Tranny Code P0741

[DavidS]

I've got an '02 EB Explorer, 4.6 V8 with about 170K miles. After coming home from a trip last week, about a mile from home the O/D light started blinking and 'Check Transmission' came up on the systems display. I noticed nothing unusual about the way it drove or shifted. I did notice the rpms seemed a little high at speed: 2k @ 60 mph. I took it to a local Mr. Transmission shop which seems to have a better rep than most around here. Their techs drove it with a scanner and it came back with codes P0308 (#8 cylinder misfire) and P0741 (Torque converter clutch system stuck off). I was aware of an intermittant miss and had already replace plugs 1-5. I've got to pull the intake assembly to get to the other 3 plugs. The plugs pulled were original and in remarkable condition other than some electrode erosion.

The shop manager said that with the cooperative nature of the engine, tranny and computer systems, the miss may have triggered this. He said at that many miles, the only thing they'd do was a rebuild for $1288 + hard parts & fluid. I asked him what worse case could be and he wouldn't name a figure. I do remember the solenoid assy had to be replaced at about 95k miles under extended warranty along with the rear wheel bearings. The fluid has about 50k miles on it and he said it wasn't burnt but slightly varnished (?). He said said that as the tranny shifted normally and had no other issues other than the torque converter not locking up, there probably wouldn't need to be many hard parts needed. It throws the warnings when the tranny temp and speed gets high enough to engage the torque converter lockup which isn't locking up. Any opinions as to whether I really do need a rebuild or if some parts such as the solenoid might do the trick?

 

[EasyRhino]

I've got an '02 EB Explorer, 4.6 V8 with about 170K miles. After coming home from a trip last week, about a mile from home the O/D light started blinking and 'Check Transmission' came up on the systems display. I noticed nothing unusual about the way it drove or shifted. I did notice the rpms seemed a little high at speed: 2k @ 60 mph. I took it to a local Mr. Transmission shop which seems to have a better rep than most around here. Their techs drove it with a scanner and it came back with codes P0308 (#8 cylinder misfire) and P0741 (Torque converter clutch system stuck off). I was aware of an intermittant miss and had already replace plugs 1-5. I've got to pull the intake assembly to get to the other 3 plugs. The plugs pulled were original and in remarkable condition other than some electrode erosion.

The shop manager said that with the cooperative nature of the engine, tranny and computer systems, the miss may have triggered this. He said at that many miles, the only thing they'd do was a rebuild for $1288 + hard parts & fluid. I asked him what worse case could be and he wouldn't name a figure. I do remember the solenoid assy had to be replaced at about 95k miles under extended warranty along with the rear wheel bearings. The fluid has about 50k miles on it and he said it wasn't burnt but slightly varnished (?). He said said that as the tranny shifted normally and had no other issues other than the torque converter not locking up, there probably wouldn't need to be many hard parts needed. It throws the warnings when the tranny temp and speed gets high enough to engage the torque converter lockup which isn't locking up. Any opinions as to whether I really do need a rebuild or if some parts such as the solenoid might do the trick?

Hmm, I am far from a tranny expert, but thinking that if your torque converter is not locking up that you may be due for a new T/C. At 170K miles (outstanding!), I would not drop the tranny to get to the TC without either going through the tranny or installing a guarateed rebuitl unit, since so much of the cost of tranny work is just getting the thing out. As far as the misfire goes, two things confuse me, (1) why would you need to pull the intake to get to the plugs of a 4.6L V8? and (2) why would the misfire trigger the TC not locking up??? If true, then fix the misfire and yoru problem should resolve?

 

[DavidS]

Easy Rhino: re: the spark plugs. The back three on the passenger side of the engine are completely covered by the air intake assembly/hoses/lines. You can't even see the back three coil packs as it is. The front one that I did change on that side was a major bear due to the multiple hoses and lines running across it and required a U-joint to get just the bolt on the coil pack loose. Thanks!

 

[azpima67]

I have an '02 XLT with the same engine. Last spring I changed all the plugs without removing the intake. If I remember correctly I did have to remove one end of a hose or two to get at the pass. side plugs. Probably by accident the "bore" holes for the plugs are angled in such a way that access isn't too hard.