5R55E Transmission Problems

but you sound so happy to do it......

Happy

I am happy about the fact that I am not pulling the transmission out this weekend. I don't have the time or energy to do it. lol.
I think I am going to do the EPC pressure tests and compare the pressures to what the NGS scan tool says they are. Just for giggles.

If anyone reads this thread and has done pressure testing to a second gen explorer with a 5r55e, I would love to hear from you.

Happy

I am also happy because I surround my failures with success's. I figured the trans wouldn't work right so I put front shocks on too. At least that way I wont get sea sick when driving this thing anymore. The shocks were a success. lol.
Damn transmission.

EPC pressures

EPC pressures measured by NGS scan tool.
Idle

P 27
R 60
N 27
D 45
2 40
1 45

Stall

R 127

D 122
2 116
1 124

Spec is supposed to be
Idle
R = 52-62
N = 32-42
D,2,1 = 25-35

Stall
R = 112-134

D,2,1 = 112-134

EDIT
Specs are wrong in this post.

Results and specs

So I don't know if I trust the specs since they say
Trans 5R55E
4.0L EI
Ranger
4X2,4X4
This is from Ford's workshop manual on their official website in which you have to have passwords etc to access. It is supposed to be updated where old books or disks are not. Also I was under 1998 Explorer, not Ranger. Got to love the discrepancy's. This is why I don't trust the specs.

If EPC pressure is out of spec is has you go to Pinpoint test E which is entirely on circuit diagnostics of the EPC solenoid like opens and shorts etc. Of course there are no electrical problems with the epc so that is just a dead end. Then they say if EPC operation is OK go to Line Pressure Chart. lol.

EDIT
OK I found the problem with the specs. The workshop manual has ranger specs in it where the procedures are.
You have to go to specifications at the top of the section to find the specs on the Explorer. They do that so they can use the same procedure for all the 5R55E's that year and have to just put something in the procedure. I did post the Explorer one earlier.

Results again

So according to the supposedly correct specs now....
EPC Pressure as measured by NGS scan Tool.
D,2, and 1 EPC pressures are too high at Idle. At stall they are all good.
I should hook up pressure gauge to see if it and the NGS correspond.
Also I just noticed that the specs say Idle(1000rpm). I was at Idle 650rpm. Love it!

Line Pressure as measured by gauge.
D and 1 Line Pressures are high at Idle, 2 is right at borderline high spec 110.
At Stall D,2, and 1 are low. 255 compared to spec of 228. A whopping 3 psi too low. ???? Might be the gauge.

I assume some of the pressures may be different because this is an upgraded or modified Valve Body.
My other assumption is none of this is helpful since my only problem is the lock up torque converter is slipping. None of these tests (Line and EPC) are done with TCC lock up. I did monitor line pressure with TCC lock up and stepped on the brake pedal with my other foot, on and off. the pressure did not change when the torque converter locked or unlocked. I already changed the TCC solenoid with known good one. The only things left I can think of are the torque converter is defective or the front pump support seal.

Ordered

I ordered a torque converter.

Maybe we can collect all our problem parts in a pile. I'll supply the gas.

Even knowing what your doing, and having the tools, there is still lots of guess work (SWAG...Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess).

Its no fun at all with our daily drivers breaking. We just need to remember even new vehicles have issues (At least I keep telling myself that).

Get a stator seal too.

Seal

Got one from various seal/gasket kits I have acquired. I will have to look and make sure it is the one with no cuts in it....
Thanks for reminding me.

Stator Seal

Old vs. new style stator seals.
The old one is the yellow one on the left with the split in it.
The new one has no split and is supposed to have better sealing qualities and a more durable material.
They are about the size of a quarter in real life.
Drdoom, thanks again for reminding me, I will now have this ready when the torque converter shows up, so I don't forget.
I will be checking the pump oring, the one that is in the pump gear. I will be shining a light up in the pump where the torque converter goes and hopefully it will be in one piece still. I did replace it when I put the pump in. I have the Rotunda seating tool as well, and it does help get that thing to fully fit in the groove.

Trans

So my torque converter showed today already.
I got out of work early because of new years eve.
Got home at 7pm. Good, time to start pulling the transmission. Played musical vehicles to get the 4 door in the garage. Let it warm up too, helps heat my garage.
Jacked the truck up and put it on jackstands, pull the left front wheel off. so I dont bump me head on it when sliding around on the creeper.
Then I get the idea to drain my trans so I dont make a mess later. I have this awesome drain plug set up on the pan. Got an empty clean bottle and a funel and slid under there.
Pulled the drain plug and dropped it right into the funel blocking the hole, overflowing transfluid all over me, the cat converter, and the floor. Exactly what I was trying not to do. Had to hold one finger over the drain hole while trying to get that damn drain plug out of the funel hole. Of course it would not come off and was very slippery with a pint of trans fluid in that funel. Finally got that curs-ed thing out of the fricking funel. Had to change an insulated shirt and another long sleeve garage work shirt. No more clean shirts, found a somewhat clean one to put on and had to start a load of laundry.
Now the best part. I have not even started drinking yet.
I have not been that mad in about 20 years. I am starting to get over it, and I am starting to laugh about it now.
It's gonna be a long night......
Here comes the new year! lol.

Yeah I hear you, I was putting one back in outside one day, laying in a bunch of dam tree roots poking me in the back. Well I was about done, and peeked out from under the truck, freaking sun was coming up!

trans

If I dont get this done now it will snow and I will be driving my Ranger in the snow. It is 4wd but the back end is so light it is all over the place. The other thing is I can only go two days and I have to get gas again if I want to get it in NJ. In PA it cost more(gas).
My explorer gets three days before it needs a fill up again.
When I have both I can fill them up and drive the Ranger 2 days and the Explorer the other three days and then I dont have to get gas until the weekend. I hate stopping for gas, it is wated time, especially when I work double shifts. Doubles are like get up at 4am, get showered and out the house by 5am. Get to work by 6am. Classes start at 6:30am. Second classes start at 2:00pm and end by 8:15pm. Drive home. Get there at 9:00pm.
Try to fall asleep by 10pm to get 6 hours and I am one of the unlucky people that needs 8 hours sleep to function correctly.
Man, when can I retire? lol. Damn, not for at least 20 more years.
lol.

or i absolutely love it when you go to lower the trans down, then the converter falls out of it and instead of flopping over, it decides to roll around the floor leaving a trail of ATF behind it. normally in a place you dont want it to go.

fun times!

Trans

Yea, seeing the torque converter running around the floor peeing trans fluid everywhere would get my blood pressure up too!

Got a good amount done tonight, tomorrow just got to pull the transfer case off, then drop the crossmember, then the trans lines, then the bellhousing bolts and it is out of there. All else is done.

I will use this to keep the torque converter from running around on my garage floor. lol.

Done

Done but not road tested. I will see if it fixes the problem tomorrow night.
I ran the thing and filled the fluid but I have three trucks in my driveway blocking it in and it is too cold and I am too tired to mover them around.
Now its shower and sleep time.
In the picture you can see where I spilled all that trans fluid.
Love that harbor freight trans jack, I am getting my moneys worth out of that thing.

Note to self, jack it up higher next time.

Wow nice work! I saw your stator seal pictures up there, the new looks like the ones transtec sends. I didn't have a re-sizer for that, and I sure struggled, but I left a cable tie around it for a while til I got the converter on. Looking good man, hope it all works out.

For a guy working all these double shifts you sure do quick work.
I don't think I'd be able to think and I'd be making silly mistakes. My hat's off to you.

Torque converter

Well, it wasn't the torque converter.
Back to the drawling board.