4R55E rebuild woes....no reverse,neutral

[cpegram2]

Just finished rebuilding my 4R55E for my 96 Explorer. On test driving, I find that I have no reverse and neutral...when you place the tranny in either gear you still go forward. I adjusted the Transmission Range sensor, and when the shifter is in reverse I have backup lights. I have even started the car and removed the linkage and shifted through the gears...park works, all other positions go forward.
I'm a little stumped. I am wondering now if I might have adjusted the forward and intermediate bands too tightly....I was hesistant to back them off the full 2 and 2 1/2 turns because they seemed so loose so I moved them back only 1 1/2 and 2 turns. The reverse servo seemed to move ok when I replaced the seal, and I'm fairly sure it engaged the band.
Any ideas?

 

[Glacier991]

Are you sure the manual valve is properly engaged to the Z link? And what do you mean on adjusting the bands, they seemed loose? Did you tighten them down before backing off? That procedure is not a "kinda" procedure. it is an exact procedure. You may want to read "My A4LD Rebuild Diary" in the useful threads forum. The 4R55 is more or less the same tranny with electronic shifting....

 

[cpegram2]

I will have to check the manual valve/z link issue. As for the bands, I'm talking about the adjustment shown in the rebuild manual. I tightened them with a torque wrench to 10 ft/lbs and then backed them off 1 1/2 turns for one and 2 turns for the other. The manual called for 2 and 2 1/2 half turns but they seemed very loose at those settings. I have read your diary (outstanding work if I might say).

Is there an easy way to check the z link without dropping the pan?

 

[Glacier991]

As for the Z link I regret to tell you, no. May be a good time to put a drain plug in the pan, $5 and 20 mins work. I'd recommend you go back and redo the bands as per spec. Yeah they do seem loose, but that's the drill.

 

[Eneurb]

I'm with the manual valve theory.

 

[cpegram2]

Well, it took nothing more than pulling the pan to confirm your diagnosis....the z bar (or should I say pin...one small difference between the A4 and the 4R is that the manual valve is moved by a straight pin instead of a zbar) was broken off and laying in the pan. Pizz poor design if you ask me...the pin itself is small and just inserted though the plate and welded in place....failure just looking to happen.
So it's off to FORD tomorrow to order a replacement....

 

[Glacier991]

Well, I'm glad it was as simple as it appeared. NOW, use this time to put a drain plug in that pan !!! <smile> ALL the best.

 

[cpegram2]

Well....got my replacement from Ford. Had to drop the valve body and pull the rod out half way to get the arm off. Had a big problem getting the main electrical connector out of the tranny housing (and yes, I pulled the clip first ) so I just moved it to the side and wired it up and out of the way. Got everything back together, and now the damn thing won't shift at all.

I'm at a loss so far. The arm pulled out past the parking pawl, but I was able to feel the pawl with a finger and coax the rod back in. The arm is engaging the manual valve...but all I have is park and neutral.

Any ideas what I screwed up.....?

 

[Glacier991]

well didya put the drain plug in ? <ducking>. Ok... let me try and follow this... did you have someone shift it with the pan off to check free and correct movement of the manual valve? (It probably is ok no matter what you did. But a fair Q. and something wise to check while you can eyeball it) Have you checked fluid (line) pressure ? Maybe you lost prime somehow.... Are you confident you didn't damage the main case connector? (extremely low level worry for me)...

My first guess is that you have no line pressure. Didya put enough fluid in ? If you have a pressure gauge tap the line pressure port.... that would tell me a lot. I'll just say relax.... this one is gonna be ok. I doubt it is serious. Second guess is something in the linkage to the manual valve isn't right or shifting correctly. ALL Linkages hooked back up ? (kill me, hadda ask, been there done that!)

 

[Brian_B]

I don't know a lot about them, but is it possible one of the clutch packs is built too tight and simply staying locked together?

 

[cpegram2]

Probably not. Initially I had the tranny running....and I mean it was shifting through the gears when you drove it forward....just didn't have reverse and park. I found out the pin that connects the rooster comb with the manual valve had broken...so I pulled the pan....and had to drop the valve body to gain access to the rooster comb.

So, the only thing I have changed since it was engaging gears is dropping the valve body, and pulling the parking rod out past the pawl and then pushing it back in.
The rooster comb assembly was working fine...the manual valve was moving smoothly in and out.

The only thoughts I have so far...1. the mysterious parking pawl is improperly aligned (but...if I shift into park I can feel park engage...and the truck rolls in other gears with the engine off.) 2. I screwed up the main plug trying to get it out of the housing....so something electrical is malfunctioning. 3. I jammed something internally in the valve body by handling it.
But I'm just an amatuer....no...an amatuer implies you do something for the love of doing it....I'm hating this whole dang thing....so I guess I'm a poor novice...

 

[Glacier991]

I think you are on the right track.

 

[cpegram2]

This is a good example of knowing too much for your own good....

So....I start thinking through the problem....I know the pin is in the manual valve and working properly...maybe it's the parking pawl...or something in the valve body..or I shorted out a wire and fried a servo...I pull out and endlessly pour over schematics...could be this...could be that.....I have no choice, pull the pan, thorough check on the valve body...and then pull the tailpiece...after that...drop the whole thing and go all the way through it...
So this morning I drop the pan...

NO FLUID


Looks like I forgot to put transmission fluid in....
DOOOOOOOOOAAAAAHHHHH

First thing anyone else would check is the fluid...but I don't even think of checking the easy thing

 

[Glacier991]

Thanks for sharing what I am sure is an embarassing moment. Every time we screw up, it only serves to A) Make our lives serve as a warning to others (g), and; B) teach others. NOW about that drain plug!!!! Let us know how it all goes from here on out...

 

[Brian_B]

DOH! Doesn't that make you feel just great. At least its something minor. Much better than tearing the trans apart again. Don't worry we have all done things like that over the years.

 

[cpegram2]

Runs like a champ now....not 1 problem...shifts smooth as silk.
Thanks for the site here....that extensive post of yours glacier...those pictures helped fill in the gaps that the rebuild manual...and they say a picture is worth a 1,000 words...so you have an encyclopedia there.

I'm figuring this rebuild will last me till it's time for a engine rebuild...then I will buy a junkyard drivetrain and do a thorough job ala Glacier/Brain. I hated to put back in all those scarred up bearings and ignore all the wear I had to ignore...but I had to get this thing back on the road asap. At least I saved myself a few hundred dollars and got a good laugh in

 

[Brian_B]

The end result is whats important. I don't know nearly as much about them as Glacier does. I hated my A4LD after a while (3 rebuilds) and ditched it for a C5. I have not been in anything newer than the A4LD and a few AODs. Someday I will have to learn about the 5R55E in my X though.