1999 Bounder transmission problem

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anshood

Active member
Joined
Mar 18, 2012
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31
I noticed my Ford F53  1999 Bounder motorhome transmision slow to get going and sort of stalling and when accelerating somewhat of a jerking motion .After shifting to 2nd gear does fine. Just slow jerking start.
Any suggestions.
 
I suspect you have  a Ford 4EOD transmission, I had one in a 1990's van once that had a similar issue, changing the transmission fluid and transmission filter would solve the problem for 25,000 - 30,000 miles then it would come back.  I would change them out again and the problem would go away.  I did that 3 or 4 times before selling it.

p.s. google says the 4EOD was beefed up and renamed the 4R100 to match Fords newer transmission naming scheme in '97
 
Well I changed the fluid, filter and TPS. Left home and problem started again about 1-1/2 hrs dos the road. Stopped at redlight and sluggish and weak and jerky motion. Dropped to lo gear and manually shifted did good in manual shift. Anyone have any more suggestions other than tranny  overhaul
to get started on.
 
anshood said:
other than tranny  overhaul to get started on.


If you?re in AZ I know of an excellent transmission shop that I?m sure could diagnose it for you
 
I know very little about transmissions. But, does the trans have a place to adjust the bands? On my dodge truck there is also a place to adjust line pressure. I guess the second issue is finding an honest trans shop owner!  :/
 
perhaps it needs a flush.  My Subaru would vibrate at times when shifting , changing the fluid 2 times didn't help. Flushing  it fixed it , been about 50,000 miles since without issue
 
I was a Chevy tech for 23 years, so I don't know much about Ford transmissions(at least ones newer than a '70's model)but if it was a Chevy I'd be suspecting that the torque converter clutch was hanging up. 
Try driving it with the overdrive button turned off and see if it still behaves the same way. 
May not need a complete overhaul, just a new solenoid or something similar.
 
I typically do not advocate using mechanic in a can but...

Lube Gard in the red bottle just may be the solution to your woes. Try a bottle before tearing out the transmission. You can thank or curse me later.

 

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Well I'll check with a transmission man in my home town that is reliable and very reasonable. He's repaired several Chevys for me. My try the additive before I decide on rebuild or replace. Wish Allison made one like I had with no trouble with it In my Chevy 2500 that I pulled a 36' all over Arkasas, Mississippi, Missouri and Colorado.
 
anshood said:
I noticed my Ford F53  1999 Bounder motorhome transmision slow to get going and sort of stalling and when accelerating somewhat of a jerking motion .After shifting to 2nd gear does fine. Just slow jerking start.
Any suggestions.

I had a similar problem, trans would shift erratically.  Turns out there is a TSB out from Ford which a new ECM harness is installed and consolidates the ground wires.  By now they are all gone but it can be done by hand.  In my case I added an inverter and the ripple the inverter put back into my battery caused the spedo to indicate movement while stopped.  It would sometimes take off in 2nd gear than jump down to first. 

If you log in you can download the tsb.
 

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My cruise is inop due to an output shaft sensor malfunction, if no slipping likely an electronics error mine acts up on downshifts. Have it scanned by an Tech.
 
Well I started my trip and tranny acted up again and no cruise. I also had problems with chassis battery . To make a long story short I cleaned battery cleaned all post and cables, and after all that I started home and and tranny did perfect and cruise started working. Do you think the battery problem was affecting tranny operation. 1500 miles trip up and 1500 back . Major issues up none back.
 
Do you think the battery problem was affecting tranny operation.

That's certainly possible, especially given your experiences. Electronics (especially computers) can sometimes be fussy about their power supply (voltage, ripple, etc.), so operation can be flaky.
 
Larry N. said:
That's certainly possible, especially given your experiences. Electronics (especially computers) can sometimes be fussy about their power supply (voltage, ripple, etc.), so operation can be flaky.
Half a volt drop can cause some weird things to happen with a ECM/TCM glad all is good.
 
SpyderRv said:
I had a similar problem, trans would shift erratically.  Turns out there is a TSB out from Ford which a new ECM harness is installed and consolidates the ground wires.  By now they are all gone but it can be done by hand.  In my case I added an inverter and the ripple the inverter put back into my battery caused the spedo to indicate movement while stopped.  It would sometimes take off in 2nd gear than jump down to first. 

If you log in you can download the tsb.

I am having the same problem and the TSB is good to know but no help if the replacement harness is not available. Can anyone provide a step by step on how to do this using the original harness? Chuck
 
My reading of the TSB wants you to push out the original ground pins than use the new harness and ground them all to the same spot.  I suspect you could identify the grounds, cut them than ground then all to the one spot.  I have not done mine as of now because I solved my original problem and "If it works I don't mess with it!".
 
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