Ford Explorer: A bit off-topic - F150 Econoline tranny

My 'other' vehicle is playing up now! Its a 1994 V8 Econoline van with
135,000 on it.

Just started happening - at the end of the shift leaver is a switch to drop
the OD out. There is also a little light at the end to tell you its dropped
out. This has started flashing.............

Now, the handbook says this indicates that the Transmission has gone in to
'Emergency management mode' or words like that (and "please see your dealer
immediately" of course). It also drops it out of cruise control when this
happens.... in fact it drops out of CC a few minutes before it happens and
sometime it drops out of CC and the tranny thing don't happen. All this
happens on longer drives > 30 miles.

So, we took it to our Ford dealership who changed a bunch of stuff, charged
us $680 for the privilege and of course it still does it. They changed the
speed sensor the throttle position sensor and a thing they called 'the clock
spring'!!! in the center of the steering wheel.

I'll bet someone out there knows exactly what this is really caused
by......... and Ford ain't getting it back this time.

Any clues appreciated.

Jethro

Ford Explorer XLT 1998 119,000miles
Ford Econoline 150 1994 135,000 miles
Ford Ranger 1994 125,000miles
(Oh yes and a Honda CR-V 2001 40,000miles)

Thanks Jim, there is a 2nd issue about how we are at the mercy of the 'code
readers' here in the States.... (people who cannot change a fan belt if they
cannot pull the code to tell them).... but that is secondary to finding out
about the tranny, having just had all my bushes changed on my Explorer (by
the same dealer) only to still have the 'clunk' coming from the front. I am
telling myself I must be a fool to take it back there!

So I need a new source of wisdom on the tranny and would welcome inspired
input from this group as to what it is likely to be.

Last time they say they replaced the throttle position sensor and it cured
it. There is no mechanics notes.

Finally, for interest, I am told that dealers oftentimes in the States now
rent out the 'bays' in the Ford workshops to independents who then work on
your car and the dealership gets a cut. Its rather like how some
hairdressers operate. I don't yet know much about it.

Jethro




"Jim Warman" <net> wrote in message
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