Replaced it and it has run fine since but that connector is messed up. When I rewired it I screwed it up. New connector is here so should be good once that gets thrown in.

Gonna pull the trailer empty this weekend and do a little test run. Will are how that goes!
 
#13 ·
Yeah, those third brake light housings are known to melt down. My theory (just a theory) - it also houses the bed "courtesy" lights that go on when you open the door. People leave the door open, those bulbs heat up and melt the socket/housing. You could replace those courtesy bulbs (since they're not tied to the brake circuit) with LEDs that run cooler.
 
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