How to: 5R55E Valve Body Rebuild Diary

[CDW6212R]

Those symptoms point to some loss of pressure, but not a specific component. Those are the hardest to find, because there are so many things to cause it, and because the 5R has many inherent issues. The 4R70W doesn't need a bunch of little upgrade kits and components, while the 5R does. I think it's part of the design of the VB components, and the long fluid passages in the trans case.

I'm trying to say that there are many more ways to have a fluid issue in the 5R, from inherent issues, to accidental mistakes during assembly etc.

The electronic shifting trannies also can often detect low pressures, and increase it by the EPC solenoid. One of the death error codes is for the EPC, pressure loss makes it open full blast.

You don't have one of those codes, so there is hope that you can find and fix the fluid pressure loss.

 

[BK_89iX]

Received a box from Central Valve Bodies today. Packing is indeed very secure! Unit looks incredibly clean. Coated with what looks like mineral oil (odorless) from the test equipment. Presumably the "03" casting means it came from a 2003. With the forum discount it came to $247 shipped, and includes a pre-paid label to return the core. I guess I'll be busy this weekend...

BK

 

[BK_89iX]

Made some valve body locating pins from M6 bolts. Cut to length, rounded the tip, added a slot to aid removal if necessary, and polished smooth. Seems to work great!

Most folks just use the valve body bolts, but my cat placement makes alignment tricky and my separator plate is not bonded, so I wanted all the help I could get.

BK

 

[BK_89iX]

Is there a special protocol for adding Mercon V back after a valve body R/R?

What's a good initial fill quantity prior to initial start-up, subsequent steps, etc.

BK

 

[drdoom]

On a 4WD you are looking at around seven quarts, depending on how long it has been draining (dripping).

 

[BK_89iX]

On a 4WD you are looking at around seven quarts, depending on how long it has been draining (dripping).

It dripped quite a while (1+ week) and I collected 8qts total.

I can add most of that back prior to initial startup without overflowing somewhere?

I looked, but I didn't find a lot of info on the refill procedure following a VB change. I suppose it's therefore non-critical as long as the final level is correct.

BK

 

[aeopav]

Valve Body Retorque ?

Greetings All,

I've read a lot, but not all, of this thread so I apologize if this question has already been asked.

Would a retorque of an improperly torqued valve body cure a 5R55E that is shifting very erratically?

Here's the situation. I just installed a "new" valve body on one of these trannys that had an occasional bad 1-2 shift. I got the valve body from an ebay seller who claims he has new units every now and then from transmissions that were never put into service. He mostly sells rebuilt units, but this one he says is new.

Now that this unit is in the transmission, it shifts worse than it did before. 1-2 hanging, and 2-3 flare.

I followed the torque pattern from the manual, but I'm concerned I may have gotten the value wrong.

Assuming everything is good with this valve body, could backing off my first attempt at torque and doing it again fix this transmission?

It has been driven 4 separate times now after putting it back together for maybe 30 miles.

Many Thanks

 

[drdoom]

Yes, I don't think you will get it all back in initially. I would try for five, then get in running. The dipstick on that is notoriously hard to read, so take your time, and go by the stick not by what you drained unless you are sure it was not overfilled before.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes, I don't think you will get it all back in initially. I would try for five, then get in running. The dipstick on that is notoriously hard to read, so take your time, and go by the stick not by what you drained unless you are sure it was not overfilled before.

Ditto, 5-6 quarts is typical to begin with on a trans that had the VB off.

For reading the dipstick, keep wiping it off hard each time, and check each side, and flip it over and install it each way. With several attempts, it will be more clear which side reads the best. So install the dipstick with the marks on that side.

 

[BK_89iX]

Forgive me if this info is already in the mega thread!

The 5R55E is working fine in my 95k mile '97 XLT 4x4 with tow package, but I'm planning some light/moderate towing duty next year and want to prepare. Recent 180mile trial run with the 2,000lb 6x10 enclosed trailer went well.

Does the rebuilt VB from centralvalvebodies include a NEW Ford EPC valve and the updated solenoid bracket?

This is my plan:

- rebuilt VB (mainly for convenience and lack of experience on my part)
- new EPC (if not included)
- new solenoid bracket (if not included)
- viton D-rings for reverse servo
- band adjustment
- full flush (following VB install/verification)

Anything else I should be considering while I'm in there?

BK

Just finished the initial test drive after performing the list above and everything is working great.

As described elsewhere I also replaced the low/reverse servo due to cracks at the tip of the shaft. Recently I would get a "turbine" type of whine when reverse was selected, and from mile zero (bought new) reverse was kinda slow to engage. All that is now fixed, although I don't know if it was a servo or valve body issue.

Shifts are quick and deliberate now. Kinda like replacing old worn out shocks, there's a nice crispness factor.

Tooling around town I'm seeing 152F trans temp via my AeroForce OBD gauge, which is typical for this particular vehicle.

I was a little apprehensive about taking this project on, but it all seemed to work out. The Central Valve Bodies unit made things pretty simple. Thanks for all the great info/help here!

BK

 

[ChrisTM]

I replaced all my gaskets and every solenoid in the valve body. Now I have strong drive, but no reverse. What did I screw up? lol

5r55e 01 sport 2wd.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the low/reverse servo. Maybe the band got shifted away from the servo (misaligned)?

 

[albi1cnobi1]

Hello all. I installed a rebuilt valve body to repair an ever worsening 2-3 shift flare. Also right before I swapped the v.b. I started getting codes for gear 3 and gear 5 incorrect ratio. I swapped the v.b. and while I was in there I adjusted the bands. This fixed all my problems, it shifts like new and no more codes. Now, however I'm noticing something different. When starting out in drive it seems a little sluggish, kind of like it's not real crisp is the best way I can describe it. All other gears are perfect, and the torque converter seems to locking and unlocking correctly. Something else I just noticed is that I'm getting a very slight whine that appears to be coming from the tranny, as it varies with the the gears. Not sure if I'm explaining that correctly but it seems to go up and down with the rpm's as it shifts. The whine comes and goes. Anyone have any input or suggestions? I'm thinking either the pump or the torque converter? Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[Terry_Jim]

In the middle of this now, just bought a 96 xlt pretty cheap-but it's only a bargain if I do it myself.
The helps here make doing this job possible, many many thanks.

This you tube video of VB gasket replacement helped a lot too.
UPDATE
It didn't fix it, tranny was roached after all.
limped my beat up 1993 till I got a 1992 xlt.

 

[vicv]

Hi All, I have been reading this diary for several days now and am amazed at the thoroughness with which this topic has been covered. BUT... I am still unsure as to which separator plate I need. I have a 97 Expy 4WD 4.0 OHV (engine X). Very soft shifts, doesn't like to go into OD, drops out when I touch the gas, blinking OD, the usual suspects. Thing is I have replaced the original tranny with one from a yard and am not sure of the donor's year. I know what I would have needed had I not swapped out but now...? I can say for sure that my original had a drum sensor and the replacment did not. That out of the way I was thinking I can play a safe bet buying the Transgo kit and upper/lower gaskets, and installing the bypass valve (like the Ford mod) and use the rivet to plug the hole if I have the plate with loose gaskets. BUT...that word again... if I have the plate with bonded gaskets I won't have the correct plate. I can't lay up the truck for more than a weekend. I suppose I could scrape/sand the bonded gasket off the plate if I have that one and use the loose gaskets, I did see someone say they did that (real early post). Another question, how does the rivet plug the hole? Just tap it in? If it is in the diary I missed it. Glacier991 showed it real early on but i did not see or read how it installs. Thanks to all for this awesome info..

 

[mustangjoe413]

Hello all, I am new here. I found this thread via an internet search while researching transmission weirdness with my recently acquired 04 Ranger. It's a white extended cab with the 4.0 and four wheel drive.
I am 38 years old and this is the newest vehicle I have owned. I have owned many ford products including quite a few Fox platform cars such as Mustangs and an 83 LTD stationwagon street/strip car. A 94 f150, and presently a 2000 f150 that my ranger is replacing. My wife's last vehicle was an 04 Explorer that we both loved, but she is spoiled and the mileage was getting high and rust was starting to develop.

Anyway.....

I too have all the weird issues involving these transmissions and just sort of chalked up to electronically controlled transmission quirks. I started doing a little research and found this thread and have read a lot of, but not every page.
I have experienced delayed reverse, sloppy sliding shifts, no shifting to OD when cold, delayed shifting out of first gear, where I will start off and first gear will run up to around 3000 rpm and wont shift unless I hit the gas a little harder and almost chirps the tires when it shifts. My O/D light flashed a few times on one occasion, and experienced hanging in first gear once, it stayed in first gear, only after I let off the throttle and got back on twice, it finally shifted second (or third) gear.

So, with all that being said, I am looking into my options. I have been inside many valvebodies to install shift kits and have no fear about diving into this one.
My questions are, I have found many options from Transgo, Superior, Sonnax, and Ford. I am leaning towards the Sonnax Zipkit. Does that kit cover all of the issues that the others do? Should I be using the Sonnax kit in combination with one of the others? Is the Sonnax kit the best option, or should I be looking at the others closer?

Any response would be great, and I am very happy to have found this awesome site. Sorry about the lengthy post, just wanted to give a little background.

 

[rklimo44]

epc loose

i just to the valve body off and the epc is loose in the valve body should it fit tight in there or supposed to be loose?

 

[utahkyle]

Hello to everyone who has contributed to this forum. You all (and my friend Myron) saved me from a $2500 tranny rebuild. I have a 2000 Mountaineer with 133k. Tranny is the 5R55E. Last summer it started flaring only once in a while when I would romp on it to pass going up a hill. This winter it started getting way worse, slipping all the time, and the OD/off light was flashing on the dash, so I took it in to a local shop with a good reputation. They checked the codes, took it for a test ride, then tried to take me for a ride. $2500 was the quote. Ditto at another shop. I mentioned my pain to my buddy Myron who is a pretty good home mechanic. He said “oh no, I have seen this many times. It is probably a blown valve body gasket. Do some research on the internet about shift kits and call me back. “ My search led me to this forum. WOW you guys are amazing. I took heart that with this info and Myron, I could do this. I have done some pretty serious mechanic work back in the 80s, when cars were cars and not computers. Havent done much since, an occasional oil change on a sunny day, not much more. So this was going to be a grand adventure for me. Myron suggested the Superior kit, but said the Transgo was just as good. The parts house said they sell 10 TG for every one Superior, but I got the Superior on Myron’s suggestion. That plus the gaskets I was in about $75. WAY better than $2500. I called around to 3 parts houses and a Ford dealer for a separator plate with a bonded gasket but they had never even heard on it. I know some of you have used them. Where did you find it?
Anyway, Saturday, 2:00 I started jacking her up and by 11:00 I was on my way home with a well behaved tranny! Yes. It went just like described in this forum. Yes, the VB gasket was blown out in 3 places. The pan was clean. There was not even one tiny piece of metal in the pan or on the magnet. Pristine. May those tranny shop guys rot in hell for their lies. Your suggestions about watching for all the tiny parts hanging on to the plate, and watching to get the manual shift thing engaged before I buttoned her up saved the day. Thanks again! We decided to not put on the pressure riser electric thingy, (it looked troublesome, and this forum suggested that not everything in the kit had to be done in order to get pretty good results) but we did everything else in the kit.
I would add one suggestion (from Myron) that I have not heard in any forum or UTUBE vid (and I reviewed a lot of both!) Before you drop the pan and make that screaming oil mess, you can drain the ATF from the system using the hoses that go into the cooler up under the bumper. Just pull the hoses off the cooler, point them down into a bucket, and run the engine for a few minutes. The pump will drain the oil out and when you drop the pan it will be almost empty. I didn’t get a drop on me. SCHWEET. (now to be honest, there was still plenty up in the VB, and that will still give you the red shower, but at least that is smaller and lighter than a pan full.
Anyway, thanks again, and best wishes to you all for happy traveling.
Kyle

 

[sheet36]

You can just put a siphon down the tranny dipstick tube and get the fluid out that way.

 

[kciRsnurB]

Just a shameless 'plug' for the financials of this site (since $ makes the World go 'round!), I might expect a few new Elite Explorer status from several of you who saved a BUTT load of dough by gleaning the many pearls of wisdom from this site (as I did a year ago). Time to pony up and click on the "Join the Elite Explorers Today" link below and sign up!
Merry Christmas!