02 Explorer with Transmission Problem

[Colin02Explorer]

A newbie here and just looking for some feedback on Explorer my son picked up used with 122,000 miles that we knowingly purchased with a poor shifting transmission and knew would need to be fixed, overall the rest of the 4.0L V6 with 4WD seems to be in good shape and well cared for.
The tranny is shifting poorly and after reading all the posts complaining about Ford automatic transmissions we took to a local repair shop that just works on transmisions to see what he thought it would need, I have had work done there on a Taurus and they do their own rebuilds and have a good reputation in this area.
I do not know exact terminology but what shop is recommending is a complete rebuild that would include boring out where the servos are and putting in brass sleeves, I am being told there is excessive wear there because it is aluminum from factory and over time there is excessive wear that causes reduced hydraulic pressure.
Besides this, they are telling me the tranny is in good shape and this is a manufacturing defect that is fixed by putting in brass sleeves.
Shop is charging $1,700 for this repair, does that seem reasonable?

 

[05explorer1974]

I think you could get a Ford reman trans with a warranty for about that plus a core if you know someone that could put it in and get the core back when you give it back. That's probably about right for a rebuild. I would just make sure that they put in the updated parts. I think the servo kit and solenoid pack were updated. I don't ever recall hearing about that being a manufacturing defect or we would have seen a ton of transmission repairs on those. I don't think there was that many on the servos. I know we did alot of solenoid packs on those transmissions.

 

[Teejay4490]

Ive seen people on here pay 3000 sooo yeah...lol I paid 2200 for mine with every possible part in it upgraded. 1700 seems like an awesome price to me!

 

[Colin02Explorer]

Maybe I used wrong terminology when I said "manufacturing defect" because it sounds more like a situation were the servo bores wear out and once they have the brass sleeves tranny guy said it should not give us any more problems.
4 out of our 5 cars have over 120K miles and all are automatics, I should put the transmission shop on my Christmas Card list and bring them lunch once in awhile to stay on their preferred customer list.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

If the $1700 includes removing and reinstalling the transmission, along with a warranty you are getting a solid deal. Find out if that includes going through the valve body and doing any necessary updates, as well as replacing the solenoid pack with the latest revision. The fact that they know to bore the servos is a good sign.

If you give additional details as to the issue, you might only have a bad solenoid pack which will cost a lot less to remedy.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

Maybe I used wrong terminology when I said "manufacturing defect" because it sounds more like a situation were the servo bores wear out and once they have the brass sleeves tranny guy said it should not give us any more problems.
4 out of our 5 cars have over 120K miles and all are automatics, I should put the transmission shop on my Christmas Card list and bring them lunch once in awhile to stay on their preferred customer list.

It is a "defect" really. The servos are tougher than the bores, and wear the bore in an oblong fashion over time. This allows fluid to get past the servo instead of through it, causing the distinct "flare shifting" into the overdrive gears.

 

[Colin02Explorer]

Tranny is getting all new components including a shift kit and solenoid pack.
Time will tell but this guy seems to be very knowledgable and has fair pricing.
Just called and truck is ready to be picked up, took 2 days and he does all work in house.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

Tranny is getting all new components including a shift kit and solenoid pack.
Time will tell but this guy seems to be very knowledgable and has fair pricing.
Just called and truck is ready to be picked up, took 2 days and he does all work in house.

That sounds like a steal, then! Most respectable rebuilds cost close to $2k, and that does not include R&R.

 

[Colin02Explorer]

Picked up Explorer and trannys seems to be working well but when my son got home and put in reverse all the dash lights went on, and when he takes shifter out of "R" they go off?
Going to call repair shop today, very strange.