# 97 F250 issue.. overdrive issue..



## mtnzone (Apr 8, 2008)

Well I was in need of one of our back up plow trucks today. Got to say I love these older beasts I have two of them and just love the older style body. So today while using it. the overdrive wouldnt work.. it was flashing.. and the truck would only go from 1st to third. automatic 460 engine. 

I brought it back to the shop and opened the haynes repair maunal and took a look. it told me this 

" Nornally the powertain module( pcm) allos the automatic shifts from first through fourth gear. When the transmission control switch( TCS) is pressed, overdrive is overridden and the pcm allows shifts from first through third only. The pcm also turns on the transmission control indicator lamp ( TCIL) which is an LED which indicates the overdrive cancel mode has been activated. If the TCIL flashes instead,theres either a sensor failure or a short in the electric pressure control circuit ( EPC) in either event take the vehicle to a dealer to have system serviced. When the switch is pressed again the normal operation is resumed.

My question is this where the heck is the TCS and the EPC located???

it says I can check the TCS circuit by a dealer but there are some simple tests I can perform. to determine if the switch is bad. Just dont know where it is??

it says check fuse number 29.. well under hood my box goes to 23 and in cab it only goes to 18??

it tells me remove the tcs and check resitance of the switch. I woud do it it if I knew where it was... hahahaha??


So any help would be appreciated.. 

on a funny note one of my plow guys is also a mechanic but a chevy mechanic more or less, and I run all fords... .but he is learning... hahaha.. 

Thanks
Stephen


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## coldcoffee (Jul 17, 2008)

I've experienced that problem before w/ my 97, 7.3 powerstroke. If you have been driving through a lot of deep snow, you may have grime and ice built up in your wire connections on the tranny. A good place to start is to crawl under and pull each one. Spray them out w/ some carb or brake cleaner, and hit them w/ some dielectric grease. Ford may have had a better idea, but it wasn't in electrical wiring harness connections. Hope that's your problem, quick and easy.


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## dellwas (Oct 16, 2005)

Also check your battery connections. Had an issue two years ago with my '97 and had a loose ground on one of the batteries. Tightened it up and it went away - immediately. The E40D, which I assume you have is electronic.


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## paradise1229 (Jan 5, 2009)

coldcoffee;1150463 said:


> I've experienced that problem before w/ my 97, 7.3 powerstroke. If you have been driving through a lot of deep snow, you may have grime and ice built up in your wire connections on the tranny. A good place to start is to crawl under and pull each one. Spray them out w/ some carb or brake cleaner, and hit them w/ some dielectric grease. Ford may have had a better idea, but it wasn't in electrical wiring harness connections. Hope that's your problem, quick and easy.


Use a flashlight when looking under there. Took mine to a mechanic and those wires at the connection were very frayed. I had the same issue. Tranny was in 2nd gear. It's a safety mechanism to protect your tranny from extreme damage.


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## damian (Jan 29, 2009)

throw away the haynes book.the od lamp will flash for almost any trans problem from an electrical issue to slipping components to overheated fluid.limp home mode will raise line pressure,limit lock up and overdrive and sometimes just give you 3rd and reverse.get the ecm scanned by a real mechanic, retrieve the codes and diag the unit.the tcs is the od switch the epc is in the solenoid pack it controls line pressure dont confuse youself with these things they arent your problem.get to a mechanic with a good scan tool.


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## paradise1229 (Jan 5, 2009)

Damien I did take mine to a real tranny shop. 13 diggerent codes came up. He looked under there the next day and found out thats' what was my cause when I had that problem


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## Chipper (Mar 30, 2008)

Did you check the wiring and sensor on the top of the rear end?? This speed sensor will will cause the shifter light to blink and cause the trans to shift erratic. Very easy to rip the wires off in deep snow while plowing. Sensor is cheap and easy to replace.


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## mtnzone (Apr 8, 2008)

Well we couldnt figure it out so it is at the mechanics right now... hopefully he will diagnose it and hav it back to me.. sooooon

by the way this is a new tranny ( HD) just put in last year.


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## paradise1229 (Jan 5, 2009)

I hope this may help. Today I got a recall from Ford for my 1996 F250. Recall is 09S09- Spped Control System modification. It is a no charge recall. Has anyone gotten this letter?


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## Stoney (Nov 26, 2004)

Its prolly the snap ring for 4th gear busted when they repair it have them put a spirial ring in instead of a snap ring.


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