One problem after another! O/D Light Flashing now...

[BrianDye]

Got the new radiator in yesterday, new coolant, flushed the trans with about 8 gal's of trans fluid until it was clean red. Drove it around the block, drove even smoother, shifted into gear smoother and quicker, etc long story short, had great results. Took her for another spin today, noticing the front passenger tire was low, so I figured why not drive it to the gas station and fill it up, its about a 4 mile drive, 50* outside....

Got there just fine, left it idling, filled the tire, got back in, about a half mile later the O/D light is ON-OFF-ON-OFF-ON-OFF, not like showing a code, but it was just on-off-on-off the whole rest of the way, still shifted fine, turned fine, took off great at W.O.T., no rough idles, I tried searching, and couldnt really find much of anything for the 95, googled it, to read about its basically fix it or your trans is shot. Fixing as in throwing a grand into it.....SCREW THAT!

Is this something I should be worried about, and would it be a good idea to goto AutoZone tomorrow to get the codes read? (CEL has been on for a long time now) (Would the OD throw any codes?) thanks for any info , if it wasnt for EF, this damn thing would NOT be on the road right now, along with so much help with my 92.

 

[TheJackal]

I don't know if there is a code when the O/D OFF light flashes but I'd have them scanned anyway, since you say the CEL is on.

When the O/D OFF light flashes, it says that there is a serious issue with the transmission and you should have it looked at as soon as possible.

 

[BrianDye]

Awesome!

SOOO to top it all off, now its been at my gf's house, because she lives by my friend who helped me do the radiator and whatnot, so when we got back form going to pump the tire up, I pulled behind my 92, not thinking. So going to leave, I get in it, to move it over so I can get my 92 out, cranks about 1 1/2 times and then nothing...let go of the key, turn it and just CLICK......let go CLICK, turn it CLICK let go CLICK.

I also smelled a strong like electrical smell if I held the key more than a second or two...not like wires burning or shorting, but like something trying to move, with power going to it, but it not moving, like say if you had a fan on high, and you were holding the blade so it couldnt spin.

Im done with this thing. I dont know what the OD light meant, but im assuming its having something todo with this problem now.

Whatever I do to the damn thing just isnt enough I guess.

Any ideas?

 

[BrianDye]

Is there some kind of scanner that will just flat out TELL me the codes, without like having to watch the lights flash and whatnot, that I could rent from AutoZone, Murrays, Napa, or Advance? Im clearly not gonna be able to drive the thing like I planned tomorrow.

I was also supposed to be trading it for a Lincoln LS tomorrow. Wonderful.

 

[TheJackal]

Is yours OBD II? If not AutoZone might not be able to read them.

The scanners for pre-OBD II cars are more expensive.

 

[BrianDye]

I dunno, its a 1995 XLT, 4.0 automatic...

 

[kevinspann]

I also had a flashing O.D. light after I flushed my fluid.
Step 1 is to make sure the fluid is at the proper level.
Step 2 is to disconnect the battery...but scratch that, since it seems to me like your battery is dead, or one of the cables are loose. Either way, make sure there is no power to the car long enough for the codes to have cleared.
Step 3 start and drive the car to see if the code comes back.


Like I said, I got the code, disconnected the battery to clear it, and it hasn't come back, in well over 1000 miles.

 

[mattthemechanic]

First, you appear to have a battery or charging system issue based on your information. This can have an effect on your transmission.....car don't start...car don't move. just kidding! Check the positive terminal, they are known to corrode into the wiring (green stuff) and cause a no crank problem. Also check the connections at the starter, they are VERY WELL known to have an issue here, so much that aftermarket companies have revised there installation procedures.

 

[BrianDye]

When the batteries been low before and didn't have enough to crank, it would clicknlike a toy Tommy gun, now it just "CLICK" once and "CLICK" again when I let off the key. I will for sure disconnect the battery and then jump it when I get home today, it's at my girlfriends house. You guys are shedding light back down on her for me lol thanks alot for the info...I'm hoping the OD was just a mistake like Kevin said, because honestly it shifted smooth, took off great, drove like usual. I knew from when I got it the starter had ALWAYS sounded weak, I just had never adressed the issue like I should have

 

[BrianDye]

First, you appear to have a battery or charging system issue based on your information. This can have an effect on your transmission.....car don't start...car don't move. just kidding! Check the positive terminal, they are known to corrode into the wiring (green stuff) and cause a no crank problem. Also check the connections at the starter, they are VERY WELL known to have an issue here, so much that aftermarket companies have revised there installation procedures.

I do for a face need to get new terminals, probably wires too. Once in a blue moon when I goto start it, it would completely shut off and I'd have to go ouch on the negatives connection on the battery,

 

[BrianDye]

Got there and tried the old "beat it to hell with a hammer" trick after looking for t for a good hour, no results.
Hopefully tomorrow this guy is gonna give me a used one for 45$ I can't wait for the fun task of putting it on.


As for the battery and codes, how long do I leave it disconnected to clear them?

 

[gmanpaint]

When the OD light is flashing, it has gone into "Limp" mode.

You need to get it to a dealership, or a shop with the proper diagnostics. Basically your trans got hot, something must have got plugged up when you flushed it. Limp mode is only good for short distance, to get it to a shop. After that, it will shut down the ignition. Your out of luck, cause your truck is stuck!