**EMERGENCY** Transmission Help

[elrynon]

I've been having flashing O/D light. (I have the 5R55E) I pulled valve body, gaskets had some blow out. (Tranny was drained while up on car ramps. 7-8 quarts came out after being left out overnight to drain.) I cleaned both gaskets off of valve body and put the new back on. I tightened everything back down to spec. I put the transmission pan back on. While it was still on the ramp, I put 6 quarts in and pushed car off of ramps while wife rode the brake. Wife and I put old fluid into empty 6 transmission quart bottles. This took about 10 minutes. I put two more quarts in and heard a gushing sound and looked under the explorer and tranny fluid was running everywhere. After it stopped it looks like about 1 1/2 - 2 quarts on the ground. (It didn't seem to leak very long.) After the leaking stopped I tried jacking it back up to put on car ramps, but the jack wasn't long enough. Figured I was f*cked anyway because Explorer seems like she's on her last legs so I put her in drive (which she seemed to shift smoothly and perfectly) and drove it back up onto the ramps. I waited about 15-20 minutes and had wife put two quarts back in while I laid underneath looking for leaks aaaaaaaaaand nothing, no leaks. I called my brother and he thinks either A. I drained the torque converter because the explorer was at an angle while draining and he said there is no way to get fluid back in the torque converter without the tranny being torn apart. or B. That I filled it up too fast because the overflow tube at the top of the tranny looks wet. He suggests to back it down off the ramps and see if it starts leaking. If not, then check the fluid level and go from there. Should I turn the car on so the transmission will cycle the fluid; will that cause problems? I thought our tranny/torque converter held closer to 12-13 quarts??? I'm kind of freaking out right now, trying to gather my thoughts. What do you guys thinking? This is our only vehicle and I have to go to work tomorrow.


*UPDATE*
It's been about 30-45 minutes and I went out and wiped everything down really good. Even with the Explorer on ramps fluid is leaking from where dipstick tube connects to tranny. Should I start and run this thing so it will cycle the fluid?

 

[elrynon]

Ok, SERIOUSLY not trying to be an ass but almost 30 views and not ONE single person has any advice? Nobody has ever had this happen or any idea of what's happening? Drained the tranny, got 8 qts (which I've read is about right) tried putting 8 back in and it came out of the dipstick tube and the overflow tube dumping about 1.5-2 qts out onto the ground. Is it because the transmission needs to "suck up" the extra tranny fluid to the top of the tranny where the valve body is or am I missing something? Will I ##### anything up by going out and trying to start it up and then check my fluid?

 

[lakelanier]

My OD light was flashing this week on my F250. Brought it to a tranny shop who read the code for me free. At 288,000 miles the code read bad TC. Can you get your code read?

 

[2000StreetRod]

not level?

When I repaired my leaking valve body gaskets and then added ATF the vehicle was level (up on 4 jack stands). I didn't measure how much ATF I drained and I only added 3 quarts before starting the engine. Then I added more ATF until the level came up to normal using the dipstick indicator.

The Owner's Guide specifies 9.5 quarts for total refill. However, I think that includes the considerable amount in the torque converter. While I can't find it listed in my 5R55E manual, I think the torque converter has a plug that must be removed to drain it. According to the manual the pump provides fluid pressure to the torque converter so if it has drained it will refill when the engine is started.

My suggestion is to either raise the rear of the vehicle until it is level and put jack stands under it. Then start the engine and add fluid until it registers normal. If you don't have jack stands then I guess the next best thing is to lower the front by rolling off the ramps and then add ATF until normal is registered after the fluid is warm. I doubt you can replace what was drained without the pump moving the fluid to all areas of the transmission.

 

[pmonahan]

This method suggests that with a "dry" transmission, you start with 4.0 Quarts of Fluid.

http://rockledge.home.comcast.net/~rockledge/RangerPictureGallery/Tranny_Fluid_Change_5R55E.pdf

Then start it up, allow to get "hot" and add fluid to bring to proper level as necessary.

 

[elrynon]

Got up early this morning and saw the replies. Thank you guys a thousand times over.

I just wanted to apologize for getting pissy last night. It just seems like the last few thousand miles EVERYTHING has been falling apart on this thing. It's our only vehicle and not really in the budget right now for a new (at least new to us) vehicle (one that won't be going through the same sh*t as the explorer) AND I had to go back to work today. Was just a HUGE pile of stress and I wasn't thinking clearly about it being late at night and all the experts were probably asleep and all I was getting last night were forum strollers. lol

Put the muffler back on (to me this makes dropping the tranny pan a worlds of difference easier) and started it up. Ran it for a few minutes and then backed it down the ramps. Let her sit level and run for another 5ish minutes while I put my tools away and checked the fluid. Amazingly she's dead on. Didn't have to add or remove any. Drove her around about 5-10 minutes and she seems to shift perfectly and smoothly (she was shifting around 1500 rpms where I'm use to 2000 before she started acting up and 2500 after she was acting up) Does 1500 sound about right to you guys? Didn't get her up over 40 so we'll be testing that one on the way to work.

Thank you guys again for the advice this morning. All the pages I read about doing a VB repair I didn't see anyone talk about having to add a little fluid then turn it on and run it and then add more. They all ended their write ups with "put everything back together and fill it up with fluid". Guess that's one more notch on the experience belt.


Oh, Lakelanier, I did get the codes read (Which they had to do with the vehicle running. When I shut it off the codes would clear??) but it gave the umbrella "too much TC slippage" code. Don't remember the number. While doing my research people said this could be a countless number of things. Which is why I started with the VB gaskets as it was the easiest and cheapest (kind of wish I did the VB update while I had it all torn apart but $$$$$) Those gaskets were cooked on. lol I think I spent about 2 hours each gasket scraping them all off. HOPEFULLY this is the last of my problems, but I doubt it.

 

[1998Exp]

1) If you are seeing a leak from the point where the dipstick tube enters the transmission, the o-ring that seals that connection is damaged or not inserted properly.
2) I believe that the proper way to refill a partially drained transmission is to do it with the engine running, so the pump will suck it out of the pan and into the torque converter. Seems that you managed to drain some of the fluid from the torque converter in the process and were refilling more than the pan will hold.

*UPDATE*
It's been about 30-45 minutes and I went out and wiped everything down really good. Even with the Explorer on ramps fluid is leaking from where dipstick tube connects to tranny. Should I start and run this thing so it will cycle the fluid?

 

[koda2000]

under normal conditions the fluid level is below the trans dipstick o-ring. the o-ring should prevent any leak from that location if doing its job. yours is probably shot. i think you overfilled the trans and that's why it puked. if the level is now where it's supposed be be (hot and/or cold) and it's shifting ok you should be good now. i'd replace that o-ring soon though, because if you park on a hill. or at an angle. it will leaks at bit more.

 

[elrynon]

Wanted to run something by you guys real quick. Like I said, I replaced both paper gaskets on the valve body and pretty much full fluid flush. Went out to run errands a bit ago and she seems to shift fine until I get to about 40-45 then hangs unless I ease off the gas and she'll finally shift. Up to that point she shifts nice and smooth at about 1500-2000 rpm.

Now, when I was picking up the two gaskets from the dealership their tranny tech happened to be in there and asked me what was going on so I told him about the o/d light flashing and he said that in all honesty I needed to get a diagnostic done on the explorer (which I planned on doing anyway for engine reasons) but he said until then to get some friction modifier (he said their stuff, not cheap stuff and if I don't get their stuff then equally high quality stuff) and my tranny would thank me for it. (He said he uses it in all the police cars and delivery trucks they service)

A)Is this the same friction modifier you put in your transfer case?? B)Anyone ever heard of or done this? C)What's a good alternative to their stuff? Thanks for the help guys.

 

[71cutty455]

Ford makes a friction modifier that I have used in my transmission (4r70w) due to torque converter shudder, works great for me but since you have a different problem I'm not sure if it will do the same for you.

Here's the info on the friction modifier, just buy it at the dealership -

Manufacturer: Motorcraft
Item Number: MCXL3
List Price: $4.95
4.5 oz

Here's a link to a thread with more info on it -

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=302005

 

[elrynon]

Hey guys, just wanted to say thank you to everyone that offered advice. I agree with everyone that said I probably just overfilled it. I honestly didn't think to just put 4-5 quarts in, run it and let the pump suck up some of the fluid in the pan and then add more. I figure it would just kind of "fill up". lol Honestly not sure why it would leak past the o-ring on the dipstick tube. Put a brand new one on there when I got the new dipstick tube awhile back. It's an easy pull though so I'll check it out.

Fluid level came out fine after I pulled it off the ramps and ran it for a few minutes. Went and got the friction modifier today. Not sure how much time I should give it to see any real results? I've seen some people say 100+ miles and I've seen some people say instantly. She IS shifting smoother as long as I stay under 40+ but above that she seems to hesitate going from 4th to 5th unless I ease off the gas for a fraction of a second and you can see the rpms drop (from about 2500+ down to right below 2000) and she shifts and from there it's a smooth ride. (seems like she runs fine when first driving. Don't see the O/D light start to flash until she's been running awhile and gets nice and hot) Got my codes read again and it still says the same thing "too much TC slippage" Again, not sure how long I should give the new gaskets a chance to "seal"?

Anyway, I plan on getting a full diagnostics done (due to engine problems as well) and they told me that checking the tranny would be part of that. Will the diagnostics they run (I'm assuming it's just hooking up to their nice, fancy reader) be able to tell the difference between solenoid problems and actual TC problems?

Also, if it IS one of the solenoids shot I'm probably going to just get a rebuilt VB with all six solenoids instead of just dropping $100 on ONE solenoid. Two places I've seen talked about on here is Central Valve Bodies and 800700Tran. With 800700Tran I'm looking about $200 and change for updated rebuilt VB and Central Valve bodies I'm not sure. Last post I saw talking about it said around $250 for forum members. Is this a pepsi vs coke debate? Or is one hands down better than the other?

I know I cram my posts full of a lot of info BUT for me I figure it's easier than playing tag trying to give/receive info. I appreciate the help that everyone on here gives. This place is a damn good source of info. Just wish I could contribute as much as I get. lol Hats off to those that offer advice/help to those of us that are just "weekend mechanics".

 

[Bill MacLeod]

I had the exact same thing happen to me a few years ago when doing a fluid and filter change. Removed about 7 quarts and then when I put about 6 back in, it started to p!ss it back out. I then remembered that the "proper" procedure was to add 4 qts, start engine, move shift lever through all gears, wait a second or 2 in each position, then back to park, check level. If not showing on dipstick, add 1 quart and repeat procedure until level is at middle of crosshatch area.
You need to move the shift lever into all the positions in order to have the fluid circulate through the valve body. You may not even feel it go into any gear until fluid is actually showing on the dip stick. And proper fluid level is when the trans fluid is HOT and vehicle is in a level position.
I just assumed that there must be an overflow and/or fluid p!ssed out the vent. Haven't had the same problem since.

 

[elrynon]

Yeah, I honestly didn't realize that I needed to follow that procedure. Then again I've never emptied my tranny that much either. I've done the flush but that was through the cooler lines. Guess now I know. I think mine was coming out the vent tube AND where the dipstick tube connects to the tranny. Because it just puked it everywhere. lol

 

[elrynon]

*sigh* Another emergency post. We decided since the explorer wasn't running TOO bad to try and make it to a halloween event in the next town (about 15-20 miles away). Got to the highway and noticed it wasn't wanting to shift into 4th at all (even tried the letting go of gas so it shifts trick) and nothing. Took it to advance auto (auto zone said they can't read codes with the truck running?) and got codes P0734, P0735 and P0741. It will be monday before I can take it in to get it tested by the dealership and I work 10-12 hour days on fri-sun. So anything this weekend is out of the question.

Do you guys think I would be fine driving it 15 miles round trip (7.5 to work - 7.5 back - mixed city/highway. Speed limit is 55 on the highway but there's enough old people down here I won't be out of place going 40 ) She sits at 3000 rpm at 40 stuck in 3rd gear. Or am I just asking for trouble? If push comes to shove I'll just spend the couple hundred and shoe-horn myself into a rental for the weekend. Thanks for the help guys.

Also, will they be able to tell if it's a solenoid or the torque converter and/or bands itself without tearing into it?

Another thing that just came to mind (have no idea why I didn't think about it before. Probably wasn't thinking straight from the stress.) I noticed when moving the solenoid wire harness to pull the VB off one of the wires had a crack/break in the insulation (when the harness was put back into place it looked fine) I don't remember which one it was though so I won't be able to answer that question. Should I try replacing JUST the harness because of the "compromised" wire? Or if they do determine that it's my solenoid(s) that have taken a crap should I just do it all at once? I figured I'd be better off just spending the extra $150ish to get a whole rebuilt/updated VB with new solenoids instead of just the solenoids themselves. Unless you guys don't think the "updates" from ford/sonnax are worth spending the extra $150ish? I know USUALLY it's not a good idea to just throw parts at a problem until it's fixed but at the same time I don't know if it's worth dropping the pan/VB over and over again?