97 7.3L diesel E4OD Shifts Extremely Hard! HELP!

[ajwaldrop]

So I bought this truck knowing it had a bad torque converter and possible bad trans. So after inspecting I found a lot of metal in the torque converter and it seemed locked upon driving it. So I put a new rebuilt transmission and torque converter in and it still shifted hard. this first transmission died after only 60 miles. So the shop built me another one and sent another new converter. Put this one in and it shifted hard. After driving it 10 miles it suddenly became better. The next day it shifted hard then smooth then hard again. You just never know. When I say it shifts hard I mean it feels like its going to drop out any moment. So then I replaced.

1) Vehicle speed sensor VSS
2) Throttle Position Sensor
3) Took out speedometer cluster and cleaned connections put back in.

Neither of these things helped. I also reset the Odometer/speedometer. Every time I think it's ok it goes back to shifting hard. I noticed that when it shifts hard that it acts weird when I put it in reverse. Like it idles down farther than when putting in drive. Also I noticed that I have an RPM difference when I shift from Park to 1st (800rpm) than park to drive (1000rpm). Weird.

Also I checked the fluid level many times.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[ajwaldrop]

Forgot to mention that the Over drive light never blinks however it does work. No engine codes either.

[ianstew]

did you replace the tranny cooler when you replaced the tranny? maybe the cooler had shavings as well.....and they have now gotten into your new converter and trsnny

[97 golden stroker]

did you reset the computer befor you drove the truck becuse if not the computer may think that the tranny is still mest up.

[ajwaldrop]

I cleaned the trans cooler twice but I had the same thought. I disconnected the battery for a whole day and then connected again. I assume that would reset it?

[ajwaldrop]

Oh.. also under hard acceleration it shifts fine.

[ianstew]

maybe the shop your using is not doing something right......

[Type 2 Sniffer]

It sounds like you are still in fail safe mode. I don't know if just unhooking the batteries will clear it. I know with the ABS it doesn't. Hope you figure it out. Have you dropped the pan and checked i there are any shavings in the fluid? If not, I think ianstew is right.

[mrubel]

if you are in fail safe mode you will need to get an OBDII scanner to clear that mode. if not then maybe the engine mounts are loose. when the engine mounts are loose that can cause the erratic idle. the shavings in the torque converter are from the converter locking up and not being able to unlock. i had the same problem with mine and i put a new converter in it and it seemed to run fine. are u sure the tranny is good? there are shops out there that say they rebuilt them but just held it for a while and sent it back.

[kpapendi]

Is there a protocol for resetting the computer?