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4x4 2x2 5R55E

kkilcrease

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Joined
November 29, 2010
Messages
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City, State
VA BEACH
Year, Model & Trim Level
1997 EXPLORER XLT
Can someone please tell me if a 5R55E 4x4 transmission will work in the 2wd if the transmission pan is changed, the output shaft and the rear housing are changed on a 1997 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0 SOHC 5R55E 2WD.
the transmission look the same other than the output shaft, rear housing and trans pan
 



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I'm not familiar enough with the 5R55E specifically, but for most transmissions, the answer to your question is, "yes, but..."

Normally, the output shaft is the last thing to come out during a teardown/rebuild and the first thing to go back in. So, when someone's goal is to avoid the expense/hassle of rebuilding the existing, this usually isn't the way to go. If, on the other hand, you were going to rebuild it anyway, then it may not matter.
 






Wondering what is different about oil pan on a given transmission, between 4X4 and 2X4? Are the "guts" inside different? Or maybe clearance for exh. pipes? imp
 






Wondering what is different about oil pan on a given transmission, between 4X4 and 2X4? Are the "guts" inside different? Or maybe clearance for exh. pipes? imp

The 4x4 pan is 3 inches deeper and the 4x4 filter has a plastic extension on the bottom of it to extend the pickup point further down into the deeper sump of the pan...

As far as I can tell the internals are the same and the exhaust pipes generally run along the passenger side of the tranny so the pan is not as issue...

If you need to run a 4x4 tranny on a rwd vehicle the only issue I would be concerned with is the yoke fitting the back of the tranny and sealing to the tranny...And if the driveshaft would clear the extension housing that would normally bolt to a transfer case...
 






The 4x4 pan is 3 inches deeper and the 4x4 filter has a plastic extension on the bottom of it to extend the pickup point further down into the deeper sump of the pan...

Sounds as though the 4X4 trans. held a bit more fluid, then....maybe the designers expect higher temps., want more juice in the system? imp
 






I converted a original 2wd 4R55E to a 4wd drive. the gut is the same except for the tail shaft, extension housing which I changed and the pan. And just for the heck of it last week during the "3 weeks of hell" I did tried to put the
2wd driveshaft in place of transfer case because I was tired of taking it on and off multiple times and it measure just right by eyeballing it. I changed my mind the last minute and left it at 4x4 configuration. The inside of the 4R55E tranny guts is definitely the same because I disassembled both of them at the same time and swap parts with one another last year.
 






Thanks for the input I got a killer deal on this Explorer the only problem is the transmission it would not move after it ran for about a min or two so I flushed it an change the filter it was pretty plugged up, after the flush I could drive it but it did not want to up shift then the trans started to make a whineing noise and slipping real bad. so Im going to pull it this weekend and tear it down
 






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