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The 5R55E and the infamous 2-3 shift flare issue

trans filter

thanks for the words of encouragement, whoops, already installed the filter on the line going into the top of the radiator, and, yes it would be "before" the trans internal cooler and the oem add on cooler. I might flush them out today when i start putting in a cleaned VB. what valve controls the transmission pressure, is it one valve or a combination of a few. I'm going to clean and assemble my spare vb but i was just curious so i can look for a clog or stick component. also, i s it ok to clean the vb with mineral spirits, thanks again for the help...
 



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Place an external filter on the trans outlet side if the trans has never had issues(debris in fluid). Once there has been an issue, it's better to place the filter just before the trans(return). You want to keep debris out of the trans(VB) the most, but if you do it early enough it will save the coolers and lines also. When a trans dies you are supposed to replace the radiator and coolers, due to the debris that will remain.

There is a Sonnax part number which includes one VB spring and valve, to raise the overall pressure. That's one last part I need myself, and it runs about $30 I believe.
 






spare vb is now cleaned

well, i got the spare vb all apart and cleaned everything, some of the plugs were tricky to get out but there WAS a lot of black fluid in there. could not tell if anything was stuck but i think it could have been. i have been running the truck with the filter installed trying to get as much cleaning as possible, to date, i have had three fluid exchanges in the past month or two. it there any where else when the dirt could be causing a problem. i dont think i had lost the sep plate gasket but all the pressures were low when i tested them. later this week i will install the fresh vb with a new gasket. i also will put in the new epc, hopefully, it didnt get screwed up on a day. i never did blow the trans , just started with the 2-3 flare and then progressed to losing reverse and now wont shift into third either. what exactly regulater the system pressure. the diagnosis shows lower pressures on the epc port than the test port, how does it build pressure downstream from the epc, isnt it backwards, you can lower pressure but not raise it above the source pressure.
 






blown direct clutch

well, after numerous ventures into the land of valve body and solenoids, a local trans shop had offered to help me diagnose the continuing problem. the guy had a snap-on trans scanner and we tok a test drive. now remember i do not have third gear or reverse. well, it is actually forth gear that is out ... the only common element of fourth and reverse is the direct clutch. the scanner was able to make different commands to the trans. we changed epc pressure electricall and verified that all the vb work i had done was ok, a little sigh of relief on my part, but still no fourth or reverse. they are tearing it down monday and are expecting to see a bad direct clutch, i am expecting this as well. they are going to rebuild it back to normal for a very reasonable fee. plus do all the installing of the unit. i must express caution to everyone working on the 2-3 flare issue. had i been able to fully understand how the trans works and thinks i might have had better luck in the beginning. all the work i did was to correct a 2-3 flare, actually that was not the problem but i would have sworn it was. the "good" scanner showed that my trans was shifting from 1 to 3 most of the time except under HEAVY throttle. under partial throttle the 1-2 shift was so quick and slight it was not noticeable. the flare i had was "exactly" as was described by many posters here and other places on the web. it appears that the system was losing pressure, possibly, from the clutches and valve body that contributed to allowing the direct clutch to slip on all the shifts. it also explains why the reverse gear was working on the level ground but would lurch and jerk when you tried to back up an incline. also, going into 4th gear is usually at highway speeds with little load so you would not normally see or feel it slipping. my advise to all, make sure it is 2-3 not 3-4 where your problem lies. the end result would not be any different for me, but, others might be able to diagnose their problems easier with a clear understanding of this trans and computer. the pressure gages were the answer for me, you must check BOTH ports, line and epc , to see what is going on inside. i had low epc pressure but it was caused by low line pressure. all of which was getting lower by the direct clutch causing a huge leak in the unit. i will report back as to what we actually find next week. i hope this is what we find, a broken part is much easier to understand and fix than the computer, solenoids or other things.
 






blown clutch

yep, as suspected the direct clutch is totally destroyed, even broke parts of the drum. now we are waiting for parts to rebuild the unit, total cost $2000. I cant stress enough that problems with flare or "suspected" flare be addressed immediately. i also can attest that this trans is very sensitive to annual fluid changes. mine was so full of crud it is a wonder it worked in man1 and man2. should be back in two days, i will report on how well it works with a full rebuild. i wou7ld expect that with the addition of a REAL filter externally and regular fluid changes this trans would have been fine for a long time. lets not forget, the "friction" parts of a trans are going to wear no matter what, that is what they do. and there is only so much material on the friction parts. i have received zero support from the dealer where i bought this, and since i was foolish enough to buy it without a warranty, shame on me. please please please, if you are buying one of these transmissions, drive it for at LEAST a half hour. this will get the unit up to full temperature so you can see if it is working properly. remember, mine worked ok on the test drive but showed slipping on my trip home from the dealer an hour later. i know, i know, you all are going to tell me i was a boob and should have gone back (and i did) but in typical dealership fashin, they replied...not my problem..i fully hold myself accountable for being stupid in this purchase. and i usually say "never again" but i would be lying to myself...it is easy to get excited about a vehicle purchase and forget many of the things we know to watch for..
 






Hohoho from The Great White North!! Nowhere near the north pole but just as white!!

Glacier991 has put to print what is going on in a 5R55e much more clearly than I could. There is alot going on on that in that trans than most people realize.

First off, it is my opinion that the 5R55E is a very very good trans especially concidering that it's based on the somewhat weak and not-so reliable A4LD. The valvebody gaskets and EPC solenoid are the worst part and I can honestly say that I do not overhaul 5R55E trans very often. Keep in mind that I deal with stock vehicles that are mostly still under warranty or relitively low KM's -- less than 200,000 KM.

When the VB gaskets fail, it can cause many differant symptoms in addition to the famous 2-3 flare. I have seen almost every symptom from manual 2nd gear or reverse only to no movement at all. Why ???? Because the gasket failure usually happens right near the EPC solenoid which controls the main line pressure of the trans. A major leak there can cause a loss of pressure so great that the trans simply won't move.

I might sound like a broken record but it is my opinion that a VB overhaul along with installation of the service kit and a NEW EPC solenoid will correct about 90% of all problems with these transmissions.

Another problem that crops up once in awhile is a physical failure of the EPC. Sometimes the tab that is machined into the solenoid breaks off and allows the solenoid to move from the VB-- and a huge pressure loss. A similair failure is caused by the metal retaining bracket that bolts onto the VB and holds the shift ,TCC and EPC solenoids in place.
I am listening to all the expert advice about the 5R55E up-shift flare. My question is how do you get an A.T. shop to fix/rebuild/replace only the valve body or the VB gaskets and the EPC solenoid? Shops always seem to want to do a COMPLETE rebuild costing big dollars? Any ideas. I am in Southern California. Thanks, Bill M.
 












2-3 Flare Success Story

I have a 2000 XLS OHV 5R55E with 142K miles. Contracted the infamous 2-3 flare about two weeks ago. I took it to the local tranny shop for diagnosis. A code scan returned P0733 (3rd gear ratio). Got an estimate for $1800 for overhaul. After searching the net for possible alternatives, I stumbled on this forum. Reading Glacier's VB diary gave me the courage to attempt to fix the problem myself. This was my first experience at servicing an automatic tranny. After taking the VB apart, I discovered blown gaskets near the reverse servo as well as shift solenoids. I performed the factory EPC TSB, as well as replaced the EPC solenoid, reverse servo seals/cover gasket, solenoid bracket, filter, and pan gasket. After reassembly and refill with 7 quarts of Mercon V, I took her out for a road test. While shifting was much better, the flare was still there. It was bad enough to set off the flashing OD off indicator after an hour of driving.

After further research, I decided to replace the OD and intermediate servos. A cursory inspection revealed the following. The heat shield was pushed out of the way leaving the servo covers exposed to the catalytic converter's heat. Both covers were wet. There were significant rust on the cat's fasteners. After a PB Blaster soaking, I was able to remove two out of the three front fasteners. The rest had to be carefully cut off using a dremel tool. Removal of the cat allowed limited access to the servo covers. To remove the covers without dropping the pan, I devised a tool to press in the covers for removal of the snap rings. The tool is simply two bolts and a hex coupler installed between the frame and the cover and adjusted to press against the frame. The intermediate cover popped out giving me the ATF shower I was avoiding by not removing the pan. The OD cover on the other hand did not want to come out. I epoxied a block of wood to the cover whic allowed me to easily pulled it out. I later released the epoxy bond by applying heat to the cover. The servo pistons did not look worn but I went ahead and replaced them along with new cover seals.

After servos replacement, I also adjusted the bands. I had to make a special trip to sears to pick up a 8-point 5/15 socket as my 12-point 3/8 was stripped. I had great difficulty adjusting as there were significant corrosion on the adjusting studs. I would recommend a thorough cleaning of the threads including chasing them out with a die before attempting to adjust.

After replenishing the spilled Mercon V, I went on another test drive. This time, the flare was gone. Thank you all for posting these invaluable tips. They saved me big bucks and taught me alot about automatic trannies.
 






So, as I'm researching how to change my 2002 trans fluid and filter I stumble onto this thread. What great info! Kudos to all the forum community.

Questions:

- My vehicle's 2-to-3 shift seems to "hang"...is this the same as the "flare"?

- I often get quite a kick when a shift completes. I only have seen this
kick/hard shift mentioned once in this thread. Is this symptom related to
the EPC and or VB problems as well?

BTW, After quite a few hours of reading I'm still not clear on the best way to drain (as well as possible) my 5R55W trans. Is dropping the pan and letting it sit for a while the best I can do?

As always, thanks for any enlightenment.
 






5R55E no 2nd gear

Been reading this and the VB thread for a week and still cant seem to make these symptoms /cures fit my particular case.... my truck goes to 2800-3000 rpm then shifts into ??? i think 3rd gear, all other shifting is normal up and down ,If i lift off gas pedal @ about 2000-2500 rpm it will shift easy into 3rd. Last weekend I flushed and filter and also torqued VB bolts to 95 "lbs, @ 1st test run it shifted normally but upon stopping went back to before .OD off lite has been flashing almost always. Whatcha think ? 02 Ranger Edge 3.0 2wd
 






when in doubt... REREAD

:usa: Funny what all I missed ,even after reading all these threads the last 10 days but... reread,its all there.went to Ford Garage today ,Plate w/gaskets #1L5Z7Z490BA-$31.65,EPC pressure relief valve $28.32,reverse servo gasket $4.10 .ordered all solenoids from Wholesale trans. last nite $96 :thumbsup: wish me luck,with all the info & pics from here it should not be a problem !!!
 






Mystery Healing

:usa:monday trans was shifting better on way to work ,much better on way home wOD off lite flashing for only part of ride.Tues shifting is almost back to normal and no flashing OD lite ,WTF cant believe this fixed itself ??? I had already disconnected negative cable ,for about 5 min. when this started,after the locking gas cap broke,did not replace for a week CEL came on ...new gas cap CEL went off ,then 2 days later OD off lite starts flashing & shifting into 2nd ?? 3rd??? is all f'd up ???? now after I spend $170 on parts ( previous post ) but before i install them things seem to be back to normal ,40 key cycles ???? I am really confused :usa:
 






hi,,a lot of good info here!
i have a 2004 lincoln aviator
and, i have the same problem,at 72k miles ,

-the transmission when up-shifting like in between 30 to 40 miles per hour,,has that bump up,,like is not shifting right!

and i notice that when the tranny is cold it does not do that,,when it starts to be warm it starts doing that,,

also can someone point me where is that thing to check the fluid,
because i have purchase this vechile from a private junk yard,(about 2-3 m/ago)
,damage and i fixed it,everything runs,,,on the car,the only problem now is the shifting at 30-40m per hr,

i did some reading in here,and litlle confuse,,what exactly should i check first?
the fluid?,or change fluid first?,,then see others..
and where exactly is locate the ECP solenoid,,and what to check?
and sorry ,the VB what it stands for?

any help i really appreciate!!

thank you
 






Welcome to this forum! The VB is the valve body. There is a part called the EPC (electronic pressure control) solenoid. The newer transmissions have it integrated into a solenoid block. The 5R55E has discrete solenoids. The newer transmissions have no dipstick in the engine compartment to check or refill them. You have to perform all of this work under the vehicle.
 






Welcome to this forum! The VB is the valve body. There is a part called the EPC (electronic pressure control) solenoid. The newer transmissions have it integrated into a solenoid block. The 5R55E has discrete solenoids. The newer transmissions have no dipstick in the engine compartment to check or refill them. You have to perform all of this work under the vehicle.
so maybe is better to check fluids ,and or change fluids ,before i start changing anything?

and this tranny oil check,,can that be done by me,,or i need it to take it to a shop?
thanks
 






As a general rule, it's always a good idea to check the fluid before replacing parts or making adjustments. There is a sticky thread on the top of the transmission section called the 5R55W fluid fill. It explains how to check the fluid level, and add fluid if necessary.
 






does anyone know how to check the band? on the 5r55s?
and how to re adjust if is not right?,


thanks
 






okay,,here are the diagnose from aamco transmission (it was done free/cupon)

s2whna.jpg


they did all diagnose in till he got back to the shop,,and then they call me,,
that to fowrd ,,they need to take the pan down,,to luck for any metal in the pan,, and that was all that was included in the diagnose,,
but it was friday and they wanted for me to leave the car over the weekend ,,so i said no,,i need the car,,

and then they said to brink the car next week so they can continue the diagnose,,and next step ,,for 159$ to change my fluid and filter ,and re adjust the bands,, and then go from there...

so now ,,i wanted to do it my self but,,adjusting the bands,,i have no clue,,the guy said that the band are inside the tranny ,,but it need to be adjusted thru outside,

so i dont know,,probly i just will let them deal,,my wife shes like ,,let them do it,,but me hard head,,just keep trying ,,to tell her ,i can do it...

thanks


more info here about 5r55s tranny (from ford mustang 2005,a lot of info)
 






The bands are not very hard to adjust, if you can remove any parts in the way of the adjustment nuts. Our 97-01 trucks have a cat pipe right there, check yours. Also know that those nuts have RTV bonded onto them, Ford wants you to buy new nuts each time. They are about $4-5 each, but you can clean and add RTV if you are very very careful. The adjustment is done while the nut is loose, the shaft/stud is turned a certain amount. You have to hold the stud still while tightening the nut, that isn't that easy. It can be done, but you need to be ready for all of that. Find out what the manual says about the actual adjustment, and then look at the trans to see what is in the way. That $159 is high, but not outrageous. Regards,
 



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