5r55e No auto shift out of 1st | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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5r55e No auto shift out of 1st

Fireside3

Active Member
Joined
August 30, 2010
Messages
58
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City, State
Texas
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001 Sport
2000 Explorer Sport 2wd (01 body style)
4.0 sohc
automatic (5r55e?)
200k + miles

Symptoms occurred shortly after intermittent fuel pump failure left me stranded.

O/D light began flashing at start up even before truck had been moved from the fuel pump issue. No flashing O/D light prior to the F/P failure.

F/P since replaced, but I jacked with a lot of electrical **** in the process and ran the batt down, had to swap batt, etc, so I'm not ruling out the PCM being fried if I grounded something accidentally.

CEL also steady. Have disconnected batt and cleared several times, but it always comes back.

Truck will manually engage all gears and has forward and reverse movement. When in (D) it will start in 1st, but no upshift from there, even running up to 5000 RPM.

I'm running in manual (2) most of the time and below highway speeds. Getting 16mpg at best of course.

Doesn't seem like engine is braking in manual 1 or 2. Appears to be a slight leak possibly from front pump (bellhousing), but slippage is not bad at all if it's topped off. Overall the leak really seems negligible. Was running Lucas in it but no other fluids besides Mercon ATF.

Dropped the pan and found nothing broken. Fluid didn't smell burned and no obvious debris in the pan. Tightened VB bolts and solenoid bracket bolts. Removed and checked TCC solenoid. It ohmed at 10.6. Applied 12v to it, and it clicked, but there was very negligible movement. The internal shaft has a hole through it, I assume for fluid passage, and the movement from thesolenoid when energized was not enough to close the opening...so I'm not sure what effect I should be seeing unless this solenoid is locked and movement is restricted.

Codes have been read at AutoZone, but only thing I have gotten trans wise is range sensor out of range. Have not taken to trans shop for those codes yet. Other PCM codes indicated TPS (swapped), CKS, CPS, MAF (swapped), ABS, fuel tank pressuresensor, bank 1 and bank 2 lean...yadda yadda. This thing has thrown codes for the last year like Samuel L Jackson drops F bombs. Replaced diff a few months ago. Also swapped back to my old diff speed sensor, but no fix.

I also tried a Hail Mary by swapping the PCM with junkyard to rule that out. The PNs didn't match though as well as the keys, so theft light constantly blinked at me. I got around it by having the F/P direct wired on a rocker switch and ran surgical tubing from the schrader valve test port into the intake to dump fuel in because the injectors wouldn't work either (don't tell me you can't defeat a PATS equipped vehicle). It ran. Anyway, the other PCM at least tried to shift the tranny, but it kept bouncing back from 1-2. Replaced the original PCM to start over from square one.

The way I understand it, this may be a broken intermediate band, PCM failure, EPC or TCC solenoid, or maybe the blown VB gasket issue, but some opinions seem to indicate if it runs up well in 1st, it's probably not the VB gasket? I attempted to test the rangesensor but the diagram I have from Haynes does not match the pinup I have. I conducted the checks to reset the range sensor into position by loosening the bolts with the trans in reverse, and rotating the sensor until the brake lights came on then I tightened the bolts. I'm skeptical that the range sensor is preventing a shift though every shift position works manually?


Mike
 



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Really, 24 hrs and nobody has anything?
 












The OD servo may be your problem and mine too.

read this http://servobore.com/servobore/5rw.asp

Mine will eventually shift into 2nd but not under normal pressure.

Great...I was hoping it was a solenoid or maybe the VB gasket. So looking like not something I can just do by dropping the pan or VB. Wonderful. I need to get a gauge and do the pressure tests I guess. I was just wondering if there was a way to troubleshoot whether it was a band or shift solenoid based on the symptoms. Still not sure when each is used and when not.

I read this sheet before, but it's starting to make more sense now:

http://www.sonnax.com/tech-articles/TS6-BW-106-109.pdf

The page you gave states 5W and 5N. I believe I have a 5R.
 






Wow, almost impossible to get some feedback here. As soon as I got registered I started answering some questions to try and help people, but nothing coming back my way.....
 






It has been slow this week with replies.....sorry, I don't have your answer.
 






Foward sprag could be the problem>>> it holds in 1-4 gears and overruns 5.. Manual 1-2 will still work...
 












I'm still thinking this is most likely an electronic issue though. I had no transmission trouble until the fuel pump failed, and I started working on that. I can disconnect the batt and clear the check engine light, start it up and the O/D light starts flashing at me even before moving it into gear.

When on the road in (D), if I get up around 40mph and let off the gas, it acts as if I'm in (N). If I hit the gas and run the RPMs back up, it will re-engage.
 






Well, I guess I'll just turn this into a blog.

Pulled the pan, again, and pulled and tested each solenoid. All of them tested within ohm spec as listed in the valve body rebuild diary. I noticed that the SSA (1) solenoid was automatically energized if the key was on. Normal? I don't know. I would suppose.

The EPC solenoid seemed to be making a buzzing noise with key on. Disconnected the connector to it and tested, but it tested around 4.5ohm and would run through what seemed to be several stages of clicks with voltage applied. Seems ok to me, but this is the first time messing with this **** for me.

So, I guess what I'd really like to know, is if someone can point me to a post or explain to me when the solenoids apply for a gear, and when the bands or servos apply. When in (D), do the solenoids apply the servos which apply the bands, or what? And when in manual, the manual hydraulics apply the bands?....I'll just keep waiting I guess.
 






Did you check the range selector switch? My 4R just did the same thing and it was a bad range selector. The PCM always thought the truck was in Park.
 






1st - SS1 on SS2 off SS3 off, forward clutch, reverse band applied
2nd - SS1 on SS2 off SS3 on, forward clutch, OD band applied
3rd - SS1 off SS2 on SS3 off, forward clutch, intermediate band applied
4th - SS1 off SS2 off SS3 off, forward clutch, direct clutch applied
5th - SS1 off SS2 off SS3 on, forward clutch, direct clutch, OD band applied

I think I got that right.
 






Did you check the range selector switch? My 4R just did the same thing and it was a bad range selector. The PCM always thought the truck was in Park.

I did get a code for that, but checked it out as best I could and seemed good. Reverse lights worked, so would the PCM still be confused if the trans knew what gear it was in? I mean, if the PCM thought it was in park, it should start when in drive or something, and it doesn't. Will only start in N or P just like its supposed to, so I don't think the range sensor could be causing the no upshift. I tried to test the connector per the info from the Haynes, but my pinout was different and can't find the right pinout with continuity specs anyway.

Was your O/D light flashing, and no 1-2 upshift?
 






1st - SS1 on SS2 off SS3 off, forward clutch, reverse band applied
2nd - SS1 on SS2 off SS3 on, forward clutch, OD band applied
3rd - SS1 off SS2 on SS3 off, forward clutch, intermediate band applied
4th - SS1 off SS2 off SS3 off, forward clutch, direct clutch applied
5th - SS1 off SS2 off SS3 on, forward clutch, direct clutch, OD band applied

I think I got that right.

Hey thanks! That's kinda what I'm looking for. I don't have one of those fancy transmission testers, but would like to have an idea of what is applied and when. Noticed SS1 is hot to touch when key on. Should it be energized with key on, even with engine off and in park?


Here's a nifty power point I found. One of the gurus can make it a sticky if they ever pop in here.
tombirch.com/1/ppt/2.ppt

Seems in 5r55e:
1st gear is direct drive
2nd is 1st with O/D band
3rd is direct drive 2nd
4th is direct drive 3rd
5th is 3rd with O/D band

Looks close to what you were saying.

Also found this:
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:WuIQpDJJJX8J:ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/kennyz1963/2010-08-22_150506_vb.pdf+5r55e+shift+sequence&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgKxvxCQxFbhQqlsWzZQZS4iOSFphLvPAKzUvhya0CttXg2szLkbRRqBgVvfg8NIbIwBs2w92lX49BV5epog1m9u7sz27AikdEUdd0GrIcZTLeeBRe6FuuTPCdOW0QVkTApGmdJ&sig=AHIEtbQi_P6T_jdcVI4h2xBcLGyyvLvCxQ
 






The forum gods around here must just be boycotting this thread.

I found the data sheet on the 5r55e from transgo to be just what I was looking for, but still haven't solved the problem. The search function does not work well here and returns too many irrelevant results when you broaden language or tells you the search terms are omitted because they are too common.
 






Wow...even pm'd some people and still lackluster response from this board. WTF I thought there were some transmission gurus here.
 






Sorry I didnt respond right away, I dont get on the board every day. I replied to your pm last night though. I couldnt comment on starting in gear or reverse lights not working because I already had the switch replaced.
 






I'm just aggravated because I pm'd some others to have a look at this thread, and not one reply from them in over a week. I swear I looked all over this site for 2 weeks trying to solve this myself before posting, so I'm just f-ing pissed about it.
 






Sorry I didnt respond right away, I dont get on the board every day. I replied to your pm last night though. I couldnt comment on starting in gear or reverse lights not working because I already had the switch replaced.

No, what I meant by the question was your O/D light flashing as well? You said you had no shift from 1st to second when in D right?
 



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Well, I figured out the problem is most likely the PCM, but before I could replace it, the thing caught on fire...........now I have to replace melted:
fan
serpentine belt
fan shroud
intake plenum boot
MAF
TPS
EGR vacuum line
Y line from the intake to the EVAP canister?
Possibly the intake manifold, which is plastic...

And the PCM also.

What a *****.
 






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