2000 Explorer XLT problem child | Page 3 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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2000 Explorer XLT problem child

Better for that to happen now, than after you get the new engine bolted in. Go to torque those nuts up and *crack*
 



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True dat, even so I feel like whining and pouting just a little bit
 






I hope that issue with defective TC studs is super rare, that could be really bad for a lot of people. I bought a rebuilt unit from a company recommended by John here, his supercharged SOHC 5R55E has not let him down yet. The TC price was reasonable, under $200 total last year.
 






I'd think this problem would be rare. I'm not a professional wrench but I have dabbled on and off thru the years and have never seen this happen before ever. The look of the broken areas smacks of someone with a wire feed trying to save a couple bucks, and hey it worked 'till I came along
 






Converter arrived, only three days late. Dumped a quart and a half of NAPA Mercon into it and installed it. Went right on and engaged everything it was supposed to in five spins hope the rest is this easy (I know better).

Got a buddy to help drop this in over the weekend I'm not sure I can do it alone given the lack of an inspection cover on the bell housing. It also seems I need to remove the bank 2 cat so I can change the transmission fluid and filter. I know, where else were they gonna put it but I'd still like to slap the Ford engineer/designers.

It was suggested that it would be easier to pull the transmission, assemble the powerpack outside the vehicle and then install it as a unit...I'm not so sure, any opinions? Seems to me the transfer case would complicate this badly

Regards,
Mark
 






Transfer case is easy. 6 bolts and the driveshafts. It’s not even heavy.
 






That 5R transmission takes Mercon V, and the transfer case takes regular Mercon I or (Dexron III or the three other TC fluid choices).
 






Maybe I’m not tracking. Is the engine also out? If not, removing the engine just to mate the two up and install as a unit...I wouldn’t wish that work on my worst enemy.

Yeah, the exhaust is annoying. That said, if you run an external trans filter, you won’t have to drop the pan for a very long time.
 






Engine is out, transmission still in. Probably not gonna pull the trans I hate the thought
 






Just to mate the engine? No way.

Don’t use a load leveler with your hoist. It will hit the top of the firewall with like 1” to go between the engine and trans. I learned that the hard way. Use bolts and chain.

I did it solo. It was a lot of stand up, lay down, but doable. Have a big ratchet read to gently turn the engine as you push to get the converter bolts in their holes. Then send whatever bellhousing bolts you can get, and worry about the uppers last.

As for the trans filter...this is likely an unpopular opinion...but I rarely change mine. I use a filter in the cooling loop. The one in the pan is very coarse media, only catches big stuff. IF you’re using an external filter and that pan filter gets clogged enough with particles to create a pressure Delta, your trans is probably proper ****ed anyway. I change fluid via the cooling hoses every 30,000mi. Got lots of miles on my perfectly functioning tranny with beautiful, clean fluid.

Moving that cat every 100,000mi or so to change the filter and clean the magnet isn’t too bad
 






Just to mate the engine? No way.

Don’t use a load leveler with your hoist. It will hit the top of the firewall with like 1” to go between the engine and trans. I learned that the hard way. Use bolts and chain.

I did it solo. It was a lot of stand up, lay down, but doable. Have a big ratchet read to gently turn the engine as you push to get the converter bolts in their holes. Then send whatever bellhousing bolts you can get, and worry about the uppers last.

As for the trans filter...this is likely an unpopular opinion...but I rarely change mine. I use a filter in the cooling loop. The one in the pan is very coarse media, only catches big stuff. IF you’re using an external filter and that pan filter gets clogged enough with particles to create a pressure Delta, your trans is probably proper ****ed anyway. I change fluid via the cooling hoses every 30,000mi. Got lots of miles on my perfectly functioning tranny with beautiful, clean fluid.

Moving that cat every 100,000mi or so to change the filter and clean the magnet isn’t too bad

I have wondered what the stock filter was for filtering level. I'd like to know how the inline type compare, as well as oil filters. Are they 10 micron filters, or over 20, or under 5 microns?
 






Ho ho you reading my mind eh? Was just about to visit the local sunken freight to look into a leveler; thanks for tossing that in. I'll look into an inline filter, where did you mount the head?
 






OK, so the big day came this morning, buddy showed up and things were set to go. I carefully eyed up the flexplate and converter studs up at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock and ya wanna talk about lucky, 40 or so minutes of lowering, wiggling, and prying the whole mess dropped right together. After getting four bell housing bolts in (we'd removed the motor mounts from the block) we lowered the unit 'till we could get at the rest of the bell housing bolts and the rear wire plugs hooked up.

It's in. Before we tightened everything up we rotated the engine while looking thru the starter hole, and no one was more surprised or happier when the flexplate came around to show the converter studs poking thru the plate holes. I'd not dared to expect that.

Now after all this **** I hope it starts and runs

Thanks much youse guys for all your advice and responses; I'll keep reporting on this 'till it's done one way or another

Regards,
Mark
 






The latest note

Last night I filled the crankcase with oil, anticipating a test start this morning. When I walked into the garage this AM I noted a quart sized puddle of oil under the supposedly six ways from Sunday quality tested salvage engine that was dripping from the pan/block gasket area.

Guess quality testing will still pass an engine that won't hold oil. I know it's minor but still.

**** me what the hell's next
 






I looked it up a while ago when I was researching my filtering plans. 100-120 microns was what the interwebs came back with for the 5R55E pan filters.
 






The latest note

Last night I filled the crankcase with oil, anticipating a test start this morning. When I walked into the garage this AM I noted a quart sized puddle of oil under the supposedly six ways from Sunday quality tested salvage engine that was dripping from the pan/block gasket area.

Guess quality testing will still pass an engine that won't hold oil. I know it's minor but still.

**** me what the hell's next


It's sad to hear about it leaking oil, hopefully it's minor like the drain plug loose or some loose oil pan bolts. Look it over closely, and cross the fingers.




I looked it up a while ago when I was researching my filtering plans. 100-120 microns was what the interwebs came back with for the 5R55E pan filters.
Thanks for that, that is very coarse, I'd like much finer cleaning of ATF than that.
 






After enough time to have my pout I crawled back under the thing and as best as I can determine the lower oil pan gasket is leaking. I did refill the crankcase, turned the engine with a non chipped key until the oil pressure gauge came up, then went to the chipped key.

It lit off. Encouraged by this I went to NAPA and picked up a lower pan gasket but by the time I got back home it was 105 and even hotter in the garage so the project got shelved until dark and early tomorrow morning. I'll replace the gasket and #2 Permatex it as well; we'll see then.

I was unable to get the bank 2 cat off the rest of the exhaust system, even Kroil would not penetrate the rust and a mapp gas torch did not do it either. I'll bring it to a local muffler shop that I've heard good things about since they'll have the correct equipment to do this much more easily than I can.

Probably another report tomorrow hopefully it'll be a good one and I will not have any pissing and moaning to do

Regards,
Mark
 






Well then

Replaced the leaky gasket and no more oil pissing. Got fluids filled up as best I could and took it around the block where it drove quite well altho it's giving me PO113 and PO102 codes. I'll let it cool off and top off fluids if needed, clear the ECU and run it again since it runs and idles smooth enough to make me think some quirk may possibly be giving me bogus codes.

The IAC valve (113) is brand new but that does not mean the wiring to it is good since the live data reading is -40F. The MAF sensor (102) live data sez .19 lb/min and does not change with RPM increase. Another driving cycle or two will likely tell me alot, perhaps another round of meter fun is in the future

Regards,
Mark
 






MAF and IAT are in the same sensor in your year. In earlier years, they are separate sensors.

There may be a mismatch between the sensors and the harness/PCM installed? Which year is the engine/harness, and which year intake did you use?
 



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Engine, intake and harness came as a unit and I did not mix and match. I was told it was taken out of a 2000 and I saw nothing to convince me otherwise during the install; connecters on the right side and matched up perfectly.
 






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