04 explorer Trans issue

[lizzardtn]

I have an 04 explorer with 159,000 miles. Pulled a small trailer for a friend. Drove fine the entire way. Went to start my truck and drive off. Now it doesn't want to shift out of first gear. Under real hard accelaration, then let off put it in neutral. It will shift out, then the O/D light started flashing. I have spent several hours researching after I found this forum. But they all describe different circumstances. Can someone please help limited budget, and don't want to just throw money at it or take it to a shop.


Drive normal, doesn't want to shift and trans seems to slip.
Drive hard in 1st gear, let off and then it will shift out after manually shifting from1st to 2nd

Plan on checking fluid now just in case(praying this is it)
Will update if it is

 

[lizzardtn]

Also the transmission is pouring it with car running. And smells burnt, and feels almost watery

 

[lizzardtn]

With the drain plug out, the fluid just pours out.
It smells burnt, and feels watery

Please say it just needs a flush

 

[neilpridenz]

Hi,

Your problem sounds pretty similar to mine...

First thing, don't panic.

I freaked out last weekend when I lost my second gear, same symptoms pretty much

See this post:





http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=386344

So my fluid was smelling burnt also, but at decent miles you would expect it to be degraded a bit.

My issue was very clear, O/D servo had simply broken completely, the piston had come away from the cup. If I had only fixed that, it was a simple fix, you don't even have to drain the fluid. The servo sits higher than the pan so can be replaced with only loss of a cupful or so of ATF. That fix on its own was worth about NZ$250 (US$200) I'd say, my final bill listed the servo as a NZ$75 part and they are cheaper in the US. Labour 3-4 hours if it goes easily.

I chose to get the fluid and filter changed, and my solenoid block changed at the same time due to a different problem. (big reverse clunk and 1-2, 2-3 shift clunk)

Best money I ever spent, the trans now shift like new, I can hardly tell when it changes gears. All up all my repairs cost me NZ$1900 - so I feel lucky.

But I eventually got my repair done at an ATRA member - specialist transmission shop, I would absolutely say find one of those guys local to you and get their help.I went to a Ford agent, after about an hours work they were prepared to write my transmission off and sell me a ford remanufactured unit. For NZ$7000 plus install labour...

The broken servo problem seems quite common, the slightly worse one is where the bore that the servo piston fits into wears badly (very common due to a manufacturing defect) and also results in 2nd and 5th gear being lost. The same servo works 2nd and 5th and if that fails you get the revs climbing to about 3,000 from start until it eventually finds 3rd.

The worn servo bore is a bit more expensive to cure completely - trans has to come out and be rebuilt. But there is a workaround that might last you 5-10,000 miles, google for "5r55 servo bore fix" and you will find it - a clever machining of the piston and a couple of O-rings, back in business...

Good luck, let us know how you go, and:

1) Don't panic
2) Take it to an ATRA transmission guy, not a Ford dealer....

Neil.

 

[lizzardtn]

Just had my local transmission shop put it on the scanner. They believe it is the servo that controls 2nd and 5th gear. Hopefully that's all it is. He said he sees this code all the time and this is usually the case.... Praying that's all it is. Will keep informed

 

[Joscibo]

Just had my local transmission shop put it on the scanner. They believe it is the servo that controls 2nd and 5th gear. Hopefully that's all it is. He said he sees this code all the time and this is usually the case.... Praying that's all it is. Will keep informed

Would that servo that you are describing cause rpm surge when in overdrive and starting to load going up a an incline at highway speeds? I am thinking my servo bore could be causing overdrive to not engage torque converter lock up?