Originally posted by New Style TSS article above:

With the new design sensor, air gap and geartrain endplay become critical for sensor output. Keep this in mind if you're unable to locate the previous design sensor. The maximum air gap shouldn't exceed.030". Notice that the previous design sensor had an exposed pole piece, the new design sensor doesn't. The exposed pole piece gave the magnetic field more exposure to the tab, which increased signal strength. The previous design sensor had a black plastic body with a metal holddown bracket. It measured about 180 ohms at 750 E
You can identify the new design sensor (PFN XS7Z-7MI01-KA) by its white plastic body and integrated mounting tab. It measures about 800 ohms at 750 E. Currently, it is the only replacement sensor offered by Ford.


It seems to be a problem mainly in older vehicles where some of the aforementioned factors come into play. One of my test cars was an unmolested 2000 Contour, which had no problem with the new design sensor.

If you're having persistent TCC or ratio error codes, take a look under the front left fender. If you see the telltale white plastic sensor, see if you can get a hold of one of the following part numbers: F7RZ-7MI01-AA or F3RZ7MI01-A. Use caution, as Ford has superceded these part numbers to the new design, so make certain your dealer or parts supplier has the actual part number. You might get lucky and your local dealer or parts supplier could still have the previous design sensor in stock. Otherwise, the best recommendation is to find a good used sensor.





Kermit, from this article, it states that gear play (slop in the gears in other words) and air gap are to blame for problems on the older vehicles. It is a hit and miss sort of thing. It does not seem to matter which year your CD4E is, but how much wear and tear there is on it. It the aformentioned 626 in the article, the problems came about because the gears in the car had either too much slack in the gears or gap of the sensor and the ribs where too far apart (the whole air gap thing). That is basically what it is saying about using this new style sensor on an older tranny.

I don't want to come off to everyone as trying shoot this down or anything. I am not, I just wanted to point out this article. No Kermit, I know that is not what you are trying to do. Don't worry. This article just points out a lot of good points that will come up in the future as more and more of us need to change our TSS. Also bear in mind that this is the only version of the sensor avaliable. Even all the older model CD4E's part numbers have been changed over to this new one.

Phillip Jackson `98 Mystique LS 262K+ and counting... ATX rebuilt @ 151K "This storm has broken me, my only friend!" RIP Dime