CEL P0761 and O/D flashing, weird case, need advice

[96ExplorerSport]

Hi,

I've searched around and I could not find anyone with a problem similar to mine. Here it is, a bit long, but I am trying to do my best to explain the problem.

I have 96 Explorer Sport AWD 4.0L OHV auto. It has 4 speed 4R55E transmission. First of all, I am not sure exactly how it works. It has only 4 speeds, however, if I go from 0 to 70mph it appears to shift 4 times. I can tell because each time RPMs drop. This seems to suggest 5 speeds. I am probably missing something obvious here. Maybe the last shift is not really a shift but something else? All I know is that RPMs drop 4 times when I got from 0 to 70. To explain things better, I am going to assume that my X has 5 gears, not 4, even though 5th gear is not really a gear but O/D (at least that's what I think).

It's the last "shift" that my car does not like some times. As long as I drive around on flat roads, everything is fine, X shifts and drives fine. Problem only happens when I go up a very, very, very long steep hill at around 65 in 5th gear. Since X can not keep up the speed, it shift to 4th gear. RPMs go up to ~2500 and stay there for a while until X reaches top of the hill. And that's exactly what my transmission does not like - staying in 4th gear at 2500 RPMs for a long period of time. Usually I get CEL P0761 after that. Some times O/D light starts flashing, other times it does not. The interesting part is that even though I get CEL and O/D flashing, SUV drives fine and still shifts between all 5 gears! I do not loose any gears or O/D. After I turn the car off and then on again, O/D light disappears. CEL still stays on, but X drives fine with all gears. After a while, if I continue driving around on flat roads, CEL goes off by itself.

What can this be? Like I said, I can make CEL appear if I drive up a long hill in 4th gear at around 2500 RPM for at least 15 sec. Car does not like this condition. Any ideas? Transmission was rebuilt about 2 years ago. Shall I try to replace SS3? What is so special abouth 4th gear at 2500 RPMs or higher?

Sorry for a long post. Try to be as detailed as possible.
Thanks

 

[Glacier991]

First off, the 4 in 4R means 4 speed. There are four gears, AND, a point at which the torque convertor will lock up (people often confuse that as a gear shift - hence the confusion.)

DTC P0761 refers to a functional or mechanical failure of the SSC shift solenoid.

I would suggest you replace shift solenoid C.

 

[96ExplorerSport]

Thanks for replying so quickly. I was considering replacing SSC and corresponding gaskets. Can it be done w/o removing VB? Why would it occur only when in 4th gear at 2500 or greater? Can there be a leak somewhere?

Also, what is O/D. Is this when TC lock up? This is my first car with auto transmission, lots of things to learn .

Thanks

 

[Glacier991]

O/D simply means a gear ratio below 1:1, which 4th gear is. Torque convertor lockup is unrelated. The solenoid can be accessed by dropping the pan and removing a retaining bracket. No gaskets. Unplug the harness from the old one, slide iit out of the bore, lube the O-ring on the new one with some ATF (you'll have plenty) slide it in, replug it in, add the retainer and bolt, replace the pan, refill and you are done.

As to the why's of your situation, I am unsure.

 

[96ExplorerSport]

Glacier991,

Guys at fastparsnetwork don't know what I am talking about when I mention SS3 or SSC solenoid. Is there a different name for it? How can I find out the part number. My X is 96 Sport 4.0 OHV with auto.
Thanks

 

[96ExplorerSport]

Which one is SSC on the attached picture?

 

[Glacier991]

The 4R and 5R have 4 shift solenoids, an EPC solenoid and a torque convertor clutch solenoid. Just tell em you need a shift solenoid. ALL shift solenoids are the same and interchangeable.

 

[96ExplorerSport]

I finally replaced SSC solenoid couple of weeks ago. For a while everything was fine, but yesterday problem occured again.

I was on my way home going 55 or so when O/D started blinking. Once it happened, I lost O/D. No matter what I did could not force transmission into O/D. Other than that, there was no change in transmission feel. All other gears appeared to work fine. When I got into my X this morning and drove it to work, everything was fine. No O/D light, no CEL, O/D was working fine. This thing is driving me crazy. My code reader does not show any codes, I have to buy a better code scanner.

Transmission was rebuild by a previous owner. He told me he replaced everything but one of the servo motors. He mentioned that there 2 of them but only one was replaced.
Could this be a problem? What do they control?

Can you recommend a good book for 4R55E transmission?

Thanks,
Sergey

 

[Glacier991]

There are not servo motors. It sounds like he was referring to just a servo that applies the band, of which there are two, one for the OD band and one for the intermediate band. These do tend to harden due to proximity to the catalytic convertor. They are inexpensive *(abut $10) and a bear to replace with the tranny in the car. Labor to do this will run you a chunk of change - but it CAN be done.

You *could* have an issue with your front-most OD servo.

Get the new code read.

 

[96ExplorerSport]

Thanks, I'll check the code and report back. Previous owner did say that he did not replace OD servo.

 

[96rangers]

Question, is the transmission on this explorer the same for a ford ranger? sorry im an outcast (8^(, but i have the exact same problem. SSC3 P0761

 

[96ExplorerSport]

Mine is 4R55E transmission. I replaced SSC and it did not fix the problem. I've got a logger trying to debug the problem, but so far no luck.