Please help transmission rebuild problem

[phix-]

the brass was very minor, its actually typical to see a bit with new thrush washers. as for pictures, they will come soon. As I hear boosted exploaders are quite rare.

 

[wood1]

Oh, glad to hear it. I got a terrible mental picture when you said you had brass on top of the VB. And yes, pics please...

 

[phix-]

Well.. bringing back an old thread. Despite thinking I had it all figured out here is my new set of problems. Very specific now, I can recreate this problem over and over and over again. I want to take it to someone but have no *bleeping* clue if I am going to get ripped off.


Stop and go driving with the a/c on
Truck will feel slightly sluggish but will still and shift pretty nicely for the first 10-15min
After the time has passed, as throttle is applied in the range of 2,000 to 2,800 (looking at the explorer's RPM gauge)
There is a semi-stall (drop in RPMs) kick-up and if I am in the throttle its in 4th (reading from the livewire) and I feel the TCC lock at or just before 50mph
If I let off let it drop below 45, get back into the throttle at 2,000 -2,500 it flare up passed 3,000 but under 3,400 and it might catch if I am over 1/4 throttle
Now I may get a good shift (depending on how long the a/c has been on)
Though if its stop and go and I am trying to maintain 45mph or just above I get a flare up (over-rev) and it tries to catch
Sometimes its only flaring 1 time, though I have seen 2 - 3 given stop and go traffic with the a/c on
If I turn it off it may do it once after but clears up and does not return till I put the a/c back on.
If I don't turn the a/c on it shifts like a dream, moves very quickly, idles nicely

Other things: Sometimes when sitting at a stop light a/c on or off I get what feels like a little shudder, possibly a misfire?
No codes, New power steering pump, semi new a/c compressor, TPS, IAC, Alternator, and soon to be tensioner pulley)
Wires that have been extended: IAT, TPS, IAC, Coil-Pack
Not replaced in overall lifespan of vehicle: EGR components

Notes: Could the a/c system as a whole be causing an engine bay temp that is just too hot, causing sensors to not work due to their proximity to the heat?
Also I do have a splice into my a/c compressor that allows my electric fan to cut on. Not sure if that has an bearing but I figure let list what I could.

From what local trans shops tell me there is something going on with possibly line pressure? I first thought belt slip when the a/c clutch is activating, but at night time when its cool its not an issue only in the day time when its hot. I have been told it could be the way the PCM is telling the converter to lock in 3rd? My understanding is that the shift patten goes, 1-2,2-3-TC Lock, TC Un-Lock, 3-4th (aka OD), TC Lockup?

 

[phix-]

So.. I feel like I am a tad retarded after reading the ATSG. This is what I read shortly after posting.

Air Conditioning (A/C) Clutch 2884:

When engaged, the A/C clutch is an input to the PCM to adjust EPC pressure for the additional load on the engine. It is also used to adjust the TCC modulation when the A/C clutch is engaged.

Symptoms: Failed ON - EPC pressure slightly low with A/C off.
Failed OFF - EPC pressure slightly high with A/C on. If erratic A/C operation
occurs, the customer may feel improper TCC apply and release.

If this is the case, then.. what the hell can I do about it?

 

[phix-]

No one has ever seen this?

 

[PopRichie77]

Your AC may be low on freon causing the AC clutch to cycle on and off more than normal. Bad AC pressure switch could also cause more than normal cycling.
Try disconnecting your fan and see if it works ok.

 

[phix-]

Despite it blowing cold I like your logic, didn't even think about fast cycling. In other news, I went out before the sun went down and changed my EGR electronics, found a bent vacuum that feeds to the back of the blower. Cut a new one and tried to secure it so it does not wobble against the other that goes to the brake booster. Started it up and nothing new other than I found this vacuum line not connected. Does anyone know what the vacuum line that rides along the upper PCM harness connects to? I traced over to the passenger side where it connects to the vacuum ball.

 

[PopRichie77]

The vacuum ball maintains vacuum on the heater AC controls in the cabin. when you tramp on the gas, engine vacuum drops, with out the vacuum ball all heater and ac controls will return to engine off position. This will also cause more than normal cycling. Most balls have a valve built into them but some have a separate valve. The line from the ball should be either connected to a valve which has 3 connections or a T in the vacuum line that goes to the dash heater, ac controls.
Your ford may have a vacuum line diagram under the hood.

 

[wood1]

Why disconnect the fan Richie? He's need a check valve too to prevent positive pressure from reaching the vacuum accumulator wouldn't he?

 

[phix-]

Richie,
As I figured the Ball comes up to a vacuum T that goes up and follows along the PCM harness. What does it dead end into? The intake manifold vacuum tree?

Wood,
I think Richie is just pointing out that the splice may be an issue. I plan to leave it on the morning drive and see if the changes/clean up I made fixes anything. If not I will remove it on the ride home and see if that changes.

Richie, if the vacuum line does indeed dead end at the intake manifold. What is the described function for this vacuum?

 

[PopRichie77]

The vacuum opens and closes air flow doors in the heater ac system and a water flow valve it does this with vacuum motors, with a spring loaded diaphragm in a small plastic or metal can. The vacuum to these motors are controlled by the dash settings.
The ATSG manual says erratic AC operation, which means abnormal cycling. I will pull up the vacuum diagram for a 99 and see if I can clear things up some, I don't have one for the 96 and I do know there is some difference.
Sorry the diagram doesn't show the vacuum ball line routing.
Does the fan you installed also have a thermostat?

 

[phix-]

Well due to a heater core bypass since I have yet to put money into the heating needs I simply bypassed the vacuum T upper hose and just connected it direct to where it goes up to the defrost vents. Also found my IAC had a bad crimp and a wire came out as I was testing it and also replacing the EGR electronics. Lastly, I found out that crankcase vacuum hose was kinked/restricted. Swapped it out put a new hose in place with screw tight fittings. Much more secure now, first initial drive yeilded better shifting there was almost no problems. Towards the end of the drive it had maybe one flare in it that I think is just due to the higher stall, plus I feel 3/4 lockup stronger than a stock which is also to be expected. I have a zip tie on my gas pedal to help with firmness, I think this is actually causing faulty TPS readings and removed it now. 2nd drive will be no fan hooked into a/c relay and zip tie no more on the gas pedal. Let you guys know.

 

[phix-]

Ok, so here is some weird stuff. Never have I tramped the gas and lost complete use of my a/c till I bypassed the vacuum line I mentioned. My guess is that is does in fact supply vacuum to the ball from the intake manifold. So, what does that mean? Still not sure, I unplugged my e-fan (which I confirmed from James) should be the issue and well nope. Its disconnected, fan's running full time and its still flares up with the a/c on. It also for some odd reason still wants to stall before the kick up to 4th (not every time). Now, for the fun part. I now have a battery gauge drop issue on the alternator.. no actual voltage reading yet but the gauge dropped under the battery icon while a/c was on. Turned it off, went back up to normal. A/C did blow cold for first part of the trip, return visit was barely there.

 

[PopRichie77]

Ok, question does the vacuum ball only have one line and only one connection? If it only has one then where you have the T , it should have a valve with 3 connections, the valve prevents vacuum from going back to the manifold went you tromp on it and maintains vacuum for the dash controls.
Sounds like you may have an alternator problem also.
When the AC is on the computer should increase the idle so that the AC load doesn't stall the engine.

 

[phix-]

Follow up after the drive home, I almost stranded myself in the damn parking lot due to barrel connectors. I hate those damn things with a passion, I can never crimp them 100% turns out one of the signal wires was extremely flaky (same one I had just slip right out when I re-crimped it yesterday. Solved with shrink wrap and good twist together. I started thinking that my alternator isn't quite as clean on the connection as I hoped. Tried the a/c on the way home no splice 3/4 shift was FINALLY not slipping while trying to maintain but my converter would lock hard, unlock, wait till more speed was gained and then lockup smoothly.

Silly question, as I was shrink wrapping my IAC extension wires. Its possible to confuse the EGR connection for the IAC as they look the same and also have the same connection. Anyone want to take a picture of there IAC and EGR wire harness and give me piece of mind or just tell me the color of the wires coming out EVR connection and the IAC?

 

[phix-]

The vacuum ball has 2, goes to the tree of 3. I found a out that there are 2 vacuum ports on the upper part of the firewall under the wipers. Its used as mentioned for vacuum back into the cabin controls. Turns out a factory plastic vacuum connectors shatter into pieces and leave you with questions. Mr. Alternator is sending me a new voltage regulator to see if something went wrong during shipping. I might spend sometime in the morning taking off the alternator and dremmeling downn the rest of the shi...ty, I mean red guide for the alternator power wire. Which I may just wait for the voltage regulator and try upgrading to 0/1 or 2G wire. I hear the shorter the better and mine wraps around the back half of the motor.

 

[PopRichie77]

The vacuum ball with 2 lines is similar to my 99, the check valve is in the ball, if it goes bad the AC air will get warm every time you step on the gas. This is assuming all vacuum line connections are correct and connected. I had the same problem on my 99, having fixed many of this type problem in the past, I knew exactly what the problem was, after checking all line connection and found them ok.
Crimp connectors are not good to use unless you have a professional ratchet crimp tool. I prefer to splice in line and solder with heat shrink over it. Bad connections will cause lots of different problems and will drive you crazy, better to do a good job in the first place and then know that the connection is not the problem. I solder all connections that I make, inline, spade or what ever, then I know it is a permanent job.

 

[phix-]

Agreed, I checked my voltage today and although my gauge dips. I still see 13 and 14 from my OBDII SCT Livewire with the a/c on. Which today I dropped the windows and rode into work and the drive was great. Turned the a/c on for all of maybe 10min toward the end of my drive and it had some issues. Going to flash back to first tune James sent and see if it clears up. I disconnected a spade I had connected my coil pack, turns out not the issue. Something I did notice is that my heater core vacuum (what controls the valve) is not capped off despite having no heater core or plumbing for such. That would constitute still a vacuum in the a/c system?

As for the warm air, I am noticing in the morning with at IAT: 102 and 110-112 with the a/c on its cold. Now when I do put the blower motor on full the gauge drops more of course. When I am driving home in the later afternoon I get this. Going back to the IAT, I plan on seeing what my engine temps are at while driving home. I have begun questioning things like ATF level, so I will be checking that as well.

Lastly, is it possible that even with a spade connector the a/c relay is not getting enough and the splice connector needs to be removed?

 

[PopRichie77]

The heater vacuum line should be plugged or capped off.
As for the spade connection I can't say as I can't see it, or the other wiring that you have modified. Maybe the flash changed the AC function in the computer.

 

[phix-]

Took forever to find, but its called a t-tap.