Trans acts weird when cold

protraxrptr17 · Apr 3, 2013

06 f-250 sct with some custom tunes. Also has tuned FICM and 5" flo pro. I got the tuner used from a member here. Don't remember whose tunes they are. I use the extreme street one. If I let the truck sit all day, or overnight without plugging in the block heater, the trans goes nuts on the first few shifts. It flares and jerks back and forth between gears. I can let off, and ease back into it and it will catch up. After a couple times of this, it straightens out and does ok. Just started this about a week ago. If the block heater is plugged in, it doesn't happen. Any ideas?

Lassie · Apr 3, 2013

It's not your trans. Injector stiction is what you have. When truck is cold, it's not making the power it should and the trans shifts are late, rough, etc, etc.

Zmann · Apr 3, 2013

agreed not trans related because it goes away with the block heater

and the theory that the warmer coolant is heating the trans fluid in the radiators fluid to fluid trans cooler doesn't work since the trans is bypassing the cooler until 180*

protraxrptr17 · Apr 3, 2013

Engine runs smooth as silk. Even cold. Starts right up hot or cold. Definitely not stiction. Im sure it has something to do with line pressure when coolant temp is below a certain temp. Not a trans expert but its definitely transmission related.

constantfix · Apr 3, 2013

Try going back to stock setting and see if the problem goes away.

The why and how, I havent a clue...but the same thing happens on a tune or two that I have. If I go to stock setting, rough shifting goes away while truck is cold.

I just live with it and feather the pedal, until truck is up to temp

Zmann · Apr 3, 2013

When I had light stiction and finally down 2 injectors I swore it was My transmission

Lassie · Apr 3, 2013

Yep, the first time most experience stiction, they'd swear they're losing a trans. Just finished putting a set of eight in a truck that started and idled as smooth as any. When she was throttled cold, RPM would get to 3000 and wouldnt shift until you let off. Cold natured as hell. Eight injectors cured his "transmission problem". The block heater part is a tell tale on yours.

constantfix · Apr 3, 2013

Zmann said:
When I had light stiction and finally down 2 injectors I swore it was My transmission

Lassie said:
Yep, the first time most experience stiction, they'd swear they're losing a trans. Just finished putting a set of eight in a truck that started and idled as smooth as any. When she was throttled cold, RPM would get to 3000 and wouldnt shift until you let off. Cold natured as hell. Eight injectors cured his "transmission problem". The block heater part is a tell tale on yours.

You know what guys, im going to stop offering suggestions & just listen.

I guess im going to be shopping around for 8 new injectors haha

I recently had two injectors removed & replaced (155's)...my jerky/ bucking /engine lugging went away (45mph & above)...but I still do have what the op was describing..I really did just think it was a tuning quirk & didn't consider any bigger/ underlying issue..especially considering it went away once warm

Crap

Zmann · Apr 3, 2013

you could always give one of the stiction chemicals a shot

Rev-x
Archoil
HotShots

MorganY · Apr 4, 2013

Your block heater has no effect on transmission temperature. None. The trans temp is the same whether you plug the block in or not. And if the problem goes away when warm, or if the engine is plugged in, it is engine related....i.e. Injectors

You have a miss. Take it to someone with IDS or AE.

JGman141 · Apr 4, 2013

Younger1993 said:
Your block heater has no effect on transmission temperature. None. The trans temp is the same whether you plug the block in or not. And if the problem goes away when warm, or if the engine is plugged in, it is engine related....i.e. Injectors

You have a miss. Take it to someone with IDS or AE.

:whs: I had the same thing happen to me. I had 2 bad injectors that were making the trans act stupid when cold.

protraxrptr17 · Apr 4, 2013

I appreciate the suggestions, but its not missing. The trans SLIPS. I know what wore out injectors feel like and this ain't it. I know there are some changes the TCM makes to shift points and timing when coolant temp is below normal. This is the connection to the block heater. I feel like I have a small trans problem that is magnified by the programmer and tuned FICM. This problem started a week after I put on the FICM. What exactly does the "tuning" do? I can't really tell it made much difference in power, and it may be causing this problem also.

protraxrptr17 · Apr 4, 2013

Well, checked trans temp before start up this morning. Block heater plugged in all night. Ambient temps in the low 40s. Trans temp was a toasty 84 degrees.

Mark Kovalsky · Apr 4, 2013

I think you should put a new trans in it. Once that is done if you still have the problem you can still look at the injectors.

Pizza pig · Apr 4, 2013

Its not the trans slipping. Go do a power balance with an ids and it will tell you which injectors need to be replaced.

MorganY · Apr 4, 2013

protraxrptr17 said:
Well, checked trans temp before start up this morning. Block heater plugged in all night. Ambient temps in the low 40s. Trans temp was a toasty 84 degrees.

84 isn't toasty, not nearly enough to consider warm, as far as the PCM is concerned, that's cold.

Zmann · Apr 4, 2013

protraxrptr17 said:
Well, checked trans temp before start up this morning. Block heater plugged in all night. Ambient temps in the low 40s. Trans temp was a toasty 84 degrees.

Like mentioned the block heater had no responsibility for that 84*trans temp it either didn't sit long enough or something is up

Mark has it right Your hell bent on the tranny being the issue and nothing else can sway you

from what I remember the cold shift gear select strategy isn't even in play here as far as I recall the temp must be much lower so?

Mark can clear that up maybe it does do some shift strategy it doesn't use the variable gear ?
IDK but good luck

Mark Kovalsky · Apr 4, 2013

When the trans is colder than 0°F it will shift 1-2-3-4-6. Once it is warmer than 0°F it will shift 1-2-3-5-6.

A block heater WILL warm the transmission somewhat. I've tested this in extreme cold. We had to get the trans cold to do cold weather testing. If we left the block heater on all night the trans wouldn't get cold enough. We let them sit overnight without being plugged in, then plugged them in about 2 hours before we started them. The trans would stay pretty close to the temp it was at when it was plugged in, but the engine warmed enough to get it to start.

protraxrptr17 · Apr 5, 2013

I just read part of a 15 page thread on powerstroke.org about 3-5 shift flare. That is exactly what my truck is doing. Kovalsky was mentioned there and maybe even replied. I havent read the entire thing yet. The slipping/flaring only happens on the 3-5 shift. Can I get any serious input or help now, or do I still have to listen to this injector BS and being treated like a total newb?