Another transmission question

I've done a few searches but can't seem to find the same symptoms out there.....My 1999 Ex (54,000 miles)started to 'flare up '(rev up ) when changing up from 2nd to 3rd gear , if I changed it up using the shift lever it wouldn't do it and if I eased of the gas a little just as it was about to change up it wouldn't do it either . The overdrive light would flash sometimes but reset by the next time I used the truck. This all started after a long 12 hour drive in Europe and lasted for a week or so but now seems to have stopped, and now drives fine again .I checked the ATF and it's a light rust colour so I've booked it in to get the ATF changed next week as I doubt it's ever been changed . Do you think this could be the cause of the problem , or could it be a sticky valve or solanoid inside the box (does it have them in there )?
Thanks in advance for any replies it's not easy getting help with an Explorer over here in the UK

Dave

The "flare up" is probably the trans slipping as it tries to shift. I lost 3 Explorer trannies and the fluid changes never helped. Your problem doesn't seem to be a scrapped tranny, but likely has a simple fix that can be done without pulling the tranny. Maybe your valve body bolts have worked loose. This is common.

It almost sounds like a valve body gasket is leaking....if you check the posts by Gcrop it sounds like that was his issue with the 2-3 shift.

Brain said:

It almost sounds like a valve body gasket is leaking....if you check the posts by Gcrop it sounds like that was his issue with the 2-3 shift.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the swift replies guys I guess I'll get the garage to change the ATF still, and check for loose bolts on the valve body / gasket while they've got the pan off . What's the correct torque for the bolts ?

Dave

Update tonight , started to flare up again on my way home from work So it stopped for a day or so and now it's back to it's bad ways again

Dave

The bolt torque is likely okay... they don't just loosen off, but the correct torque is 71-97 lb/in. What to look for when the pan is off is signs of the valve body separator plate gasket torn. Normally you can see it in the area above the shift solenoids on the left hand side, and around the rear servo on the right side rear of the valve body. If it is torn, there is an update kit to change where the valve body relieves EPC pressure to keep it from happening again.

Eneurb said:

The bolt torque is likely okay... they don't just loosen off, but the correct torque is 71-97 lb/in. What to look for when the pan is off is signs of the valve body separator plate gasket torn. Normally you can see it in the area above the shift solenoids on the left hand side, and around the rear servo on the right side rear of the valve body. If it is torn, there is an update kit to change where the valve body relieves EPC pressure to keep it from happening again.

Click to expand...

The gasket is a weak point, but the bolts frequently loosen up also.

Thx guys

I understand that the torque would be out if the gasket had cracked. I have yet to see one with loose bolts. I guess you learn something new everyday.

My 99x :exp: does the exact same thing at around 60,000 miles a couple of years ago. It now has 99,145 miles on it and still works great (if you don't mind the slipping). If the overdrive light comes on just wait till the next red traffic light and shut yor x off then start again. Surprize the light magicaly turned off. Also if you dont want any slippage when you are beginning to accelerate just floor the gas and the transmission creates enough pressure to shift normally. Ford's tranny for the explorer is junk :thumbdwn: . I will wait till the tranny totally dies then put in a new one as its just not worth trying to fix a ford tranny.
By the way I tried to fix the problem with a fluid change but it did nothing.
you get use to the slipping caused by pressure loss in your tranny because of a crappy gasket :fire: . If I were you i'd just run that tranny into the ground and not dump cash to fix a tranny that will just fail again.
good luck.
let me know if you get it fixed or if you get a new one.

Or you could fix the valve body gasket leak to prolong the life of your transmission. Every time it has that shift flare up, it causes more unnecessary wear on your clutches. And I also don't believe that it will fail again if you update the valve body.

Enerub,
Have you ever fixed this problem? Is there a site I can get more info? I am tired of my transmission problem but i've learned to live with it. Fixing this problem requires removal of the transmission and removal of the exaust system so you can drop the tranny. The shop will carge me big bucks to do this and I have no idea how to do it my self. Just seems like too much trouble to do now. I'm close to 100k miles and have never been stuck on the side of the road yet (knock on wood).

This site has more threads on these issues, and more pictures in those threads than all other sites combined. There is a recent thread on a valve body rebuild with pictures and even one on a full transmission rebuild, with pictures (hundreds of em). One of the more fun ones is where a guy is taking parts from other transmissions and retrofitting em.... yep, with pictures! Check the useful threads forum.... and do some searches. I see you are new, Welcome to one of the best sites you could have found. Look no further, LOOK here.

Glacier is right on the money. He is also one of the best guys that can help you with tranny woes. The tranny doesn't have to come out if the problem is valve body related I believe. I don't think you can get a new 5r55e, I think they are all remanufactured. No other OD trannies will fit, unless you want an expensive 700r4 swapped in, which you may as well go out and get a new truck. You trans has probobly lost a lot of life with 40k of slipping and dropped shifts. A reputable shop would charge less than 250 for a valve body fixin'.

I appreciate all of the replies guys , It's so hard finding info on the exploer over here in the UK , the last thing I want to do is let it go near to a Ford 'stealership' and be ripped off by some school kid who will just want to bolt on new parts . I've got a local garage near to me who I trust , I'll pass on the ideas from this board (after hours of munching through the threads on 'valve' body and 'flaring' )and see if they can find the cause . I'm not totally useless myself (happy to change oil ,brakes etc ) but looking at the pictures of the valve body I'm sure I'ld mess it up somehow so best let them poke around first

Thanks
Dave

Here it is... TSB 03-22-10...

FORD: 1995-2001 EXPLORER
1995-2002 RANGER
1996-1997 AEROSTAR
2000-2002 EXPLORER SPORT
2001-2002 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC
MERCURY: 1997-2001 MOUNTAINEER


This article supersedes TSB's 03-11-9, 02-13-8 and 02-08-2 to update the model coverage.

ISSUE:
Some vehicles built prior to 12/1/2001 may exhibit the following shift and engagement conditions:

No 2nd Gear
No 3rd Gear
No Engine Braking In Manual 1st.
Out of specification pressures controlled by the transmission main control valve body separator plate may be the cause.

ACTION:
Verify the condition, the main control valve body separator plate may need to be updated to the latest level. Refer to the following Service Procedure for details.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

CAUTION: A NEW SEPARATOR 7Z490 MUST BE USED WHEN INSTALLING THE SPECIAL SERVICE KIT 7M203 OR ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION DAMAGE MAY OCCUR. REFER TO THE PARTS APPLICATION CHART IN THIS ARTICLE FOR CORRECT SEPARATOR PLATE PART LISTING.



NOTE: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY OTHER CONDITIONS OR COMPONENTS THAT MAY CAUSE SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AND IS ONLY WRITTEN TO COVER THESE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.



NOTE: AN IN-LINE SERVICE FILTER IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE ADDED OR REPLACED FOR THIS TSB.



Verify that one or more of the following conditions exist.
Low Line Pressure While In Drive At WOT
No 2nd And/Or No 3rd Gear
No Engine Braking In Manual 1st
DTC P0732, P0733 Or P1762
Install Kit (3L5Z-7M203-JA) to update the main control valve body assembly, refer to the installation procedures found in the kit.
Reinstall the main control by continuing to follow the installation steps listed in the Workshop Manual, in-vehicle service, main control valve body.
After completing the procedure, verify the condition has been corrected.
Clear all DTCs.

Part Application Chart
Vehicle Application Engineering Description Qty. New Service Part Use on Transmission Application 7000 -Reference Only-
95/96 Models ONLY
95/97 Models Separator Plate to Case Gasket 1 2L5Z-7C155-AA ALL
95/97 Models Separator Plate to Main Control Gasket 1 2L5Z-7D100-BA ALL
95/96 Models - ALL Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F5TZ-7A008-CA 95GT-AA/BA/CA/DA/EA/FA/ GA;96GT-BA/CADB/EB/FA/ GA/HA/KA/MA/NA
97 Models ONLY
97 2.3L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-AB 97GT-GC
97 3.0L OHV Ranger/Aerostar Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-AB 97GT-EC/FC/MC/NC/RE/SE
97 4.0L OHV Ranger/Aerostar Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-CB 97GT-KE/LE
97 4.0L OHV Explorer/Mountaineer Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-DB 97GT-KF/LF
97 4.0L SOHC Explorer/Mountaineer Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-EB 97GT-AE/BE
1998-2001 Models ONLY
98/01 2.5L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-DA 98GT-GA; XL5P-CA
98/00 3.0L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-EA 98GT-EB/FB; XL5P-AA/BA
98/00 4.0L - EI Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-FA 98GT-KB/LB; XL5P-DA/EA/FA
98/00 4.0L - EI Explorer Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-GA 98GT-CB/DB; XL2P- EA/FA
98/00 4.0L - SOHC Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-HA 98GT-AA/BA; XL2P- CA/DA
2001-2002 Models ONLY
2001/2002 2.3L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-AA 1L5P-CA
2001/2002 3.0L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-BA 1L5P-AA/BA
2001/2002 4.0L-SOHC - ALL Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-CA 1L5P-DA/EA
ALL MODELS
1995-2002 ALL as Listed Above Valve Body Service Kit 1 3L5Z-7M203-JA ALL




PART NUMBER PART NAME
3L5Z-7M203-JA Valve Body Service Kit


OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES:
NONE

SUPERSEDES:
03-11-9, 02-13-8, 02-8-2

WARRANTY STATUS:
Eligible Under Provisions Of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Coverage

Eneurb - you are one of the best "new" things to come along on this board in ages! Thanks!

My thanks too, Eneurb. I ordered the kit from www.fordpartsnetwork.com.
They sell the 7M203 "valve assembly" for $13.68, and the 7Z490 "plate assembly" for $13.65.

At those prices, I wanted to have the parts on hand when I drop the pan on mine. I'll probably do the upgrade, if I don't see a torn gasket or clogged solenoid. (My problem is the ubiquitous occasional 2-3 shift flare.)

wow... I read this post and I can't believe the ford automatics. Luckily I have the 5 speed mazda which cannot slip like that. However, it can spontaneously explode internally... lmao... replaced that... ::sigh:: have a good one all

George

When you do the job, pay particular attention to the valve body bolts, and where they go... as there are 4 different lengths, and 2 of the 4 are very close to each other in length.