Hey guys recently bought a 1997 ford f-150 4x4 ext cab truck with 143,000 miles automatic trans. Truck runs great but I have noticed when I accelerate from a stop moderately hard or very hard as the truck runs up through the gears it almost completely skips third gear and goes to fourth. Unless you really watch for it you wouldnt even notice.Now when accelerating slowly like on city streets it runs through third like it should.when it does hit fourth too quickly there is no shudder and no lugging from the truck.All gears shift great and there is no slipping. Transmission fluid is full and very clean and is not burnt. Any ideas? My dad who is a mechanic seems to think this may be a programming deal and it may have always done this or was set to do it for better fuel economy. Thanks in advance. Nick

 

Sounds like a faulty shift solenoid or a bad connection with the shift solenoid wiring. I think you have four solenoids and four connections.
Your dad should know where to get to them. Most likely in the connections.
Good luck.

 

If it has been reprogrammed it will shift different then stock. I would try a new trans filter and see if that helps first. If not run it till it quits. Sometimes it's hard fixing things till there broke.

 

Thanks for the advice guys I went on napas website and im seeing like five different solenoids for this thing and they all look different any idea which is the right one? I think I have the e4od transmission but not 100% sure. thanks again for the advice.

 

Go here and enter your Vin number, navigate to the transmission section, select the part name.
You will find the part and almost all have illustrations just like the dealer.
It also has list price so you know what to expect as far as price.
http://www.fordparts.com/

 

Go to the drivers side door sticker, on the very bottom of the sticker go to the seventh position from the right and thats the trans code.

U- Auto 4R70W
E- Auto E4OD

Some one might say I could be a 4R100 and yes but it was used for the lightning and the trans was made from 99-04.

 

After lots of help from the forum here ive found the parts I need and figured out my transmission type. Im wondering if anyone knows of a website that has pictures of the solenoid block being changed out or a schematic of the area where it is just a little unsure of my self at this point dont want to get it all apart and find that I am missing something or doing something wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance