Engine stalls when in reverse 1 out of every 2 times?

MIKE KRUEGER

MEMBER
2000 FORD F-250
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
85,000 MILES

I have a 2000 F250 Diesel 7.3L engine with about 85,000 miles on it. When running at normal temperature and engaging reverse, the engine sputters and dies about 1 out of every 2 times. The Ford Dealer told me to replace the transmission as the torque converter and tranny pump were bad. So I did for $3,000 and I still have the exact same problem. Stalls in reverse. Any idea what may be causing this problem?

7 Replies

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

Look real close for anything that may be rubbing when the engine is loaded a certain direction. Try wiggling the wiring harness while it is idling. Does the PCM have any codes in it or does it just die? Does it start right back up? Does it sputter and die like fuel or does it just shut off like electrical?

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Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 AT 8:12 AM

MIKE KRUEGER

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3 POSTS

In response to your questions, I am not sure what the PCM is, but we have had the compuer diagnostics run and they show nothing is wrong. It always starts right back up as you need to put in park and in park or drive you have no stalling issue. It sputters and dies like fuel, or lack of rpms, or too low idle in reverse, does not feel like an electrical issue to me.

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Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 AT 11:36 AM

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

Have you tried wiggling the wiring harness while it is running to see if it makes a difference? The trans does come to mind first, there isnt really anything different from D to R other than the engine is loaded the opposite direction.

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Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 AT 12:36 PM

MIKE KRUEGER

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3 POSTS

Apparently the issue is in the transmission cooler radiator, which is attached to the engine radiator, so I have to replace the whole thing. It supposedly gets restricted flow. The tranny tech bypassed the tranny radiator cooler and just ran it in a straight loop and the stalling problem has gone bye-bye. Sound possible?

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Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 AT 4:16 PM

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

I dont specialize in transmissions, but if it fixed it. The thing I dont like is that the cooler should have been checked when the trans was done, now the debris that was restricting the flow is in the new trans. Might want to hit them up about that.