EEC Fuse and the MLP Sensor

My '95 Explorer is currently out of commision. While on vacation during Labor Day towing a boat up a hill the EEC fuse blew. Backing the boat down a windy Alabama road was the easy part... three days later and a half a dozen 30 amp fuses, the mechanic I had it towed to couldn't figure out what was wrong, so reluctantly I had it towed to the dealer. Meanwhile I returned back home. The Ford dealer told me that they found a short in the Manual Lever Position Sensor, but didn't give me much info on it. I also couldn't find anything on it in the online parts cataloges nor can I find the part for sale online.

Does anyone know what this part does, where it is located, and if it's easy to change out?

I have to bring the rental car back to AL today (the Hurricane made it difficult to get a rental, couldn't get a one way). The ford dealer said they'd have to order the part but couldn't get it until Monday. So, I'm picking the explorer up over the weekend and hauling it home.

Any info would be helpful, thanks in advance

The manual lever position sensor is located on the transmission where the linkage enters the case. What it does it produce an output signal to tell the computer what gear is currently selected. They are not terribly difficult to replace, but need to be adjusted correctly so when you are in park, for example, the computer knows you are in park, and nor neverse. Later today I can post a pic for you.

A picture would be nice. I checked here in the local area, they had the part on hand. I'm driving up tomorrow and I have decided to change it out myself. I hope you are right about it not being difficult, but I do hope I can adjust it correctly.

thanks for the info.

let's see if this works:



Transmission Range (TR) Sensor


Removal

1. Remove shift cable or linkage from manual control lever (7A256). Use a screwdriver and remove the cable and fitting from the transmission lever ball stud.

2. Disconnect vehicle harness connector from TR sensor by depressing tab.

3. Remove the manual control outer lever nut and manual control outer lever.


4. Remove the two M6 x 25 transmission range (TR) sensor bolts and remove the TR sensor.



Installation

1. Install the transmission range (TR) sensor on the manual lever. Install the two TR sensor bolts and finger-tighten. Rotate the manual lever to the neutral position (two detents rearward).



2. Install TR Sensor Alignment Tool (MLPS Alignment Tool) T93P-70010-A into the three slots on the TR sensor. Tighten the TR sensor bolts to 8-11 N-m (71-97 lb-in). Remove the alignment tool.



3. Install the manual control outer lever and manual control outer lever nut. Tighten the manual control outer lever nut to 41-54 N-m (30-40 lb-ft).



4. Install shift cable or linkage from manual control lever. Use a screwdriver and remove the cable and fitting from the transmission lever ball stud.

5. Adjust shift cable. Refer to adjustments in «Section 07-05».

6. Reconnect vehicle harness connector to TR sensor.

Well... no pics came through, but many shops routinely do this without the tool. If you need the tool let me know, I can loan it to you.... I'll work on pics

Great, thanks! I'm about to go give it a try. I'm not sure about the tool; I'll see what I can do without it. I'm not exactly sure how to see if it is aligned without it, but I guess I'm about to find out. Thanks for all the info!

I replaced the MLP (TR) Sensor yesterday. I wasn't sure how to align it, I just put it in like the other one appeared to be. It was a fairly easy process, I appreciate the instructions above, they definitely helped.

Unfortunately the sensor was not the cause of my problem. I'm not sure what to do next. I have read several articles on this site concerning EEC fuses blowing, but my symptoms are different than all that I read. I think I may post another thread with the specifics of my problem and everything that has been done so far to locate the cause.

One last set of questions before I do that... Could the misalignment of the MLP sensor cause the fuse to blow? I don't expect that it would blow the EEC fuse, but I could be wrong. If not, what is the consequence of a misaligned sensor?

A misaligned TRS (MLP) will cause problems with shifts... candidly I wondered about that diagnosis, but wasn't going to try and overcall on something I was unsure of.

A 30 AMP fuse eater sounds like a pretty dead short. Wonder if a short finder might help you. How long between fuses?

My biggest problem so far was that the vehicle was 300 miles away and I had two different shops look at it now. I finally got it back home this evening. Now it's time for me to do all the work so I know what actually gets done.

The short sounds like the answer, except that I can only make the fuse blow when I hit the accelerator hard in drive. I have let it idle for 30 min, it did not blow. I pushed the brake in with the car in drive and hit the pedal, it didn't blow. I rev'ed it up while in park, it didn't blow. I can drive it around the parking lot, doesn't blow.

If I try to get it out on the open road, as soon as I give it enough gas to get it up to speed, it blows. I have rattled wiring harnesses tapped on this and that, shaken that and this, still nothing blows the fuse but moderate to high acceleration (giving the gas pedal a good push) while in drive. One thing I have not tried is putting it in different gears and such, or accelerating in reverse. I have to get some more fuses before I do anything else.

I asked the shop mechanic to switch out the computer (didn't help) and take the connector off the torque converter (didn't help either), based off of info from this forum. Also, as you now know, I have replaced the MLP sensor based on the recommendation from the Ford dealer.

I like the short idea, but it's hard to find when the car is in drive and accelerating. Any thoughts on how to locate it?

this IS a tough one. No question. let's start by looking at WHEN exactly the fatal short occurs. You are stepping on the gas. You are accelerating. The alternator is spinning up. the gears change. Hmmmm... gonna have to ponder that.

A short finder is an interesting gadget. I should just post a link to the one I have. let me see if I think it might be helpful for you. If it is.... we can arrange a loan somehow.

Anyway... does this happen regardless of the gear you are in?

My thoughts are that you may have a shorted solenoid. Can you isloate a gear change this happens in ? The "bad" technique may be swap out the valve body with one with known good solenoids..... this is an interesting challenge....

I don't notice the gear change, so it could be that the short ocurrs as the gear is about to change, i.e. it happens when it ought to change gears but blows the fuse instead. I would guess it was from the first to second gear since it drives around in the parking lot fine, but trying to drive with any real speed causes the fault.

Do you think that manually moving the gears through the 1 and 2 positions would help isolate the problem? I'm thinking of doing several tests like that tomorrow. Like driving it hard in 1st to see if it still blows and then moving it to 2nd, etc.

Please send me the link to the short finder you have; though I like the idea of borrowing one, the distance between us is probably prohibative. Plus if it is as good as you think, I'd probably want to add one to my collection anyway!

Bought some fuses today and took her out for a spin. The problem appears to have to do with transitioning into second gear (wish I would have thought of this earlier, I might not have ever thought of it if you hadn't said "the gears change")

Sitting at a stop and just shifting the lever into the "2" position made the fuse blow. I replaced the fuse then shifted through 2 making sure I didn't stop there all the way to 1. No problems in first gear. I drove down the road a piece gave it lots of gas and such, no problems. Also no problems shifting to reverse or drive.

So what does that tell us (or rather you)?

My guess would be that you have a short in a shift solenoid. When I get home I'll see if I cannot be more specific about which one.

Great, thanks! I hate to ask how difficult it will be to replace. Is this inside the transmission or no? I'm not really that familiar with how solenoids are used in conjuction with transmissions.

Ok it looks like the SSC solenoid. That is the one that is ON only in 2nd. To change it you will have to drop the pan, remove a bracket, disconnect a couple wires, then remove the solenoid from the valve body and insert the new one., replace the bracket and wires, replace the pan and add some fluid and yer done.

I can give you more in depth directions when you decide whether you want to do it yourself or not.

I'm thinking this baby is your problem.

I'm in. I may not know what I'm doing, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time. I did remove the pan and replace the filter and fluid once before, so I can do that much
I'll take whatever kind of directions you can give. I have tomorrow off, hopefully I can get a replacement solenoid and then I'll be on my way to getting it fixed...

Anyway other tests I can perform to make sure that is the correct one to replace?

Paul.... here is what I am going to recommend. There are two ways to test the resistance through this solenoid. One is to do it at the case connector. The pins you are interested in are pins 7 and 10. Frankly, it is going to be a ***** to do it this way. The other is to remove the pan, remove the filter, pull the wires off the SSC solenoid and using your ohmeter check the resistance. If I'm right it will be zero. If it is good, it will be 20-40 ohms, more likely 25-30. If it is good, then the next thing to do is check the harness for a short to ground. (consider the case ground ref).

I'd call a transmission supply house and price the availability of a 5R55 shift solenoid (it uses 4 and they are all interchangeable) once you know you can get one, I'd drop the pan and run my tests. If it proves out bad, then run down (somehow) and pick up the new one.... Most of em come in plastic bags, but they do not like to sell em to folks and then take em back....even unopened sometimes so best to be sure first. I think at a trannie supplier you will beat FORD pricing considerably.

Ok you ask, where is the SSC? It is shown by the exotic pointing device in this pic:


Ordinarily you will find a bank of 4 solenoids on the opposite side from the SSA and SSC, but they are out in this pic.


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remove the gold colored bolt, remove the bracket and the solenoid pulls right out. Lube the O-rings on the new one with ATF or vaseline, insert it, reattach the bracket making sure it holds the solenoid in the spot designed for this. Put the wires back on (either way. Doesn't matter) reinstall the filter and yer done.

Hope this all made sense and was helpful. If you want diagrams of the case connector to do it that way, I can post them.

ps. This is the only solenoid that fits your failure mode. For my money, it is either this solenoid or the harness wiring to it that is causing yoour problem.

Looks scary, but I'm in it for the adventure! I'm sure it will be very helpful as soon as I am elbow deep in transmission fluid... Thanks much, I'll see what I can do.

If I want to check the resistance on the case connector first, where do I find it? And how do I know which pins are which? Is there a circuit diagram or pin layout available for it?

I forgot to say, i love the exotic pointing device!