Transmission won't shift out of park when cold

[hvanorden]

Hey guys, So my 2005 4.0l Ex has about 130,000 on it. It started shifting a little harder a couple months ago so i figured I better get int here and change the filter and fluid. The day before I planned to do this work I had an issue that it wouldn't shift our of park into reverse or drive. I hoped the service I was about to do to it would solve that problem. Unfortunately it didn't and now after about a week since the service it has gotten noticeably worse. In addition, it just isn't driving great. I feel like it has lost power and is still shifting hard. This especially happens when I come up to a stop sign and am turning into traffic.

It appears that I have to let it warm up before it will shift our of park. This happens mainly in the morning after it's been sitting the longest. I have to let the engine run and wait upwards of 5 minutes before it'll shift and I can get going. In addition, it just isn't driving great. I feel like it has lost power and is still shifting hard. This especially happens when I come up to a stop sign and am turning into traffic. It feels like it might not be coming back down to first gear and when I take off it has very low rpms and very slow to accelerate.

Any thoughts on what I should do next? It has never been rebuilt. I'm not transmission expert but I have rebuilt a ford C4 and a NP435. So I'm confident I could get the job done if necessary, but I finally got my other car out of the garage after a long drawn out engine swap and I don't think my wife is mentally prepared to lose the garage again to another large project!

Thanks in advance for any help/advice!

 

[hvanorden]

I should also mention that my explorer is not showing any codes either.

 

[hvanorden]

****Crickets****

 

[2Trux]

The wait time before it will shift sounds like a low fluid issue. What procedure did you use when you serviced your trans?

 

[pet575]

I would agree. I did some valve body work and thought I properly refilled mine and it turned out it was low and it caused some problems with my shifting. Ended up being able to get another 1.5 quarts in it later on.

 

[hvanorden]

I followed the instructions as noted by this youtube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5D6m4h7fW4

of course I could have done it wrong. I have attempted to do it twice now. Do you think I should just pump another quart into it to see if that improves it?

 

[pet575]

I thought I followed the instructions perfectly. I went back later and pumped two more quarts in without overfilling it. I'd try it a quart at a time and go from there.