Transmission Leak from unknown part

[o2rustyw02]

I have a 2005 explorer limited v8, it has the auto engaging 4wd and can also select 4wd hi or low. The leak is coming from what a friend told me is an actuator, I can not find this on the internet any where. I'm guessing it's called som else. On the passenger side of the transmission, directly above the front right corner of the transmission pan, there are 2 round things. They may both be called the same thing, I dont know. But any way, my friend said a snap ring that holds it in had broken. So he replaced it. Its leaking again and I can see the snap ring has come unseated. I will try and post pics

 

[imp]

I have a 2005 explorer limited v8, it has the auto engaging 4wd and can also select 4wd hi or low. The leak is coming from what a friend told me is an actuator, I can not find this on the internet any where. I'm guessing it's called som else. On the passenger side of the transmission, directly above the front right corner of the transmission pan, there are 2 round things. They may both be called the same thing, I dont know. But any way, my friend said a snap ring that holds it in had broken. So he replaced it. Its leaking again and I can see the snap ring has come unseated. I will try and post pics

Those plates cover the servos which operate the bands. They consist of a large hole bored in the transmission case, in which are pistons which are forced by hydraulic oil pressure to squeeze the bands tightly about clutch drums, to keep them from spinning.

The snap rings are not seals at all, but rather seat in a groove to prevent the piston from being forced out of it's cylinder. The servo cover plates are sealed against fluid leakage by O-rings. I can see that the snap ring shown is either unseated or broken, or that the transmission case itself has cracked, allowing the ring to protrude out of it's groove, releasing force on the O-ring, allowing leakage. The first two conditions, unseated or broken, are easy fixes. The third, case cracking, is not. imp

 

[o2rustyw02]

Thank you, I snap the ring back into place, but it's still leaking. The leak is much less, but it is still leaking after a good cleaning. It took about 30 seconds to start leaking after fired back up in park.

 

[Drewmcg]

If the case is not cracked, as Imp mentioned, you'll probably need to replace the servo pistons, which have a rubber gasket around the outer diameter to seal. They also have a inner rod that slides through narrow bores that are notorious from wearing over time on these transmissions, which then slip and have all sorts of problems.

How many miles on your transmission?

I suggest you check these guys out: Ford Lincoln Mercury Explorer Mountaineer Navigator Servo Bore Fix . They are very, very good. I purchased their servo repair kit (both overdrive and intermediate servos) for a little over $200. I've only installed the overdrive servo so far, which immediately corrected the o/d blinking light/ overdrive slipping condition I had.

The hardest part of that job was getting the snap rings out--something your trans did on its own! It must be trying to tell you something. That, or you haven't owned it that long and the last owner did the repair and failed to install new snap rings correctly. It is a pretty simply job after you get the snap rings off.

The owners/techs at AJ1E are good guys, who respond to emails asking for help/advice. Highly recommended.