Found a spring in my trans. pan!!

[sean99]

Dropped the pan to change the filter and found a small spring.
Its a little bigger in diameter than a spring that you would find in a pen.
3/16 in diameter and 1/4 inch tall.It has some dark blue paint on it.
Trans. seems to work fine.Any ideas as to what it is from?
99 v6 sohc 4x4

 

[ExplorerDMB]

Is this the first transmission pan service?

-Drew

 

[sean99]

I have 30k on it since a new valve body from dealership.
This is the first time I have opened it up.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

yeah that's not a good sign. I was asking because when they build transmission from the factory they sometimes have a little thing in the bottom of the pan from the factory that sits in the dip stick tube

-Drew

 

[sean99]

Do you know what part inside the trans. would use this type of spring?

 

[2001ExpSport]

Look like any of these?

 

[toy720]

it sounds like it is from the valvebody somewhere do you have a digital camera to post a picture of it. It is possible it came from the old valvebody but i doubt it. Do you have any shifting problems?

 

[toy720]

now those look like a mod kit?

 

[2001ExpSport]

Honestly, to lose a spring the VB would need to have a major failure because they are held in the bores by retainer clips which hold the plugs. If that spring was from your existing VB there would be other parts in the pan as well. It's possible that doruing the repair the spring found it's way into the pan and went unnoticed.

Yes, that is a pic of springs from a VB kit.

Matt

 

[sean99]

It looks most like the spring on the lower right.My spring is 3/16 in diameter and 1/4 tall with only three and a half coils.It has a little bit of dark blue paint on it.
The Explorer seems to shift alright.Very smooth transitions between shifts.Sometimes I think there might be a slight flare up but it might be in my head from reading about problems on this site.My 93 Ranger had much firmer shifts.Does this sound right?

 

[2001ExpSport]

well your ranger had a different trans.

I wouldn't worry about it. You described a partial spring. Only way I know to cut a spring like that is with wire cutters. Sometimes they shoved these springs in the cravasses to filter particals.

 

[toy720]

yea i agree but we are talking about ford and where else do springs go that small within the tranny (no where so im still still sticking with vb) the only thing i can think of is if they put in a new pan or dipstick but not likely

 

[sean99]

The valve body was replaced from the dealer in 9/04 30k miles ago.
Do you think they would have used an upgraded set-up by then?

 

[2001ExpSport]

yea i agree but we are talking about ford and where else do springs go that small within the tranny (no where so im still still sticking with vb) the only thing i can think of is if they put in a new pan or dipstick but not likely

Oh I think it would be from the VB too, but where could it slip through? Only place I can think of that would let a piece thru is the forward engagement control valve.

 

[toy720]

like he said it is the first service since the service they may have not even have cleaned the pan out just a yankee and replace!!!!!!!!!!! it happens all the time

 

[2001ExpSport]

I wouldn't worry about it. You described a partial spring. Only way I know to cut a spring like that is with wire cutters. Sometimes they shoved these springs in the cravasses to filter particals.

.

 

[toy720]

yea they probably used the upgrade available but im with 2001 exp sport the only thing i can think of is of was from the old valve body. but where did it come from i have seen alot of stuff end up in the pan but never a spring it made its way all the way to the pan?????????????????????????????

 

[BrooklynBay]

There is only one explaination that I could think of. When they dropped the original valve body, the inner case behind the valve body has a spring that acts like a filter for the TCC section (at least on an A4LD anyway). I've never pulled out a valve body from a 5R55E, but I would say that it also uses the same kind of set up in that section of the case. This was a tough one, but I have no doubt that it would be anything else but that spring. I would recommend pulling out the valve body, and checking that area of the inner case. By the way, one function of that spring is to reduce the amount of fragments going to the TCC solenoid. Those fragments could cause shudder, and improper operation by clogging up that section of the valve body, and solenoid.

 

[toy720]

no it does not use the spring i still think it somehow came from the old valve body.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I have another idea, but it is a long shot. Besides the obvious big spring on the low/reverse servo, there is also a small spring that moves the rod. Maybe it might be that?