Is PCM bad? O/D OFF flashed last week, now engine died with Fuel Reset

[johnnyt73]

Odd behavior on my '95 XLT (128,000 miles) that started several days ago. Any help in diagnosis would be much appreciated... I wonder if it is a PCM flaking out on me?

First:
Last week driving home the O/D OFF dash light started flashing, and the transmission was shifting really poorly. I heard the same clunking described by others that occurred before their transmission went. I took it to the dealer who read out a couple of codes indicating a gear ratio problem. Balking at their price, I chose to take it to a local guy. However, between getting the dealer to look at it and bringing the X to the local tranny guy, the rough shifting, flashing light -- all symptoms -- went away!

I had the local tranny guy do a service with new fluid, filter, and valve, nothing unusual in the fluid. I did my best in Boston traffic to get in and out of all gears and switched from 2WD to 4WD, listening for all noises, etc -- nothing. Very clean shifting. I have driven over 500 miles since without the light flashing again (including a brief and very light off-road in Vermont). The light hasn't started flashing again, and no rough shifting.

So, here's the second issue:
After finishing the offroading above, driving back home and the engine dies with FUEL RESET on the dash. (Actually, the dashboard lit up like a christmas tree, but I noticed the fuel reset lamp because I had never seen it before!) At first I thought the transmission had gone completely, but I couldn't restart the truck. When I opened the hood, there was some fluid on the underside of the hood, and all over and around the brake resevoir (and the resevoir was missing some fluid). I didn't think it was transmission fluid (wasn't red). It looked like brake fluid, smelt like brake fluid, and the AAA guy agreed... so we reset the inertial (fuel reset) switch, the engine started just fine. I just had an oil change during which they checked the brake fluid, could it be that the resvoir cap was a little loose? Shaken even more loose by going offroad? Besides being a little low in brake fluid, nothing bad happened during my 200 mile drive back from Vermont.

My questions:
- do you think it is a flaky PCM?
- would a drop in brake system pressure (if indeed it IS brake fluid) cause the inertial switch to trigger?
- are these warning signs for something else? (i.e. is the whole thing going to fall apart on the highway tonight?)

As I said above, 95 XLT with 128k, nothing aftermarket (but after finding this incredible site, maybe I will!)

THANKS GANG!
JT

 

[Jason_25]

My answers: no. no. and no. Fluid everywhere in the engine can come from offroading if a cap is loose. My guess is that it may be PS fluid. The fuel reset switch coming on is weird though, it only is supposed to turn on in a wreck.

 

[johnnyt73]

Thanks for the feedback Jason -- you're right, it could be the steering fluid. That cap looked fine, but ya never know.

I still have no idea why I'm having all the odd behavior, but it has been okay since the inertial switch incident... so I'll just have to keep a close eye on it.

I'll post more odd behavior if I get it.
THANKS!