Questions and Answers

Ford Expedition Possessed By The Devil Q. All BS aside, I'd like to thank you in advance. This is such a great service you're doing. You might be the first mechanic I know who isn't selfish about your knowledge and the amount of time and attention you devote to this just amazes me.

My dilemma is with a 2002 Ford Expedition XLT, 5.4 liter SOHC V-8 and automatic transmission. Background info: my Aunt drove it without any oil; crushed bearings, bent valves and so on and so forth. Purchased a rebuilt engine from Jaspers, about 70,000 miles, and found someone who knew someone who knew someone who was supposedly a mechanic to install it for a cheap price.

It was okay for a few days, and then the transmission just seemed to have disengaged while in the middle of the highway. After that, the same thing would happen just after starting it, as soon as 5 minutes up to about 30 minutes. RPM fluctuation, 200 rpms, when you shift from PARK to REVERSE or NEUTRAL to DRIVE is acceptable so I know the transmission is engaged because of the load put on the engine, but correct me if I'm wrong, but it just won't move.

Check Engine Light came with a #3 cylinder misfire and TCC Temperature too high or something in that sense. Sorry, my $10.00 scanner displays the code and clears it in 3 seconds. It hasn't come up since.

I observed 4 things that happen in sequence, but in different orders: blower motor stops working, just the front ones, the rear ones keep running; odometer goes blank, I see a ---------- instead; overdrive light starts to flash continuously, no pauses, so I couldn't get a pattern; auto door lock program kicks in. This is usually the last thing to happen and just as the doors lock... Tada! I stop moving.

After observing all these and reading the owner's manual, I tried to undo the auto door lock program. I can't justify my train of thought but I just had to try it. I couldn't, I'd get all the corresponding lights from the dashboard just as the manual said I should, but at the end of the steps, instead of a beep from the horn to confirm, I hear a buzz from somewhere. And the doors still lock on their own and the transmission is gone right after.

Here's another train of thought I can't explain, but I was convinced I should try. Usually, after the transmission shuts down, I have to wait for at least 30 minutes to an hour before I could get another 5 minutes of movement from the car. So, right after I lost movement, I removed the key, unlocked the car from the inside with the keyless remote and started the car again, and I started to move, until the sequence I mentioned completed itself and I lost movement again. I did this several times, over and over just to make sure that it wasn't a fluke. And every time I unlocked the doors with the remote before starting the car, it would move, up until the sequence, and then I repeat the process all over again. Without fail.

My field is in computers. I know nothing about this car's engine/transmission operation, heck; I'm not even a car enthusiast. But, I am convinced that the problem is electrical.

The mechanic who installed the engine said that it is unrelated and that I need to install a new transmission. I have talked with 6 other mechanics from different shops; all of them transmission specialists. They all say that the transmission has to be rebuilt or to have a new or used transmission installed.

Parts and labor for the new engine was already a bundle and it's too much of a coincidence for me to believe that the transmission just conked out just days after installing a new engine.

Like I said, this is not my field, so feel free to call me a stupid moron who doesn't know what I'm talking about. I'd just be more comfortable hearing it from someone who doesn't have a couple thousand to gain from me.

Also, none of these mechanics could clearly or exactly explain what's wrong, what caused it or what a definite repair procedure would be. I found that very strange.

Is rebuild or replace the only solution there is?

Thank you again...

A. I think I have to agree with you in that this is more of an electrical problem and not a mechanical problem. And since there is a preponderance of electrical problems with systems that are not normally related, we have to try and come up with something that's common to all of them.

Since they abilities of the engine installer is in doubt, I would go over every wiring harness and connector to be sure the connectors are correctly installed and tightly locked. The connectors are idiot proof, but when you idiot proof something, nature just evolves a better idiot. Also make sure the harnesses are not pinched or cut.

After you do that, what I would like to try is this; get a piece of electrical wire, like you would use to repair a lamp. Split it into two pieces and cut one in half and put a strong spring loaded clamp on the ends. Now connect one from the frame to the engine block, the fire wall to the engine block and the engine block to the negative terminal of the battery. Make sure you have a real good connection.

What you are doing with this is bypassing the vehicle grounds and insuring a good ground connection for testing purposes. If you were to use eyelets instead of the clamps and put them under a bolt that would be even better.

Once that's done, check all the fuses with a test light or ohmmeter to be sure they are good. I distrust visual checking as a fuse may look good, but actually be bad. Then take it for a drive and see what happens.

Hopefully you will find a problem with the harness or the addition of the ground wires will solve the problem. After your glowing praise I wish there was more I could offer you.