Blinking OD dash light

[DRLUNDIUS]

Hello transmission forums. I am new to TRS. Sold my 2019 cuz it was just sitting in the driveway. I work from home now due to Covid and the beautiful Red Pepper with Black Trim Pkg. became and expensive driveway ornament. So sold it and bought a couple old Rangers. A 99 2.5 Automatic, and an 89 2.9 v6 with a manual. I am not building them or restoring them, just havin some fun..... with no big car payment. So the 99 is in pretty good shape only 120K. Did the basics, tire, shocks, tran. fluid & gasket, valve cover gaskets, seat covers, and a good clean up. Now the problem that seems it could lead to a bigger problem, the Over Drive dash light is flashing, I was slowing down from about 60 mph and it felt like a down shift and the dash light started blinking. Can anyone tell me what to expect. My wife (in the profile picture) is a retired mechanic and she said we have to check for any codes. The little research I did seemed to indicate that the flashing OverDrive indicator light could be the sign of a serious problem. It did stop flashing after turning off the engine and restarting, but I am thinking that there could be trouble yet to come. Anyone in this forum have some input on what the problem could be?

 

[bobbywalter]

Your wife is a mechanic and let you buy a a4ld variant??

Clearly she is bored


Might just be a vb gasket or loose connection...

Fluid ok looking and level correct?

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

Hello BobbyWalter, (Fluid ok looking and level correct ) I stayed up late tonight just waiting for someone to make fun of my Ranger fetish. So thanks for your input. But seriously, I bought the two old Rangers knowing what was to come. I keep one in Illinois, that is the 89 2.9L v6 manual.
The 99 2.5L automatic is here in Arkansas. We have a loaded 2021 F150 XLT. These little trucks are project trucks, and I enjoy making them look good and run good. So the first thing I did to the 99 was trans. gasket, filter, and fluid. In the pan we found the expected sediment for 120K on and old truck. No big metal shavings or parts of parts. The trans shifts ok, but tonight when slowing down after a nice 25 minute fast run through some Arkansas hills, it seemed to shift down on it's own from OD into 3rd, a little hard, then the OD dash light started blinking. When turned off and back on, the flashing stopped but I did not test drive yet. I will in the morning on the way to an auto parts store to see if they can pull some trouble codes. I do not know what the vb gasket is, but the fluids are new and at the correct level. I was hoping to get some advise on what it could be! From what I have read on Utube, it could be a speed sensor somewhere on the trans. I posted here to see what the real experts think. A lot of You Tubers are full of it. My wife is a great (retired) mechanic, but like any mechanic wants to see the codes. I am more on the OCD side and want to speculate the problem, then see if I am right. Hope to hear back from you, thanks.
Dale L.

 

[bobbywalter]

Valve body gaskets are a common issue.

Even this style that is mostly electric gets debris in spools and has intermittent issues

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

These issues, valve body gasket failure and internal debris, would these potential conditions or failures cause the blinking Overdrive Dash Light. What would you say to an action I take, like disconnect the battery for 20 minutes to reset the computer, drive it as usual (hard) to town in the morning. I can stop at a part store and have them to check for any trouble codes. I think if the light keeps blinking I will eventually have a problem. If it stops blinking, I test for codes anyway, and if no codes, drive it till it blinks again? Just thinking ahead. Thanks for your time, good night, hope to chat again Bobby.

 

[bobbywalter]

Loose connector....rubbed wire...bad solonoid....pcm communication fail..

 

[cbxer55]

On my Mustang, when it had the blinking OD ODD light, it was a code P0741, Torque Converter Clutch Locked Off. In other words, the clutch was failing to lock up. It locks up over a certain speed, such as 40 mph in my 3.0 V-6 Ranger and my 4.0 Mustang. Failure to lock up will cause the transmission to run hotter than normal, doing damage to other parts in the process. You need to have a transmission shop, or maybe Auto Zone scan the truck while the OD OFF light is still blinking. It's typical that it goes away when you shut it off. So drive it to a trans shop or Auto Zone and leave it running after it starts blinking. My Mustangs 5R55 had to be rebuilt twice this year for this problem. First time I paid for it, second under warranty.

If the vehicle has a tach, P0741 came be seen as a still very active movement when it the top two gears over 40 mph or so, depending on terrain. When the converter is locked, the tach needle barely moves when you step on the gas gently. Once it's locked up, it tends to stay locked up, until conditions warrant it unlocking, such as having to downshift to get up a hill.

I have a friend that has a trans shop one mile from where I live.

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

Hello cbxer55, Thanks for sharing. I have this nice 16 mi run too and from work, through some twisty hills 5 days a week, and enjoy pushing the old 2.5 to its save limits. I believe I may have hit the OD button on the shifter at about 55 mph at the end of my run just before a tight turn, so it dropped out of OD a bit on the hard side, and the OD light started flashing. It must seem silly to most, to be pushing that little truck through some hilly turns but strangely enough I look forward to my drive each day. The roads are empty. This biggest risk is hitting a deer, but I scan the road side to side all the way. Guess my life is boring if this is a thrill.... a cheap one at that.
Ok back to the problem. So I disconnected the battery for 20 minutes this morning to reset the system, sorry don't know what it is called. I drove today a little less aggressive, because the road was wet, and did not get the blinking OD dash light. I am hoping that will be the end of it, but if it appears again I will go straight to the parts store for a code, and post it in this forum. I am determined to keep the little Ranger running smoothly.
On another note, the check engine light has been on since I bought it, early this year. I got a code but changing the EGR did not stop the light from coming on. Even though the engine seems to run as expected for a 22 yr old 4 banger, I will likely end up changing what ever sensor is not working, but that is for another forum another day. I am keeping my fingers crosses that light never blinks again. I really appreciate you experience, thank you for writing, I hope you offer another reply, I would like to hear from you again. Over and out. Dale L. ( the profile picture is of my wife Denise, a retired mechanic, leaning on my other 89 Ranger. She drives a loaded 2021 F150 , I get the old beaters ).

 

[cbxer55]

Mine is 3.0 V-6 Ranger, I outfitted it with Hellwig anti swaybars. So yeah, I get the throwing it around a nice set of curves. I do it a lot. Check engine light has been on in mine for many years. I finally gave up chasing it down and just put a piece of black tape over the sumbitch. No more check engine light. Runs like a top. Last time I bothered to check mileage, it was over 20 in town. Must not be anything wrong, that is great mileage for a 3.0 V-6. Modified exhaust, no muffler. MAC CAI with a Spectre stainless steel mesh filter. JET chip on the PCM. Hood full of holes, some letting air in, some out. Two directly over the filter. So it is in fact a cold air intake. Just put a new BBK throttle body on it, larger than stock. Much better throttle response, not just off idle but everywhere.

Even though I have an 04 Lightning, much modified, I still enjoy throwing the Ranger around that curvy road. The Lightning is heavy, the Ranger not so much. With those Hellwig bars on it, it handles like a slot car on a track.

 

[bobbywalter]

The mustangs is a bit different...but a bad TCC is always an option.

This is often a bleed issue with apply psi.... potentially going back to gaskets.

It is a center support unit...and there are speed sensors in the later units. I have seen minor debris build up throw weird coded or cause pressure oscillation from erratic signal.

So for sure you want the codes.

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

Hello bobbywalter, I have not been back here for a while, care taking for an Alzheimer's father in law came before the 99 Ranger. Thank you very much for your input. So I finally got the code, and yes P0741. The Ford Dealer in town pulled it for me. In this small southern Arkansas town not many choices for Transmission Shops. I did find one that was referred by the local parts store. This specialist told me he knows this 4R55E better than anyone within 100 mile, which is likely true. I trust he has the experience just by the way our meeting went, so I will have him take a look. He will charge a nominal fee to diagnose the problem. My problem now is he isn't answering my calls to for an appt. Word is... perhaps some family issues, so I will wait. He has only put me off a little over a week. In the mean time the dealer put a liquid in, forgot the name, which did help, so what ever the problem is, this stuff did a temporary fix. The shifting is good and the OD light did not return. I will still have the service done by a pro, as soon as I can get it in his shop.

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

Loose connector....rubbed wire...bad solonoid....pcm communication fail..

Mine is 3.0 V-6 Ranger, I outfitted it with Hellwig anti swaybars. So yeah, I get the throwing it around a nice set of curves. I do it a lot. Check engine light has been on in mine for many years. I finally gave up chasing it down and just put a piece of black tape over the sumbitch. No more check engine light. Runs like a top. Last time I bothered to check mileage, it was over 20 in town. Must not be anything wrong, that is great mileage for a 3.0 V-6. Modified exhaust, no muffler. MAC CAI with a Spectre stainless steel mesh filter. JET chip on the PCM. Hood full of holes, some letting air in, some out. Two directly over the filter. So it is in fact a cold air intake. Just put a new BBK throttle body on it, larger than stock. Much better throttle response, not just off idle but everywhere.

Even though I have an 04 Lightning, much modified, I still enjoy throwing the Ranger around that curvy road. The Lightning is heavy, the Ranger not so much. With those Hellwig bars on it, it handles like a slot car on a track.

Mine is 3.0 V-6 Ranger, I outfitted it with Hellwig anti swaybars. So yeah, I get the throwing it around a nice set of curves. I do it a lot. Check engine light has been on in mine for many years. I finally gave up chasing it down and just put a piece of black tape over the sumbitch. No more check engine light. Runs like a top. Last time I bothered to check mileage, it was over 20 in town. Must not be anything wrong, that is great mileage for a 3.0 V-6. Modified exhaust, no muffler. MAC CAI with a Spectre stainless steel mesh filter. JET chip on the PCM. Hood full of holes, some letting air in, some out. Two directly over the filter. So it is in fact a cold air intake. Just put a new BBK throttle body on it, larger than stock. Much better throttle response, not just off idle but everywhere.

Even though I have an 04 Lightning, much modified, I still enjoy throwing the Ranger around that curvy road. The Lightning is heavy, the Ranger not so much. With those Hellwig bars on it, it handles like a slot car on a track.View attachment 66502

Hello cbxer55 thank you too, my code is P0741.

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

Sold the 2019 cuz it was just sitting in the driveway, now I have the blue 89. and a white 99 .

 

[DRLUNDIUS]

Hello to those that followed this about the blinking OD off light, then I had a complete failure. I also sent a private message to cbxer55 as follows,

decision made, hard to find good shops willing to rebuild.... so..... I order a rebuilt from Reman Transmission ( out of Milwaukee, WI.) sold to me through Car Part Planet. If you go to

https://reman-transmission.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwwsmLBhACEiwANq-tXOLdGrXgk2GXRijD3XeNuBYfxKQkHyh4oMbuNxdTxa63ieMOjeTI9hoCWhEQAvD_BwE
The payment receipt comes from Car Part Planet.

Reman offers a 60 month transferable warranty. The transmission not just meets Ford specs but has all new hard parts so it is a complete rebuild for $2144.00 includes shipping and pick up of the core. It is going to my friends commercial location, they will not ship to a residence for free.
I now know that my transmission is the 4R44E, the 4R55E is different. It would not bolt up, the bell housing is a different shape, with that said, I will do the installation with my lovely wife. She has the tools.... LOL .
I do not have to for warranty, but will change the cooler.
I will have to provide proof that a certified mechanic did the install for the warrantee to cover the labor. I will find a way to do that, then they will cover the labor for replacement or repair if it fails in 5 years non commercial use, unlimited miles, I did not want to get dirty, but it is hard to find capable mechanics wanting the job. Not many skilled mechanics these days, and I would not want to try to rebuild it myself. Plugin a new one in will be hard enough. I will let you know how it turns out and if the Reman Transmission is what they claim it to be, if you wish. Thank you for your advise and experience.
Dale & Denise