5R55E flare issue way worse when hot

[mnealuf]

My 2000 Explorer (w/5R55E) has 71k miles and has the dreaded 2-3 flare and I was going to buy a VB from Glacier but, I have a bumper to bumper 3rd party warranty and I took it to a independent tranny shop , owner is related to my boss. Long story short, bad move on my part .....he made it worse. Anyhow he put the new updated Ford separator plate , blow off valve, and replaced a torn reverse gasket. Now the flare is WAY worse, it flares so badly sometimes it was like there was no second gear. It behaves way worse after the tranny is warmed up to temp. It shifts pretty normal when cold but gets worse as it warms up. I took it back and he installed an old VB he had from a 1998. He said it must be different than mine because it now had a reverse delay/issue of some sort. This does not jive with me because I thought (think) the all 5R55E VBs are the same, just the separator plates are different, is that true? Anyhow he has reached his limit and refuses to work on it further. So I am now gonna try to fix it myself......any thoughts on the temperature effects....I am transmission newbe but am a mechanical engineer so I am thinking CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) and/or out of round bores? That or maybe a bad EPC? Would that be intermittent? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[mnealuf]

anyone?

 

[BrooklynBay]

When he put in a different VB, it might have old, worn out solenoids. You could rebuild the VB yourself with new parts, or buy one that is already rebuilt. There was a VB thread a month ago about one guy that had one installed for about $500 with everything new. I think the solenoids run a couple hundred on it. The EPC is about $112. Do a search for that thread, or just rebuild one yourself. I think Glacier was selling one for $275 with all of the modifications, unless he already sold it.

 

[mnealuf]

I actually emailed Galcier a while back and he said he would biuld me one for 275 with mine as a core. If I was convinced it was not EPC or something else I would do that in a heartbeat. Are all the VB the same with just the sep plates different?

 

[BrooklynBay]

I know that they have updated bonded separator plates. I think all of the 5R55E valve bodies should be the same, but just to be safe, check the date code on it. I know that you could go from a lower year to a higher one, but not the other way around from what I've read in another thread. That guy gave you one from an older one. I would check the date code on it. The newer 5R55N/S/W have different valve bodies that are a little more modular. They have solenoid blocks, not individual solenoids. I'm not too familiar with those, or the exact differences on all of those units, so I don't want to give you any false information.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Besides the EPC, there is also a screen in the VB that is a filter for the EPC. Did you try to use a pressure gauge to check its pressure? Another thing to check is if he used Mercon III instead of Mercon V. It must have Mercon V. There is an additive that you could add to it instead of replacing all of the fluid. It will convert it to Mercon V.

 

[mnealuf]

The tranny guy did a "air test" but I think it related to the bands, and not the operating pressures. I do not think he tested the pressures . I don't know what Mercon he used, what would the effects be of III verse V? How do I tell the date code of the VB?

 

[BrooklynBay]

You would have to drop the bottom pan, and look at the VB to see the date code. I did a search for that thread on the rebuilt valve bodies, and found it: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150919. Using the wrong type of fluid in this kind of transmission can cause a lot of slippage, shudder, and other problems. If you are not sure, just add that additive from Lubegard. Here is a link to a discussion about this: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151851&highlight=mercon

 

[Glacier991]

This does not sound like a fluid issue. Frankly it sounds more like a gasket issue....but I won't assume anyone would reuse an old gasket. Lots of possibilities. You could try replacing the EPC with a new one and see if that helps... since they DO wear out, replacing a high mileage "good one" isn't all THAT big of a sin.