4r55 / 5r55 rebuild and no reverse

[fordboy_52]

i have done the valve body rebuild on my 4r55 and my friend has a 5r55 that he rebuilt and he we both have the same problem, no reverse after the rebuild

i took mine out and did alot of stop and go driving and was still having a shift flare. than when i put it into reverse it felt like it was chained to a building and couldnt pull it. i got pissed and put the truck into reverse while coasting forward slowly and it started working in reverse. now the truck shifts awesome and is working great. any ideas why?

Matt

 

[Glacier991]

You may have had a spool hanging up (reverse engagement valve comes to mind) that was also a slight leaker, and it came loose? There are a ny number of possibles, but that one seems quite possible to my mind.

 

[fordboy_52]

well i had the reverse servo out and reinstalled it so i thought it might be with that. how can i fix what your explaining?

Matt

 

[Glacier991]

If you had reverse before, I'd recheck my work in the VB. Particularly 1-2 shift (bore 203), 2-3 shift (bore 204) reverse modulator valve (bore 205 - this is the one I was suspecting) make sure everything is put together correcly in those bores.

You could also have a gasket off location, a separator plate damaged, or screws out of torque spec.

PLEASE tell me you used an inch pound torque wrench and carefully applied torque in the proper sequence to the proper amount ???? I only ask because more and more I am seeing folks who don't understand that you CANNOT use a FT lb torque wrench, or think they can "estimate" torque values successfully by hand. (Both of which spell doom here!!)

 

[fordboy_52]

mines working now and yes i used an inch pound wrench. im curious if the reverse servo isnt in a bind

Mat

 

[fordboy_52]

no ideas guys?

Matt

 

[Glacier991]

Was manual first working when you did not have reverse? I doubt a sticking reverse servo and if you had manual 1 that would disprove that theory.

 

[fordboy_52]

mine did yes. i just cant figure out why the reverse would be completly gone and then all of a sudden work

Matt

 

[Glacier991]

A stuck spool.

 

[BrooklynBay]

There is another theory which I was thinking about. Some people have similar symptoms, or a combination of other issues after they rebuild their valve bodies, then they mysteriously correct themselves. I suspect that some bolts might have more torque, and other ones might have less torque. This could slightly pinch, and twist the valve body in certain areas causing various parts to intermittently bind. As the spools, and other parts are used, they tend to loosen up (sometimes not all at one time). Even with a good quality torque wrench, it is important not to over torque the bolts. A criss-cross torque sequence tightening the bolts is recommended instead of trying to tighten them in series.

 

[Glacier991]

Remember the low/reverse servo operates in other gears besides just reverse. So long as the DTR was not moved, I am sticking with the stuck spool theory, though BB makes an interesting observation.

 

[fordboy_52]

how could i correct a stuck spool?

Matt

 

[Glacier991]

Pull the VB and diassemble it and find out which spool is sticking and free it and lubraicte it and reassemble it. Sometimes it can be debris in the bore, something just who knows what, and sometimes the bore is such that the spool can become ****ed just enough to hang up.

 

[fordboy_52]

glacier just so we are on the same page can u refer me to a pic where i can see the spool?

Matt

 

[BrooklynBay]

There are pictures in the 5R55E valve body rebuild diary, and the photo gallery. They look like a small cylinder. Here are the results for a search in the photo gallery for the word spool: http://www.explorerforum.com/photopost/search.php?searchid=5110