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EF Transmission going berserk. 

 

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 Post subject: EF Transmission going berserk.
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:06 am 
Oompa Loompa
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Joined: 28th Mar 2008

Location: Maroochydore
SA, Australia

I first posted this in the INT Mods forum by mistake. :oops:
Okay...I'm a newbie and I st*ffed up.

It goes like this:
Start up, select reverse, back out driveway - all ok so far.
Select 'drive' and proceed.
1-2 shift normal.
No 2-3 shift until 65 k/p/h is reached (and then sometimes only if I drop right off the go-pedal sharply)
Same M.O for 3-4 shift and so on.
** AND **
The damn thing is likely to suddenly change down a gear, at any point in the shift train - regardless of road speed or engine revs. Seems to be more likely to down-shift after normal eng temp is reached, but all other aspects of the problem are the same at any temp.
Have replaced VS sensor and checked + cleaned all earths and fusible links etc. Also noticed the int lamp globe was missing, and replaced the fuse (it was not blown - just dirty) so replaced same.

..... No change.

I just bought this EF from a newspaper classified. The woman said it was her son's car, and he had changed the auto trans and the ECU, (I'm guessing that HE was experiencing same problem) and now he has gone to prison for something, and told her to sell it. (Hmm...)

Oddest thing is, it drove well for the 120 k/m trip home!

Also seems the car has a BEM problem as I sometimes have to do the old "bash the dash" procedure to get it to even crank.
When it first started the no-start thing it also started the trans behaviour.

Still trying to hook up temporary LEDS to the switched IGN B+ lines into the ECU to see if anything is intermittent there when driving. This has been helpful for me before with this kind of thing, but I haven't done it in a Ford before.

Anyone got any ideas?
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 Post subject: Re: EF Transmission going berserk.
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:06 am 
Fordmods Newbie
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Age: 64

Posts: 1

Joined: 31st Mar 2008

Location: StMarys
NSW, Australia

ozharpman wrote:
I first posted this in the INT Mods forum by mistake. :oops:
Okay...I'm a newbie and I st*ffed up.

It goes like this:
Start up, select reverse, back out driveway - all ok so far.
Select 'drive' and proceed.
1-2 shift normal.
No 2-3 shift until 65 k/p/h is reached (and then sometimes only if I drop right off the go-pedal sharply)
Same M.O for 3-4 shift and so on.
** AND **
The damn thing is likely to suddenly change down a gear, at any point in the shift train - regardless of road speed or engine revs. Seems to be more likely to down-shift after normal eng temp is reached, but all other aspects of the problem are the same at any temp.
Have replaced VS sensor and checked + cleaned all earths and fusible links etc. Also noticed the int lamp globe was missing, and replaced the fuse (it was not blown - just dirty) so replaced same.

..... No change.

I just bought this EF from a newspaper classified. The woman said it was her son's car, and he had changed the auto trans and the ECU, (I'm guessing that HE was experiencing same problem) and now he has gone to prison for something, and told her to sell it. (Hmm...)

Oddest thing is, it drove well for the 120 k/m trip home!

Also seems the car has a BEM problem as I sometimes have to do the old "bash the dash" procedure to get it to even crank.
When it first started the no-start thing it also started the trans behaviour.

Still trying to hook up temporary LEDS to the switched IGN B+ lines into the ECU to see if anything is intermittent there when driving. This has been helpful for me before with this kind of thing, but I haven't done it in a Ford before.

Anyone got any ideas?


You`ll probably find that if you change the gears manually that it will be working fine(except it won`t hit 4th gear), IF this is true then do the following.
3 common things on a 4 speed auto,all happened on mineEA,my sonsED and a very good friendsEF. The usuall fix is the plugs on the side and top of the gearbox, you are looking for a round white plug about 30mm diameter,with a bundle of wires running out of it(it`s the solenoid control plug) it`s on the left hand side of the gearbox(almost below the passengers seat),unplug it and clean it out with some carby cleaner or degreaser then put it back also there is a thinner cable which runs over the gearbox to the drivers side of the box, near the rear(where the neck starts to taper,undo it and clean it then put it back(it`s the speed sensor). Good luck ,it should work.(has in the past.)
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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:05 am 
Getting Side Ways
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Ride: 2007

Location: Mount Annan
NSW, Australia

Run the diagnostics from the diagnostic port and see what it says.

 

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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:22 am 
Oompa Loompa
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Posts: 22

Joined: 28th Mar 2008

Location: Maroochydore
SA, Australia

Thanks everyone
Sorry, forgot to mention the diag read out is no guide because it keeps saying all is ok. (even when I purposely induce a fault) :!:

I will try the multi-pin trans connector clean up.
Tonight I found the TPS had an open circuit in it's mid arc through about 10 degrees, so I have r+r 'd that.

If all this does no good, I'm thinking of trying another ECU or having mine checked. (I will check more ECU inputs etc first though.)
Im wondering who would be best to check and repair ECU 's in Qld.
Automotive Service Solutions spring to mind.

Any opinions?
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 Post subject: EF trans going berserk
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:10 pm 
Oompa Loompa
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Posts: 22

Joined: 28th Mar 2008

Location: Maroochydore
SA, Australia

Found the culprit(s)
It seems the tps was part of the problem, but mainly it was an internal break in one of the vss wires near the clamp below the selector switch.
It was doing the "break and make" thing occasionally, and I only picked it when I noticed a slight dip in the speedo needle now and then, accompanied most times by the AT doing something strange.

This might be worth earmarking for future reference, as it only takes someone (or something) to clamp the wiring too hard and/or pull on etc. to cause this type of thing.
Should have known from the start to watch the speedo closely I guess - but sometimes the obvious escapes us doesn't it? :roll:

Thank to all for your tips.
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Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:18 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Posts: 2644

Joined: 6th Nov 2004

Gallery: 8 images

Ride: 2007

Location: Mount Annan
NSW, Australia

Well done and thanks for updating the thread so it may be of help to others in the future.

 

_________________

BF Fairmont Ghia Series II update.
GQ XR6T ghia patrol.

,======o00o
//__|__|_,\_____\,___
|_/--\'_|'__|_/--\_[]IIII[]
_( o ) )_____( o ) )=o=) )__

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Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:19 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Age: 56

Posts: 480

Joined: 10th Feb 2005

Gallery: 28 images

Ride: EF Fairmont Station Wagon.

Power: 150 rwkw

Location: Mandurah
WA, Australia

Hey ozharpman. Sorry for digging up an old thread, my auto is doind a similar thing. How did you find the broken wire, as a carpenter I struggle a bit with car electrics, I have a multi meter and diagnostic light for reading fault codes. I understand you would have to check the wires at each end but where do you find the ends away from the gear box. Thanks if you can help.

 

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