2001 Sport "Tadpole"

[b00stleak]

Whats up guys.
Been gone from here for a while, but "I'm back in the saddle agaaain". I traded a junk XJ for a pretty darn clean 01 sport. No chain rattle, or anything. The oil pressure gauge was lazy for a while, but I think its just the sender, I hope. The catch is, the thing only goes forward, but in every gear position. I'm still playing with it and have another project that I need to finish before I dig too deep into this one. Two possible causes from what I've been reading are:

1. The forward drum steels welded themselves together or,
2. The valvebody has some issues that a sonnax kit will hopefully address.

The fluid is still pretty pink, not brown and might be a tad low. I didn't check it fully warm though. It drives around pretty good, but missed a gear a couple times. It would try to shift but nothing was there and it would rev. I let off, and it went in and stayed in. I tried out the 4wd and it got angry and started to slip and felt lazy and the temps jumped from 170 to 181 very quickly. I pulled over and got it out of 4wd and it went back to normal.

 

[410Fortune]

Nice sport!
Typical 5r55e issues
Reverse is usually first to go
Second gear is actually computer created using 1st and overdrive
No transmission codes in memory?

 

[b00stleak]

Nice sport!
Typical 5r55e issues
Reverse is usually first to go
Second gear is actually computer created using 1st and overdrive
No transmission codes in memory?

Thanks! I guess I posted in the wrong forum. Figured this had more in common with Sport tracs than regular 2nd gens.

No codes from Forscan. It will lurchforward sometimes when I start it. Forscan says it's in 1st when in P,R,N,D,1. I'm not sure if that's normal. In 2 it says 3rd, which I know is normal. It doesn't want to move in R really. Maybe a little bit forward, but I don't really give it too much. Don't want to cause anymore damage if it's in the VB. N it absolutely goes forward, as if I put it in gear. I checked the linkage a little down at the trans and it appears to be adjusted correctly. I will get my wife in the driver seat to run thru them just to be sure its correct. It's up on blocks now. Gonna drop the pan and see what it looks like. It came with a rebuild kit in the hatch with everything needed except the bands. Maybe I will attempt a rebuild myself if the VB doesn't fix it. Ideally I would like to find a crashed Ranger in the JY and just pull that, Sonnax the VB, and go. Just gotta get down to the yard and see.

A 3.0 5r55e from an 01+ Ranger is different right? I know I need to check the door for the trans code to be sure it's not a W, which is unfortunate. I want that low W gearing lol.

 

[410Fortune]

Yes the 3.0 has a completely different bellhousing and will not bolt up

Lurching forward when you start is not normal
Why it is showing 1st gear engaged in p
And n might have something to do with your issues… . The linkage should be adjusted w the column shifter in n and the trans in n

Adjust the dtrs then suspect Bad solenoids / wiring or leaky valve
Body gaskets for sure

You can get a used 5r55e but it must be from a 4.0 and it must have the second oss sensor near the tailhousing like your 01 sport does. The earlier ones like pre 99 did not have the second oss
Any 4.0 ranger 2000-11, 4.0 explorer 99-04 and others use the same 5r55e trans.

 

[b00stleak]

Yes the 3.0 has a completely different bellhousing and will not bolt up

Lurching forward when you start is not normal
Why it is showing 1st gear engaged in p
And n might have something to do with your issues… . The linkage should be adjusted w the column shifter in n and the trans in n

Adjust the dtrs then suspect Bad solenoids / wiring or leaky valve
Body gaskets for sure

You can get a used 5r55e but it must be from a 4.0 and it must have the second oss sensor near the tailhousing like your 01 sport does. The earlier ones like pre 99 did not have the second oss
Any 4.0 ranger 2000-11, 4.0 explorer 99-04 and others use the same 5r55e trans.

Ok, I actually do remember the bells are different. I am hoping the gasket or something in fluid circuits is messed up and I can fix it fairly easily.

Thanks for the tip on the linkage! I will verify that today. It's easy enough to do.

From my research I do not think the 02+ Explorer trans will work. Something about the electronics being completely different. My build date is 8/00 so yes, it has the OSS. Ranger 01+ will swap in. If the Explorer trans does work and we can 100% confirm that then that will make sourcing a trans WAY easier at the Upull it. There are a ton of them, and only like 2 Rangers that look like they will work. I guess time to do some more digging and be sure about the 3rd gen Ex's.

 

[410Fortune]

00-11 ranger will work
01-04 trac, 99-01 explorer, 01-04 sport
Also Mazda b4000 and mountaineer

I have two 07 ranger automatics one has 110 miles the other 127k I’ve been holding onto them so I can fix/flip a truck like yours

eBay is a wonderful place to find good used trans
A unit like yours can sometimes be fixed through the valve body the valve body base gaskets should for sure be replaced, they leak all the time along with the solenoid changes and other valve body updates

 

[b00stleak]

Sooo my hopes of a valve body fix look dim. This fluid is absolutely nasty. It stunk up my garage pretty bad. I got the pan dropped, and while I was starting to take the valve body down, I noticed a piece of gasket sticking out. Clue 1 that the gasket was trash. Then I got it down and it looked just like pictures I had seen. Also, when I got the plate off, I noticed a piece of gasket in the number 4 solenoid "slot". I think that was there already, but I cant be positive. It would make some sense to me as I believe it was blocking some pressure to the solenoid and that caused my shift flare. Its possible that I dropped that piece in there, but kinda unlikely.

 

[410Fortune]

That is not good!

With fluid that bad and those issues
Might consider a good used trans or reman that one
Messing with valve body fixes at this point is like rolling dice

 

[Josh P]

The 5R55E does have a removable bellhousing.

 

[b00stleak]

That is not good!

With fluid that bad and those issues
Might consider a good used trans or reman that one
Messing with valve body fixes at this point is like rolling dice

Yep, but I am going to roll it. If it breaks, it breaks. This is just gonna be aux use, and not a main daily. More of a take to work some when/if it snows, and take to the forest instead of the F150. Hopefully I get lucky lol. If not then a JY trans it is. Good to know that I could probably just swap bells on a 3.0 also...

 

[b00stleak]

Well just to update. Sonnax'd the valve body and put it back up. Jump started it and same thing. Not one thing changed. A little disappointed, but was prepared for it. Time to start watching the junkyard for a wrecked one.

My wife and I were talking last night also, and we may potentially sell it once I get going and it's good to pass on to someone who will use it more. I like this thing, and we will probably get another in the future, or a bronco. That's what my wife originally wanted. We kinda want to free up a little cash, and this is on the bottom of the seniority list. It's more of a want than a need right now. I'll keep this thread updated as I go.

 

[Jason94sport]

Check the body mounts. They fall apart on the 01+ sports I learned. It was a PITA for the guy that replaced mine. He cursed me out & said never come back LOL

 

[C420sailor]

Sucks. That fluid is absolutely heinous.

 

[b00stleak]

Another update. Yep, 8 months later. I found a guy local that rebuilds transmissions on the side. His day job is at a trans shop and he charges $350 labor plus parts. I've got the rebuild kit mostly already so I'm about to drop this thing and deliver it. Also, we are going to keep it. My wife has decided she really likes the hatch and smaller size compared to her F150 and will probably drive it a decent amount.

So, let me introduce.....Tadpole. Our plans are a simple setup. TT, shackles, 3in body lift and 33s of some variation depending on the wheel size 15 or 16 and tire prices to go along with it.

 

[Josh P]

The distance to the neighbors house is nice. The explorer is in great shape, looks new.

 

[b00stleak]

The distance to the neighbors house is nice. The explorer is in great shape, looks new.

It is nice having space, and all my neighbors are really cool. No HOA either, but I try to keep everything looking nice.

The Ex is pretty clean and drives nice. Heck even the AC works. Doesn't seem to need anything except maybe a new stereo, tint, and decent cleanup/detail inside.

 

[b00stleak]

I got just about everything done besides the bell housing bolts this afternoon, then ran out of time. Should be able to drop the trans either later this week, or next. Hopefully I can have it back on the road within a month. The dude that's gonna build this trans has a line, so hopefully he can knock em out quick.

 

[b00stleak]

Just another little update. Got the trans pulled last week. Cleaned the case and dropped it off to rebuild this afternoon. In the meantime, I'm going to get a new external cooler and completely bypass the radiator. Then I will order the shackles and body lift. Then tires and maybe wheels.

Quick question though. I'm not sure if I've asked here yet. Dows anyone recommend a factory stall converter or a low stall? I found this, and just want opinions for you guys that actually hit the trails. It's a 1700 stall vs the oem 2900.

Ford Mercury Torque Converters 56-58

Ford Mercury Torque Converters 56-58

floridatorqueconverters.com

 

[b00stleak]

Also Rock auto has one that is said to be low stall, but doesn't give a speed. Is that just a new updated version and the standard that goes into these now?

 

[410Fortune]

Check this out then decide

Torque Converter Basics - Basic Training

If your engine was directly affixed to a transmission, it would die every time you came to a stop—and that would be a problem. The solution to this issue is a t

www.motortrend.com

If no power adder I would stick with stock