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Vehicle surging with shudder/maybe torque converter clutch?

My '06 was doing this. I did take it to the dealership. They did a power flush, new filter and transmission fluid and it has been fine ever since. Maybe 8000 miles since then.

No it wasn't cheap (around $300) but you may want to check with some independent shops that are BG licenced dealers that would probably do it cheaper.

http://www.bgfindashop.com/locator/index.php

If they insist on replacing the torque converter before trying to flush the system, tell them you want a second opinion and take it somewhere else.
 



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hwystr, the "shudder fix" is from Dr. Tranny and that is the name of it. That was a patch for the shudder problem, but the rpm surge never went away (or changed) with that. The shudder eventually came back (probably as the fluid degraded). The rpm surge did go away with the torque converter swap, but who knows, the transmission fluid change and filter change that I did at the same time could have been what fixed the problem, as Jseabolt mentions above. To me the old fluid smelled burnt, so much so the interior of the car smelled bad for days from the old TQ sitting overnight in the back in a box. I thought some fluid had leaked in the back, but it did not.
 






I had the shudder problems and got the fluid and filter changed, and it's had no problems since.
 












Change that trans fluid!

So I decided to let the dealer quicklane shop do a BG trans fluid flush, best $160 I've spent on the truck (fingers crossed). The rpm surging and erratic converter unlocking at light throttle is gone. Pretty sure I never needed a new converter 2yrs ago, the new fluid that came w/converter change was what improved it. Guess we need to flush/replace the trans fluid every 50k or so w/6R60. 150k is BS. Sorry I didn't figure this out before STANGCBR did his converter too, but hopefully it will help someone else.

For everyone else: Change your trans fluid before swapping out a converter.:salute:
 






So now that it has been a year. For those who have done a flush to fix their shutter problem.... Has doing a power flush been benefitial to fixing the issue or have you had to replace the torque converter. I just bought the truck in my sig, and it is having the exact same symptoms as the origional poster. It has 107k miles on it. The fluid has never been touched. I had it in to ford today and got the dipstick out and the fluid seems to be ok. But as all transmission issues go.... Im risking rolling the dice on doing a full chemical flush. So my main question is..... Does doing the full flush work or did you do a fluid exchange. Did it cure the issues or did you still end up replacing the torque converter.... A quick responce would be great! Thanks in advance!
 






So now that it has been a year. For those who have done a flush to fix their shutter problem.... Has doing a power flush been benefitial to fixing the issue or have you had to replace the torque converter. I just bought the truck in my sig, and it is having the exact same symptoms as the origional poster. It has 107k miles on it. The fluid has never been touched. I had it in to ford today and got the dipstick out and the fluid seems to be ok. But as all transmission issues go.... Im risking rolling the dice on doing a full chemical flush. So my main question is..... Does doing the full flush work or did you do a fluid exchange. Did it cure the issues or did you still end up replacing the torque converter.... A quick responce would be great! Thanks in advance!

I got my trans fluid changed at a local shop. I'm not sure what method the guy used, but I think he just replaced as much fluid as he could and maybe replaced the filter. It's been quite a while since I got it done and I haven't had any problems since.
 






Thanks for the reasponce will! It sounds like he just did a pan drop and fluid exchange. Not a full flush. But its good info to know! Im trying to figure out how much risk i want to take and how invasive of a process i want to use inorder to correct the issue.
 






everyone I know with a ford that has had a power flush has had to replace the whole trans in less than 5,000 miles.... ford transmissions do not like fluid pushed backwards.... its always better just to drop the pan and replace filter and the fluid lost.... better yet if you have a converter with a drain bolt.... I have a good friend that runs an oil change shop and he tries to talk the ford people out of the service and they are not liable for damages after they leave the facility
 






everyone I know with a ford that has had a power flush has had to replace the whole trans in less than 5,000 miles.... ford transmissions do not like fluid pushed backwards.... its always better just to drop the pan and replace filter and the fluid lost.... better yet if you have a converter with a drain bolt.... I have a good friend that runs an oil change shop and he tries to talk the ford people out of the service and they are not liable for damages after they leave the facility

The 6R60/80 is very difficult to power flush too as there's a thermo bypass valve that only lets fluid flow to the cooler (where the flush machines connects to) at 190F. And to second MotorCityFats I've heard plenty of horror stories with flushes in general. If the pan has never been dropped (and the magnet cleaned off from the initial break in wear) a flush will just recirculate the junk back into the trans.
 






I understand the risks of flushing. Iv seen it happen and iv done it. Iv seen some last n iv seen some fail. However my fluid isnt burnt. It is not dirty. Its just used... My questions are specific to 6r60 transmissions as i know some transmissions are more delicate than others. I just do not know much about these transmissions to make the call myself. One way or another i will be getting new fluid in some fashion. Im not letting this torque converter shutter go on any longer if i can help it. Esp if it decides to shell the torque converter then i have a real mess in the whole transmission. However it can go the other way n i have it flushed n then it shells anyway... But im not worried about how much of a pain in the ass it is cause im not doing the work to this one.

So... With that said... Im looking for the responces from people who have this issue and have this transmission. What did they do to cure this specific issue and has it lasted. Willied said he had a pan drop. It fixed it. If i could get a responce from the OP and anyone else that has experienced this exact issue id be very thankful.

No offence to the last two posters but i understand the risks n the horrer stories. Im looking for specific information about this issue n this trans.
 






I understand the risks of flushing. Iv seen it happen and iv done it. Iv seen some last n iv seen some fail. However my fluid isnt burnt. It is not dirty. Its just used... My questions are specific to 6r60 transmissions as i know some transmissions are more delicate than others. I just do not know much about these transmissions to make the call myself. One way or another i will be getting new fluid in some fashion. Im not letting this torque converter shutter go on any longer if i can help it. Esp if it decides to shell the torque converter then i have a real mess in the whole transmission. However it can go the other way n i have it flushed n then it shells anyway... But im not worried about how much of a pain in the ass it is cause im not doing the work to this one.

So... With that said... Im looking for the responces from people who have this issue and have this transmission. What did they do to cure this specific issue and has it lasted. Willied said he had a pan drop. It fixed it. If i could get a responce from the OP and anyone else that has experienced this exact issue id be very thankful.

No offence to the last two posters but i understand the risks n the horrer stories. Im looking for specific information about this issue n this trans.

I thought another one of my posts was in this thread but it was actually another. To summarize though I was just having this same problem (shudder only in 6th gear, TCC locked, ~45 MPH) and it was cured by changing the fluid and filter by simply dropping the pan.
 






yea, a pan drop and filter and fluid change should fix most fluid going bad problems.
if your trans is so bad that is has something clogged or plugged up then you have more more major problems other them what a flush or fluid change will fix. also if you want to get more fluid out and new then just a pan drop then do the pan drop and filter change and then drive few hundred miles and drop the pan again and then just refill. or suck it out from the fill plug, they will get most of it new.
 






 






I'll have to dig up the paperwork but I could swear it's been 10,000 miles since the dealership did the flush and my transmission is still doing fine. Knock on wood.

I'm not a big fan of automatics to begin with. All my personal vehicles are manuals. My wife's Buick's transmission crapped out at 79K. It started slipping one day, I pulled the dipstick and the fluid was black. The next day it quit pulling. Luckily it was under warranty but took almost 2 months to get it fixed with all the other GM front wheel drive transmissions that the dealership had back logged.

Too bad they can't make automatics like they used to. My 68 Ford Fairlane has a 302 and a C4 transmission. The engine and transmission are original. The transmission filter has probably only been changed a couple of times. Once by me in 1999.

Leaks a little bit but shifts fine otherwise.

As far as I know, my Grandmother bought it from her neighbor in 1976 and he bought it new.
 






Torque convertor shudder misdiagnosed

Hey, just thought I would throw this up. I bought my 07 explorer Ltd with the 4.6 and 6r60 at 120,000km, ever since I got it it would shudder and jerk at 85-95 km under light acceleration as the torque converter locked up. I work at Ford, so had it diagnosed, they said either torque converter clutch, or mechatronics assembly (solenoids in valve body), further diag to isolate. I suspected torque converter clutch myself, but $1,600 was too much to spend.

So anyways get to the point, I drove it for a year, until now 155K, got a lot worse lately. Last week the engine light started flashing when it was shuddering. Scanned it, multiple cylinder misfire P0300.

So I changed spark plugs, two broke typical Triton. Put another 1000km on it now, torque converter symptoms completely gone, all the time it was a misfire that occurred due to the added load at converter lockup. I never suspected it until it started happening at other speeds and engine light started coming on, which was only the last week.

Apparently these trucks have a high threshold of misfire counts before it will set a DTC according to fords service information.

Anyways, hope this helps someone else, if your truck has around 100,00km, don't rule out something as simple as spark plugs if you have a converter shudder. My converter was shuddering, but due to bad plugs.

Converter shudder is completely gone, more power, and better gas mileage. Saved me the $1,600 for a new converter, hope it saves somebody else some money too.

This isn't diagnosis tho, no guarantees, just what I found on mine.
 






Glad you figured out your issue. The spark plug situation in these 3V 4.6L V8s is pretty sad. Not only are they hard to get out, but they seem to go bad before their time. I had to change my second set after around 50,000 miles even though they're supposed to be good for 100,000. My mom's 2011 Explorer went ~135,000 miles before I had to replace its spark plugs.
 






They sound similar, hence all the overlap in suggestions. I have had all in mine over the last few years. Best way to describe the differences imo:

RPM surge - usually smooth, RPM surges/blips 50-100 rpm higher, then returns to original rpm seems to follow a cycle/rhythm every 5-20 seconds (rhythm gets faster over months). Usually only occurs 35-45mph in a locked gear (4/5/6).
Converter shudder/Rumble noise - sometimes accompanies the surge, sounds like going over rumble strips, gets worse over months. I had my TC replaced @87k, but I sense its coming back now at 107k.:mad:
Ignition Miss - sharper shudder, not as cyclical can be a one time event or several in quick succesion, usually occurs in 6th lock under load 40-60mph. Sometimes will be enough to unlock converter. Usually won't set a code, but if you can monitor live data you can see misfires. I had someone w/laptop s/w that could monitor live. Mine was resolved w/plugs [MENTION=71306]77[/MENTION]k. When I had a coil go [MENTION=234733]10[/MENTION]4k, it set a hard misfire code w/engine light.

Pls post how your repair goes. I'm on the verge of going into a dealer to analyze the trans again, i just know it won't be cheap...

These are the exact issues im having. My 07 4.6 has 160k and the CarFax shows a tune up @ 83k and no trans fluid flushes. But, if you look thoroughly at the maintenance schedule in the owners manual it shows that the 6r60 doesn't get fluid exchanges. Seems odd to me.
 






These are the exact issues im having. My 07 4.6 has 160k and the CarFax shows a tune up @ 83k and no trans fluid flushes. But, if you look thoroughly at the maintenance schedule in the owners manual it shows that the 6r60 doesn't get fluid exchanges. Seems odd to me.

I think I posted this earlier, but there's a Ford tech that has a youtube channel and he says that the 6R60 really needs to be flushed much earlier and more often.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nse_z9RmPcQ
 



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I had the shudder problems and got the fluid and filter changed, and it's had no problems since.

I did the same, just dropped the pan, replaced the filter and like 6 quarts of SP fluid.
That fixed my shutter.
I then replaced the spark plugs for good measure, don't think that helped as much in my case though.
 






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