97 F250 HD...am i on correct track?

[rusty ol ranger]

97 F250 HD 460/E4OD

I moved it yesterday and noticed the ABS light was on.

Today i moved it and noticed the speedo not working, O/D light was blinking, and it wouldnt shift out of 1st (unless i shifted manually), once in second it kinda sounded like the lockup kicked in.

Anyways...there was no check engine but i scanned for codes...i got the following...

KOEO- 452 VSS (vehicle speed sensor) problem.

KOER- 116 ECT out of range (expected, the T stat is bad so it wont warm up

311- AIR system not working (expected, tube rusted out, new was unobtainable, deleted system)

632-

(R) E4OD – Transmission Control Switch (TCS) should be cycled once between engine ID and Goose test (This one concerns me....not sure what this means?? Trans problem?)

536-

(O,R,M) Brake On Off open or shorted to ground – BOO (this also concerns me since the ABS light is whats on....brake light switch malfuntion? Lights still work, interlock releases....cant see this killing the speedo and not allowing shifts

Im thinking the speed sensor is bad...i did notice the speedo "twitching" slightly (very slightly) last time i drove it.

Am i correct in this diagnosis? Idont wanna just shotgun parts at it espcially with how part quality is these days.

Thanks

 

[franklin2]

I bet mice or chipmunks have chewed the wires in two back there somewhere.

 

[ericbphoto]

Could be loose or dirty electrical connections.

My ABS light comes and goes randomly. Hasn't bothered me yet. I had one instance, just after I got the truck, that I had symptoms like yours. It hasn't recurred yet.

 

[scotts90ranger]

The sensor on the rear diff might be out since it's what drives the speedo, the other thing that causes the speedo to stop working is a bad connection at the back of the speedo, they dry out and the connection stops working, mine doesn't have ABS or an auto trans so I've just put thousands of miles without a speedo and only lost cruise control... Getting to the back of the cluster isn't too bad, I just had mine out a couple months ago, I put some dielectric grease in all of the pins on the center small connector and it started working. If it's been out in hot dry weather, that could be the cause

Easiest thing is just to jump under the thing with a 13mm socket on a ratchet and pull the speed sensor and see if there's any metal on the tip though...

 

[snoranger]

Here you go.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I bet mice or chipmunks have chewed the wires in two back there somewhere.

Wires are still intact

Could be loose or dirty electrical connections.

My ABS light comes and goes randomly. Hasn't bothered me yet. I had one instance, just after I got the truck, that I had symptoms like yours. It hasn't recurred yet.

Im going to pull the plug today and check that out

The sensor on the rear diff might be out since it's what drives the speedo, the other thing that causes the speedo to stop working is a bad connection at the back of the speedo, they dry out and the connection stops working, mine doesn't have ABS or an auto trans so I've just put thousands of miles without a speedo and only lost cruise control... Getting to the back of the cluster isn't too bad, I just had mine out a couple months ago, I put some dielectric grease in all of the pins on the center small connector and it started working. If it's been out in hot dry weather, that could be the cause

Easiest thing is just to jump under the thing with a 13mm socket on a ratchet and pull the speed sensor and see if there's any metal on the tip though...

Im going to yank the sensor today. Hopefully the bolt dont snap....ill soak it first read some horror stories lol

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Heres another question....would i risk transmission damage if i tried to drive it to the old house to work on it? Its 10 miles roughly and i can take dirt roads at 5mph.

Just worried from what im reading it might turn into a bigger mess then it seems

 

[franklin2]

The trans has a limp mode where it shifts harshly(full line pressure), but it should not hurt it for a short distance. If you detect any slippage I would not drive it.

 

[bobbywalter]

Might be a fuse

 

[bobbywalter]

Or corrosion

 

[ericbphoto]

Or malicious spiders

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Might be a fuse

I didnt think about a fuse.

Good call.

I find it weird it was fine last time i drove it...granted it has sat for a month or so minus a few runs up and down the driveway.

This will be the second breakdown ive had now with a vehicle just sitting. My ranger had a MAP go bad while it was sitting.

Guess i need to make a point to drive them more.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The trans has a limp mode where it shifts harshly(full line pressure), but it should not hurt it for a short distance. If you detect any slippage I would not drive it.

Ill pry just do it in the driveway and if it turns into a cluster ill just pull the driveshaft and tow it.

Sucks i got a trailer itll eaisly fit on but nothing to tow that much with since this things my heavy hauler

 

[sgtsandman]

It could be rust jacking lifting the sensor enough to prevent it from getting a good signal. There might be nothing wrong otherwise. Careful pulling the sensor in case it's still good. Pulling the bolt is the easy part. Not breaking sensor while trying to get it out of the hole can be another story. I've seen people use duck bill and needle nose pliers to rock the sensor back and forth while pulling up on the senor with success. Just go easy and have patience.

Good or bad, once the senor is out, stick a foam ear plug in the hole and clean up the mating surface for the sensor. You can use a 90* pick to pull the ear plug back out when you are done. With any luck, that will be all you need to fix the problem.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

It could be rust jacking lifting the sensor enough to prevent it from getting a good signal. There might be nothing wrong otherwise. Careful pulling the sensor in case it's still good. Pulling the bolt is the easy part. Not breaking sensor while trying to get it out of the hole can be another story. I've seen people use duck bill and needle nose pliers to rock the sensor back and forth while pulling up on the senor with success. Just go easy and have patience.

Good or bad, once the senor is out, stick a foam ear plug in the hole and clean up the mating surface for the sensor. You can use a 90* pick to pull the ear plug back out when you are done. With any luck, that will be all you need to fix the problem.

I pulled the old sensor out. Everything went smoothly. Bolt came right out easy, the sensor i just took a screwdriver and lightly pryed up and it popped right out.

I didnt clean underneath it...oops...but i did install a new sensor and everything is back to normal now. The old sensor was clean yet...but it didnt have any magnet left...the new one felt like a fridge magnet...the old one wouldnt hang upside down off the fuel tank