2006 Ford E450 Transmission issue

[Rolin]

Traveling over the Rocky Mts in 100 degree heat the transmission fan ran occasionally. After a stop for lunch the transmission ran when we started up and went into limp mode when we tried to accelerate onto the freeway. It recovered but acted strange for a bit. The next day we had it serviced, flushed, new fluids. Seemed to work ok. On the way home we noticed after a long pull it made a Shhhhhh sound that would get louder, but stop when you let off of the gas. If we stopped for a short time everything worked ok. Noticed that the transmission fan never came on anymore.

Anyone had this sort of problem? I think maybe the temperature sensor is bad.
Rolin

[30sweeds]

Grit dog wrote:

Rolin wrote:


Does anyone know if you can lock the transmission in overdrive if you select 3rd gear? That would reduce fluid temps on a long hill.

Your trans has 4 forward gears. 4th is OD. 3rd is direct/1:1.
3rd and higher rpm’s will run cooler all things equal.

The trans kinda has 5 forward gears,1 2 3 OD and converter lock up.It normally shifts 1 2 3,lock,OD.If in the 3 position,converter will lock but not shift to OD.This is the least heat generating condition but will come out of lock on a hard pull.The converter then slips which causes heat build up...can be bad news on a super long grade.If it seems to struggle even in tow haul,manually down shift.Less engine effort = less heat.That noise problem could very well be a cat problem as previously mentioned.Happened to me. Loss of power,hissing type of sound,pull over,noise quits,runs ok again,maybe for days before it happens again.Ended being a chunk of whatever is in the cat lodged itself in the tail pipe at speed,fell away at low rpm and apparently stayed there till who knows when.Might be worth looking into if you can't figure it out.

[Grit_dog]

Rolin wrote:


Does anyone know if you can lock the transmission in overdrive if you select 3rd gear? That would reduce fluid temps on a long hill.

Your trans has 4 forward gears. 4th is OD. 3rd is direct/1:1.
3rd and higher rpm’s will run cooler all things equal.

[Rolin]

Chum lee,
Exhaust leak or something like that is an interesting idea. I think that normally an exhaust leak would sound when that cylinder exhausted and Change in frequency with RPM. The should didn't seem to change in frequency...just intensity. But it could be some other type of air leak, perhaps vacuum leak?

Does anyone know if you can lock the transmission in overdrive if you select 3rd gear? That would reduce fluid temps on a long hill.

[rjstractor]

Tom_Anderson wrote:

rjstractor wrote:

Tom_Anderson wrote:
It's an "O/D Off" button. I have one on my 2002 F-250 with a 4R100 transmission, too. The Tow/Haul mode wasn't a thing until the 5R110W transmission was introduced.

The OPs rig is a 2006 model. IIRC the 5R110W was being used in the E-series by then.

Yup, but pianotuna was talking about his rig, which is a 2004. That's why he said it turns off the O/D, which is true for his rig, but is not the case with the OP's rig.

Ugghh, pretty sure the OP was asking about his own rig, not pianotuna's! :S

[Tom_Anderson]

rjstractor wrote:

Tom_Anderson wrote:
It's an "O/D Off" button. I have one on my 2002 F-250 with a 4R100 transmission, too. The Tow/Haul mode wasn't a thing until the 5R110W transmission was introduced.

The OPs rig is a 2006 model. IIRC the 5R110W was being used in the E-series by then.

Yup, but pianotuna was talking about his rig, which is a 2004. That's why he said it turns off the O/D, which is true for his rig, but is not the case with the OP's rig.

[rjstractor]

Tom_Anderson wrote:
It's an "O/D Off" button. I have one on my 2002 F-250 with a 4R100 transmission, too. The Tow/Haul mode wasn't a thing until the 5R110W transmission was introduced.

The OPs rig is a 2006 model. IIRC the 5R110W was being used in the E-series by then.

[Tom_Anderson]

Grit dog wrote:

pianotuna wrote:

Rolin wrote:

I don't understand exactly what Tow/haul does. I try to use it most of the time, but was experimenting to see what seemed to keep the transmission happy so we could limp home.

It locks out the overdrive.

Possible it’s just a downshift button as old as the rig is, but generally tow haul does not lock out any forward gears on the vast majority of vehicles

It's an "O/D Off" button. I have one on my 2002 F-250 with a 4R100 transmission, too. The Tow/Haul mode wasn't a thing until the 5R110W transmission was introduced.

[Chum_lee]

If it's not a fan noise, it could be an exhaust leak which is exacerbated by a plugged catalytic converter. That would also cause a loss of power and engine overheating especially at higher throttle settings. It should also set an oxygen sensor related fault code.

You need to figure out if the sound is coming from the engine bay, from under the vehicle, or out the back? (exhaust pipe)

According to the coolant temperature gauge, does the engine overheat when you hear the noise? Yes, No?

You could also have a vacuum leak which should set a fuel trim related fault code.

Have you checked the tension on the serpentine belt? Age of the serpentine belt? They usually squeal as they wear out and/or lose tension.

Chum lee

[Rolin]

Hi Chum Lee,
The Coolant tank for the radiator has the correct amount of antifreeze solution and the engine temp gauge did not increase, just stays at it normal operating level.

The sound increases (gets louder) with added accelerator pressure and decreases when accelerator is released (removing my foot). In the past if heat started to increase the fan would come on but it was a set frequency that did not change with speed or engine power demand. We turned off the air-conditioner, did not use defrost and the sound still occurs.

It sounds almost like liquid spraying (Shhhhhh), but there isn't any evidence of any oil, antifreeze, or transmission fluid. No leaks.

If I pull over to check it out the sound stops so I can't determine where its coming from.

I am stumped. Don't feel I have enough information to communicate to the garage.

[Grit_dog]

pianotuna wrote:

Rolin wrote:

I don't understand exactly what Tow/haul does. I try to use it most of the time, but was experimenting to see what seemed to keep the transmission happy so we could limp home.

It locks out the overdrive.

Possible it’s just a downshift button as old as the rig is, but generally tow haul does not lock out any forward gears on the vast majority of vehicles

[pianotuna]

rjstractor wrote:

pianotuna wrote:

Rolin wrote:

I don't understand exactly what Tow/haul does. I try to use it most of the time, but was experimenting to see what seemed to keep the transmission happy so we could limp home.

It locks out the overdrive.

No, that's not what it does. Your trans will still shift into overdrive with tow/haul engaged. What it actually does is change the shift profile in the TCM to hold a gear longer on acceleration, downshift sooner when encountering a grade, and downshift while going down hills. A tap of the brake should initiate a downshift which each tap, provided the engine speed is within the parameters that the ECM and TCM like.

Older Ford transmissions had a button on the shift lever to lock out overdrive, but the tow/haul function on 2005+ transmissions is completely different.

Mine is a 2004. So we are both right.

[rjstractor]

pianotuna wrote:

Rolin wrote:

I don't understand exactly what Tow/haul does. I try to use it most of the time, but was experimenting to see what seemed to keep the transmission happy so we could limp home.

It locks out the overdrive.

No, that's not what it does. Your trans will still shift into overdrive with tow/haul engaged. What it actually does is change the shift profile in the TCM to hold a gear longer on acceleration, downshift sooner when encountering a grade, and downshift while going down hills. A tap of the brake should initiate a downshift which each tap, provided the engine speed is within the parameters that the ECM and TCM like.

Older Ford transmissions had a button on the shift lever to lock out overdrive, but the tow/haul function on 2005+ transmissions is completely different.

[Chum_lee]

The fan noise you hear is normal and will occur whenever the engine/coolant gets too hot. Either an electric fan comes on, (if equipped) or the (mechanical) radiator fan clutch engages which is the whirring you are hearing. (due to high exterior temperatures, high coolant temperature, towing, uphill grades, etc.) When the engine/coolant gets too hot, the ECU (Engine Control Unit) goes into limp mode and reduces engine power so that you minimize the chances of damaging your engine/transmission. Your Ford Factory Owners Manual clearly explains this. 🙂 Reducing your speed, turning off your AC, and running in lower gears (higher RPM) if possible, will help minimize this condition if/when it occurs. Make sure your coolant expansion tank is full of fresh correct 50/50% water/coolant mix. If/when you hear the fan clutch engage, if you look at your coolant temperature gauge it should read slightly elevated from normal and should return to normal when the whirring sound stops.

Chum lee

[pianotuna]

Rolin wrote:

I don't understand exactly what Tow/haul does. I try to use it most of the time, but was experimenting to see what seemed to keep the transmission happy so we could limp home.

It locks out the overdrive.