3fe - did trans fail and is it draining battery? Advice deeply begged for (2 Viewers)

[evanjcby]

So - badge of shame for my first post being a "save us" thread...

We're towing a load of about 2500 lbs - drove from Southern California to Banff in Canada with basically no problems.
(Yes a heater hose popped on me and yes I had to fiddle with the radiator fan to get it to stop catching on that bolt... yes wife was already annoyed... but nothing crazy)

MANY steep climbs to get this far - slow, but capable.

All of a sudden climbing a not-so-steep hill yesterday sounded almost like being in neutral. Shifting to 3, nothing... 2, nothing. Crawled to a stop while flooring gas.

I popped the e brake (we were on a hill with a trailer blocking traffic) and key off the ignition. Keying it back on, the truck won't start.

Got a jump from a passerby, engine starts but can't push forward more than a few inches. Cables disconnected after a few minutes, engine turns itself back off after maybe a minute. I tried to put it in low range to at least get onto the shoulder, but no luck.

After maybe 15 minutes the hazards started making a ridiculous clicking and crackling noise from near the shifter...

So - is the trans killing the battery? The alternator fried?

We got towed to Calgary but its a Canadian holiday and the shops are closed.

The only thing I can think of that may be relevant is there is a short somewhere that pops my dome fuse (10) every so often. This controls stereo, door open light, dome lights, gas low light, but NOT hazards. I had left the fuse blown rather than keep replacing it.

It rained pretty hard the night before the issue, but since the car drove basically fine before that hill I kind of doubt its a wetness issue...

The other thing is there was a pretty decent oil slick on the tow truck bed when we got to Calgary. I normally have a tinnnny leak, like a bottlecap or less overnight, so this was new.

Please please and thank you thank you, for any advice you can spare.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Check your battery voltage. It's likely low and needs to be put on a charger. Check your transmission fluid level and transmission lines for leaks.
Hopefully your transmission isn't fried.

 

[evanjcby]

Check your battery voltage. It's likely low and needs to be put on a charger. Check your transmission fluid level and transmission lines for leaks.
Hopefully your transmission isn't fried.

Battery voltage was perfect until it wasn't... but would a drop in voltage cause the engine to tap out?
Will check lines shortly but I've been checking fluids every morning and aside from topping off oil and those two coolant mishaps everything else has been fine...

There's one transmission hose that had a cut in the sheath but no leaks - that might be my suspect to check right now...

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Battery voltage was perfect until it wasn't... but would a drop in voltage cause the engine to tap out?

It could. Then the question would be, why did the voltage drop off. Short or bad alternator? Usually the idiot lights would give you an indication of a problem with the charging circuit.

 

[azusa]

Remove the dipstick for the transmission and smell the fluid, if it smells burnt your transmission is toast.

 

[evanjcby]

Remove the dipstick for the transmission and smell the fluid, if it smells burnt your transmission is toast.

Checking shortly, if it smells fine and that hose is still gooddoes that mean I should be looking at the alternator/battery?

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Checking shortly, if it smells fine and that hose is still gooddoes that mean I should be looking at the alternator/battery?

Check transmission fluid level and color. If level is low, add more. While you're at it, check coolant and oil levels. Charge battery, start the truck and put in gear. If it's still not moving, you have serious issues with the transmission.

 

[jonheld]

Your transmission (A440F) is 100% hydraulic. Nothing to do with electronics.
The loss of drive could be as simple as worn/stripped front drive plates. Have you tried to lock the CDL with the dash switch?
Is the transfer case in neutral??
I have a hard time believing that the transmission has "failed" unless you have completely neglected to change the fluid for the last 30 years, or at least checked the level.

 

[evanjcby]

I've been babying the transmission fluid and all fluids after my coolant situation. It does not smell burnt. It's a slightly orange or color compared to the fresh stuff.

After digging through more threads, I'm beginning to suspect that it could be yet another clogged fuel filter...

That's maybe the reason I could think the engine wouldn't start?

 

[jonheld]

That's maybe the reason I could think the engine wouldn't start?

With the key in the ON position before cranking the starter, does the CHECK ENGINE light illuminate?
No CEL=no start

 

[Marco Lau]

When the tranny goes, 99% was due to overheating, it will start making weird tranny whining noise before you start loosing 2nd, 3rd gear etc. check the fluid level, if isn't burnt, and level within spec, your tranny is fine. Tranny has nothing do with your engine or electronics, so i bet you fried some relay. Get a multimeter, start looking for the obvious 1st, check battery voltage, check EFI relay, check fusible link, check all your groundings, etc. If your alternator is dead, so is your batter, etc.

 

[evanjcby]

. Have you tried to lock the CDL with the dash switch?
Is the transfer case in neutral??.

I was going to try to lock it when the engine cut out, and we were not really in a safe place to experiment unfortunately on the hill. I will try that if I can get it running, and no! Transfer case is not in neutral. There is a leak in the transfer case, and I have not added gear oil… But this seems like an extreme response to that if that were the only issue

 

[evanjcby]

With the key in the ON position before cranking the starter, does the CHECK ENGINE light illuminate?
No CEL=no start

I do get a light! And the hazards go back onto too lol. They don't start doing their weird sound for a few minutes.

When the tranny goes, 99% was due to overheating, it will start making weird tranny whining noise before you start loosing 2nd, 3rd gear etc. check the fluid level, if isn't burnt, and level within spec, your tranny is fine. Tranny has nothing do with your engine or electronics, so i bet you fried some relay. Get a multimeter, start looking for the obvious 1st, check battery voltage, check EFI relay, check fusible link, check all your groundings, etc. If your alternator is dead, so is your batter, etc.

Will check the EFI now!
Did the fluid color look right in the photo above?

 

[Marco Lau]

Will check the EFI now!
Did the fluid color look right in the photo above?

color seems ok, did you check if the fluid has burnt smell?

 

[evanjcby]

Smells exactly like the fresh stuff, somewhere between urine and alcohol. Definitely doesn't smell burnt. Could a blown EFI relay cause the battery to drain too?

Also, thank you also so so much. Really appreciate all of the input!

 

[jonheld]

Smells exactly like the fresh stuff, somewhere between urine and alcohol. Definitely doesn't smell burnt. Could a blown EFI relay cause the battery to drain too?

Also, thank you also so so much. Really appreciate all of the input!

If your CEL illuminates with the key in the ON position, then the EFI relay and associated circuitry is fine.

 

[Marco Lau]

No, your tranny is fine. Your battery will drain if your alternator is bad. Alternator and battery goes hand in hand, one goes, the other one will be on its way out as well. blown EFI fuse is common. there are many threads that talk about that. Put your key on ignition ON position 2 before engine cranks and look for CE light on dash, if no CE light, your rig will not start and replace EFI fuse. But i think you might have a short somewhere in your wiring..

Quick easy way to check, put a multimeter on your battery to verify voltage. If its 12-12.5 or more, your battery still good. Check all your groundings for your battery and make sure all your terminals are tight.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Since drive was lost while towing a load uphill it suggests to me that the transmission overheated. Doesn't mean it's dead. Sometimes all you need is a cool down and then it will be fine again. Fluid level OK?

You mentioned a big oil slick on the tow truck. Did that for sure come from your 80, and is it motor oil or transmission fluid?

 

[evanjcby]

If your CEL illuminates with the key in the ON position, then the EFI relay and associated circuitry is fine.

Ok - thanks! so if engine oil is good, trans fluid good, EFI good, but ignition won't engage... is the only likely thing left the fuel filter/pump, for things that would cause both loss of power and also keep the engine from starting?

When key is in on position as you said, the battery shows as being at about 1/4 up the meter. But I checked the battery itself with a meter and it read about 11 volts...

 

[jonheld]

Ok - thanks! so if engine oil is good, trans fluid good, EFI good, but ignition won't engage... is the only likely thing left the fuel filter/pump, for things that would cause both loss of power and also keep the engine from starting?

When key is in on position as you said, the battery shows as being at about 1/4 up the meter. But I checked the battery itself with a meter and it read about 11 volts...

11 volts is a dead battery.