Revs, but doesn't catch in first... But then it goes.

Updated: 11/23/08, DIAGNOSED NEW PROBLEM BELOW. PLEASE HELP!

Okay so my previous thread is below this text but here is my problem now. Originally I followed Brooklyn's advice and checked my tranny fluid. It was low and I couldn't even get a reading on the dipstick. I filled it up with 7 quarts of fluid and everything was fine again, my explorer was back in action. Well this week it was acting up again doing the same thing, not wanting to go into first and would sometimes emit a slight burning smell. Well I checked my fluid again today and it gave me a extremely low reading and there was a large puddle of tranny fluid underneath my Explorer. How severe is this problem and who is the best person to fix it since I live in an apartment and don't have a garage or the necessary tools to fix it. Should I take it to Ford, Aamco, or someone else? What should be the approximate cost of the repair? Number of hours required to fix it?

So for the past week my 02 Explorer Sport 4x4 is having trouble catching in first gear if that's what you want to call it. Basically I put it in reverse and the car moves out of my parking spot but then when I shift it into drive occasionally it doesn't go into gear and just revs. Sometime if I rev real high it will catch and be off and running but if I go over the speed bump in the parking lot it drops again. When I finally get it to stay in drive all is good and there is no more problems even when I get stopped at a red light.

What is causing this to occur? And what is the approximate cost to fix something like this? I called Ford and they said to bring it in and they would put it one the computer but is this my only option?

Please help as I have the day off tomorrow and would like to get it fixed.

Thanks.

Welcome to this forum! When was the last time the filter, and fluid were replaced? How many miles does it have? Did you check the fluid level to see if it's a little low?

It has 76,000 miles on it.

I haven't checked the fluids yet. I will tomorrow or can do now if it will help in determining the problem.

I thought I had it flushed at around 50,000 miles but that might have been the coolant system. To be honest that is my bad since I didnt bring my records with me when I moved.

A low fluid condition could cause a problem like you are having.

I believe that may be the problem. I went out and drove to operating temp, came back and the dip stick was bone dry.

I will be going to purchase some fluid first thing tomorrow morning. I will let you know how things turn out.

Thanks for all of your help.

Get Mercon V fluid.

Transmission Leak

Okay so my previous thread is below this text but here is my problem now. Originally I followed Brooklyn's advice and checked my tranny fluid. It was low and I couldn't even get a reading on the dipstick. I filled it up with 7 quarts of fluid and everything was fine again, my explorer was back in action. Well this week it was acting up again doing the same thing, not wanting to go into first and would sometimes emit a slight burning smell. Well I checked my fluid again today and it gave me a extremely low reading and there was a large puddle of tranny fluid underneath my Explorer. How severe is this problem and who is the best person to fix it since I live in an apartment and don't have a garage or the necessary tools to fix it. Should I take it to Ford, Aamco, or someone else? What should be the approximate cost of the repair? Number of hours required to fix it?

gmecca2 said:

Okay so my previous thread is below this text but here is my problem now. Originally I followed Brooklyn's advice and checked my tranny fluid. It was low and I couldn't even get a reading on the dipstick. I filled it up with 7 quarts of fluid and everything was fine again, my explorer was back in action. Well this week it was acting up again doing the same thing, not wanting to go into first and would sometimes emit a slight burning smell. Well I checked my fluid again today and it gave me a extremely low reading and there was a large puddle of tranny fluid underneath my Explorer. How severe is this problem and who is the best person to fix it since I live in an apartment and don't have a garage or the necessary tools to fix it. Should I take it to Ford, Aamco, or someone else? What should be the approximate cost of the repair? Number of hours required to fix it?

Click to expand...

I'm a bit confused...you couldn't get a reading and put in SEVEN QUARTS of fluid? Are you kidding(being respectful)? Did you drain any fluid? Do you realize the pan barely holds 4 quarts? The trans has another approx 8-9 qts internally. Filling a trans with so much fluid may do damage, I don't even want to think in what way. The trans will foam all the fluid and cause all sorts of possible problems.That is why you had the puddle under the trans. You should ask or read a manual before doing stuff like this. The burning smell is probably burnt clutches from trying to engage under low pressure due to low fluid(think of rubbing your hands together when they are supposed to be moving together cause you aren't pushing hard enough). Now you may have worn off the friction surface.

Right now you have low fluid which can cause it not wanting to go into first. The trans puked up all the extra fluid.
Add fluid in 1/2 pint (8 oz) increments after driving about 10 minutes (warm), engine running in park. If it wont engage, add small amounts of fluid and keep your fingers crossed, checking the dipstick while in PARK that it gets in the cold zone. Try to get the dipstick into the normal area. If the trans is trashed, you are looking at 1500-2500 to rebuild it.

I wonder what caused it to get low in the first place, do you have any leaks? Look around the pan and the rear of the trans.

Transmission fluid has to be added with the engine running.

96eb96 said:

I'm a bit confused...you couldn't get a reading and put in SEVEN QUARTS of fluid? Are you kidding(being respectful)? Did you drain any fluid? Do you realize the pan barely holds 4 quarts? The trans has another approx 8-9 qts internally. Filling a trans with so much fluid may do damage, I don't even want to think in what way. The trans will foam all the fluid and cause all sorts of possible problems.That is why you had the puddle under the trans. You should ask or read a manual before doing stuff like this. The burning smell is probably burnt clutches from trying to engage under low pressure due to low fluid(think of rubbing your hands together when they are supposed to be moving together cause you aren't pushing hard enough). Now you may have worn off the friction surface.

Right now you have low fluid which can cause it not wanting to go into first. The trans puked up all the extra fluid.
Add fluid in 1/2 pint (8 oz) increments after driving about 10 minutes (warm), engine running in park. If it wont engage, add small amounts of fluid and keep your fingers crossed, checking the dipstick while in PARK that it gets in the cold zone. Try to get the dipstick into the normal area. If the trans is trashed, you are looking at 1500-2500 to rebuild it.

I wonder what caused it to get low in the first place, do you have any leaks? Look around the pan and the rear of the trans.

Click to expand...

In response to your post I had originally only put in 2 quarts and the transmission still wanted to slip so I added the third later in the day. Everything was good for a couple days then the problem occurred once again and I couldn't get a reading. I drove 20 miles parked, shifted through all the gears, wiped the dipstick clean, stuck it back in, and wiped and the towel had nothing on it. So I went and purchased 4 quarts of fluid because my Owners Manual says 8 or 9 quarts is what the capacity and is what Autozone confirmed too (they were the only place open on a Sunday). I added more transmission fluid drove for 5 days on which I had slipping on 3.

Today, I attempted to drive my car but the transmission didn't want to engage in first so I just let it sit in the parking lot for 20 minutes and saw the puddle of fluid. The only difference is that I backed my car into the parking spot which put the car on an elevation which would place the front end downwards.

Not sure if this makes any sense. Sorry.

I am taking it to a transmission center tomorrow morning.

If you are losing fluid this fast, then it should be obvious where the leak is. Did you check the cooler lines?

No, I didn't check the cooler lines. When I saw the puddle I just came inside and scheduled an appointment.

I read another post that said to have someone shift through the gears as another person is under the car but I didn't have anyone to help me. So I wasn't able to check the cooler lines.

Put it up on ramps, and let it idle in park with the emergency brake applied.

Hope it isnt a front pump seal. Something is leaking big time to cause so much fluid to be lost, definately isn't normal.

Maybe you have a rusted out line or something, lets hope for that.

good luck and report back.

Thanks for all of your help thus far.

I will update the thread tomorrow afternoon after I get home from work and have the details.

Replaced with custom-made braided cooler lines. Place I took it to says they do not use rubber hoses. Cost was $385. Was this a high price to fix such a problem? I seemed a little high but I was kind of stuck with having to get it replaced there because I need to drive back home for Thansgiving tomorrow. When I had asked him the break down of cost and labor he said its was based on a flat fee because the parts are custom made and not ordered.



There was a guy in the waiting room who said he had them replaced on his truck with the custiom lines and they have been great.

How many feet of braided stainless steel did they install? Does it go from the transmission to the cooler eliminating the solid iron lines or does it just replace the areas where there are rubber hoses?

The lines go all the way from the transmission to the cooler.

Price included lines, fitting, and cooler.

Also, do they drain the radiator fluid or is there a loss during the process because on my way home my check gauge light came on because my engine temp was all the way up. I pulled off to the side of the road and checked the fluid and there was none in the reservoir and I know there was the proper amount just yesterday night when I checked.

Did they put a stacked plate or tube & fin cooler in? I'm sure that they had to add fluid if they changed the cooler, and the lines.

So I am very mad at the place that installed my cooler lines. As you can read below after picking my car up from the transmission shop the temperature gauge went to hot and the check gauge light came on. I pulled over and checked my fluid and the reservoir was empty. I filled it up and drove to work the next morning and it was empty again and the same problem occurred.

I called the transmission place to inform them what happened and they apologized and said they would tow it to the shop and check it out. Well in the end they said the pressure tested the connections and said they couldn't find anything wrong. They said the never touch anything with the radiator so there would be no loss in fluids. I have trouble believing this though because what are the odds of another problem occurring immediately after picking my truck up.

Anyways, so the tech calls me and says I can come get my car and that they filled the coolant all the way up and I shouldn't experience any problems but if so give them a call. Well I go out to my care and not being very trusting of the shop anymore I check my reservoir and find out that it is filled with nothing but water, absolutely no coolant! I went back inside and asked them what color coolant they used and the response was green, yellow, or red. I said well mine just looks like water right now and I know its supposed to be green but to me it just looks like water. He says let me check and goes in the back, returning to tell me yep it's just water. My response was I know water can be added in case of an emergency but not for normal use. His response was well if you want coolant you will have to pay $40 or you can just do it yourself by draining it and adding some coolant. I told the problem is that YOU filled my entire radiator with water and I am supposed to drive from Jacksonville, Florida to Cleveland, Ohio tonight, 1000 miles on water. He then can't point out where the drain plug is and says let me see if one of my guys can add a gallon of coolant for you. Well he takes the car around back and in less than 5 minutes he's back. My coolant reservoir is almost completely filled well beyond the fill point and I believe he just threw coolant on top of all of the water and never drained anything.

At this point I am absolutely furious and just want to leave because this guy is being no help. So I go home and have my brother drive his car to Cleveland since I don't trust my car right now. I called the transmission shop today and explained to the guy that I am completely unsatisfied with my experience and do not trust the work they have performed. The sales manager takes my number and says the GM will call me back. If they don't call me back by today and agree to resolve this problem I am thinking of disputing the charge on my credit card.

How do you guys feel?

This is supposed to be one of the largest transmission shops in northeast Florida and a supplier to many others.