How to: 5R55E Valve Body Rebuild Diary

[merkur1988_blue]

Thanks to this forum for the great support! My 1999 EB with 5R55E is still working great 18 months after the VB rebuild; Superior shift kit; Sonnax modulator valve; Ford TSB with bonded gasket and relief valve. It only took a weekend and cost me $250.

Thanks again,
Bill

 

[Fredness]

"Hi, my name is Fredness..." [Group: Hi Fredness!] "...and I'm a 5R55E owner with the 2-3 flare."

Yeah, I'm on the list. '05 Sport Trac, 4.0L SOHC, 2-3 flare and O/D OFF flashing on message center, resonably clean fluid, 70K on the clock, purchased used with no record of issues on dealers maint. history.

I have a patch - Using the X3 tuner, bump the pressures up 10-15% and it all goes away, trans feels great. But I know it is just a matter of time before there are worse problems or a total failure.

I only noticed it because I went to stock to check an evaporative emissions code, then on the stock tune, the trans went "wonkey".

Contacting Donny at CVB for info/pricing.
Game plan is, since this is our G.O.O.D. vehicle, deep pan, Fresh filter, modified VB w/ new solenoids, replace the existing cooler (to avoid contamination and it has broken mounts), flush the lines.

So, since the 2-3 flare appears to be contamination/pressure related, or at least "sensitive", has anyone replaced the radiator/aux cooler as a possible source of repeat contamination?
Gives me a reason to order a new 2 row radiator as an upgrade anyway...
[Edit: Upgraded to "Elite" to say thanks for all the info!]

 

[ChrisRiley]

Intresting find...

Hello everyone, love the info on this site.

So here it goes... I have a 2004 Ranger 4.0/2wd/with an auto 5 speed. It started shifting a little rough and I would mainly notice it in traffic at like 20-30mph. I decided to service the trans cuz it had 60,000 miles on it at the time. The next week same problem still. So I decided to go a step further and clean out the valve body because I was thinking maybe a valve was sticking. I cleaned out the valve body even though it didnt look bad, installed a trans go shift kit, replaced the epc solenoid, installed a new seporator plate w/gaskets, replaced o-rings on and checked the rev/1stman servo. I put it all back together a now rev doesnt work, 1 man is dragging really bad, 2nd man is the best and OD seems to drag and flare on shifts. I dont know what the heck is wrong! So i pulled it back a part to check my work and also the rev band by pushing on it with a long screw driver and didnt find anything wrong... My question tho is I had the ignition on to listen to the radio while working and the SS1 solenoid gets really HOT. I switched it with the SS3 and the SS1 position still gets HOT so it cant be the solenoids. Thats the only place that does that. Is there a possible electrical issue that maybe has come up causing me to chase my tail? Should I spend the money to replace all the solenoids just for kicks to see? Any info would be great, I am lost and frustrated at this point. Thanks -Chris

 

[CDW6212R]

It's hard to say with that, usually it ends up being something we do with the labor. I'd wonder most about leaks, at the gasket or a VB valve sticking at some point. Do you have any kind of manual showing the VB parts? How did you clean that out, it's tricky to pull them all apart to clean them.

Try sending Glacier a PM, maybe he will get it and have an idea.

 

[Mike_WI]

Incredible thread. Like most others, I am amazed at the great amount of information in this thread. Yesterday leaving for work I started getting the 2-3 flare on my 2000 Mountaineer. Based on what I have been reading, this is likely a VB issue. I'm planning on tearing into this project soon, but have a few questions.

- My door code shows trans type D, which I have determined is the 5R55E, correct?

- It looks as though the TSB parts does not always cure the problem, and that a new EPC solenoid is sometimes needed. That being the case, I am likely going to order a rebuild from CVB. One of the things I was wondering is will it matter what sep plate is used if it is matched up to the rebuilt VB? I am just wondering how much information I need to get for Donny.

- If I "manually" shift my truck from 1-2-D, I have no flare issues. Based on what I read this is correct. Am I doing any damage by continuing to drive it this way, or should I get a loaner vehicle and park it now?

Thanks guys, once I recover from this unexpected expense, I'm putting "Elite Member" next to my name!

 

[Fredness]

Yes, that is the 5R55E
My issue turned out to be a bad VB and bad servo(s). It was a total rebuild, under warranty thankfully.
I'd get it fixed as soon as possible, or drop the pan/VB and look for flakes - if there are any, you're done.

All:
The thermostatic bypass, according to Superior, is prone to failure and may stick in the closed position resulting in no cooling through the radiator/external loop. That's the reason for the bypass.
I'm going to do the bypass as I want full flow to the coolers/external filter and I'll add an external T-Stat to the secondary (large Oil to Air) cooler.

 

[CDW6212R]

...
All:
The thermostatic bypass, according to Superior, is prone to failure and may stick in the closed position resulting in no cooling through the radiator/external loop. That's the reason for the bypass.
I'm going to do the bypass as I want full flow to the coolers/external filter and I'll add an external T-Stat to the secondary (large Oil to Air) cooler.

What kind of external thermostat do you have in mind?

 

[Mike_WI]

Update...

I thought about my question of "drive it or park it" and figured if any damage was done, I'd kick myself for not parking it when the fix could be as simple as the TSB fix(es).

Over the weekend I pulled my front driveshaft and dropped the pan. There were no chunks/flakes,etc... though the fluid was more of an auburn color, not red. I continued on to the valve body and once I dropped it I saw that the gasket was blown in the area of the 4 servos, nearly identical to another photo I saw on here. I made the assumption this was my problem and then I called Donny at CVB on Monday and confirmed it was a 5R55E. Ordered a rebuilt VB (which should arrive tomorrow) and will continue on once I receive that.

I'm not 100% certain that this is the cause of my issue, but it sure is looking to be a possible fix. My only other concern is the color of the fluid. I did have my repair shop do a fluid change, at 60k but they did it through the fill tube which probably only got a few quarts out.

I'll update later this week as I button everything back together.

Again, great thread here!

 

[Fredness]

What kind of external thermostat do you have in mind?

Derale 25792 from Summit - it's all getting plumbed with -6 AN and nylon braided hose.
See Link

 

[CDW6212R]

That's almost what I want. Do they make a version with a lower temp rating, say 100 degrees? I want my ATF cooled, not maintained hot, which is 180 degrees. If it reaches 180, it's already too hot. I need to call them.

 

[Fredness]

I live on the coast, in a very humid environment that is subject to above average rainfall. If you leave a box out overnight it is either going to be damp or covered in moss the next morning. It is bad enough that I have to flush my brake fluid every 18 months to keep my ABS functioning (brake pedal pulsing on panic stops/low traction). So, what I'm saying is, my "normal operating temperature" requirements are probably different from yours.

I want to keep the fluid at 175*f to 190*f in the pan. If it is lower, that's OK, higher is not an option. Also, the T-Stat is operating only on 90% of the flow, 10% is routed through the cooler all the time to avoid temperature spikes, air and surges. All the fluid will go through the filter all the time; 100% filtration vs. only when hot for the norm.

Slight derail....
I'm going to do some testing now that the truck is back in our hands, mainly the trans temp in pan vs. coolant temp. I can data log the CHT (Cylinder Heat Temperature) , ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature) and Trans Pan Temp (reported to the PCM via the EPC harness thermistor) and compare No OTA (Oil to Air) cooler to stock and to my modified install. I'm also going to do a "heat map" of the radiator, because I believe there is this common misconception that the radiator cooler output is 195* (coolant temp).

We know that CHT is always higher than ECT in normal operation of a warm engine, so if the coolant thermostat "opens" at 195*, the radiator inlet temp should be <200*f and the radiator outlet should be considerably cooler than say 160*f, otherwise there would be a higher output temp on the next pass until the vehicle overheated. That being said, with all other things being equal, the trans fluid leaving the radiator cooler (OTW - Oil to Water), should be equal to, or higher than the radiator output temp of 160*f, in this example.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's true,... but what happens if you bypass the radiator? That's my plan, skip the heater in the radiator and rely on the external thermostat to let the ATF warm up, some. Cooler fluid is better for everything generally. If you can make it run much much cooler than stock, when a big load is applied like towing, then the system can more likely be kept below hot temperatures. If the ATF is always running very close to over heating temps, then it doesn't take much to push it too high. I want to run the maximum cooling I can make for each fluid, and regulate it to a more optimum level than stock. Regards,

 

[Fredness]

It would be the same, but I want to leave the radiator in there as it will most likely not over cool, and since I'll be running an E-Fan, it should speed warm up.
In that case, you would use the T-Stat before the radiator and have the filter on the return line.

Based on what I've seen so far (datalog wise) the trans will heat up faster on its own, even with the E-Fan set up on the radiator.
I'm leaving the radiator in loop due to off-roading/snow. With zero speed and no radiator, there is zero cooling.

 

[Mike_WI]

Update

Over the long weekend I was able to replace my valve body with a rebuild from Donny at Central Valve Bodies. Got everything bolted back up and went to add the ATF. Got the first quart in and checked under the vehicle and.. what the heck? a puddle under the front passenger tire. Turns out the dipstick fill tube had about a pencil size hole at the first bend. Got a temporary repair in place and was able to fill it up and take it for a drive. 2-3 flare gone, shifts from 1-3 are pretty stout, with a smooth 3-4. I'm going to try disconnecting the battery again in case I didn't have it out long enough.

After parking the truck overnight, there was a small puddle (4") of trans fluid underneath. I went back over the bolts this time taking them up to 130 in/lbs and we'll see if that stops the seeping. If not, it may be back to dropping the pan again and putting in the genuine motorcraft pan gasket.

Anyone have access to the correct part number for a 2000 mountaineer 4.0 SOHC 4wd Upper Transmission Dipstick Fill Tube? I tried locating it on fastpartsnetwork.com but could not locate. I have a feeling it is one of those thing where you need to have the number, and it isn't available via the schematic.

Thanks again for the wealth of information here...

 

[94explorerboy]

2001 Ford Explorer Sport 4X4
I replaced the valve body with a kit from Donnie. No change.
Took it to the local transmission expert. He rebuilt the transmission, new bands and torque converter along with a bunch of other new parts.
After putting the transmission back in the vehicle it basically did the same thing. He even took the pan off and put the original valve body back on and it did the same.
He advised me that he could not fix the transmission because he was not able to diagnose what was wrong with it and that I would probably be better served putting in another transmission.
Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Ask the mechanic if he has an air test plate.

 

[94explorerboy]

I got a little concerned. The mechanic told me I should try and find a working salvage transmission or purchase a rebuilt one because he said it was not cost effective for him to continue trying to fix the one that came out of the Explorer. I think I am just going to forget the whole thing and just sale the Explorer for parts.

 

[Dakota_Don]

99 ford exp, posible flare up

hello, i finally got to the 99
explorer 4x4 with the 5r55e (or how can i make sure what trans? 4sp or 5 )trans and bad transfer case..
>
anyway i took the xfer case apart, its a borg warner
> XL24-CA and this is what i
> found..
> what would cause these parts to brake in the X-fer case?
> Even the clutches are
> burnt,flakeing and toast. would these being burnt cause the
> trans to act up as
> well?
>
> also the engine rev's when the trans shifts, like it slips
> but in all fwd gears, (flare up)
> but when i push the accelerator down, the trans shifts nice
> and firm. I took the
> pan off and it is pretty clean, I ran out of time, so
> was wondering if a sol
> pack, and a VB kit,sep plate,gasket may correct the trans problems.
>
> I have rebuild 3spds, 4L60s,A500,A518, 4r70,aod, but never one of these units.. how tough are they to rebuild.. any special tools other then what i have used on these others?
> what do you think??
>
>If you have any advice please let me know.. thanks

Don
Please e-mail me, Trust_me68@yahoo.com

 

[CDW6212R]

The transfer case should have no affect on the trans at all, and I don't think the fluid can swap at all between them.

The VB kit should help a lot with the trans, most problems are in the VB. You can replace any of the shift solenoids separately in the pre 2002 5R55E's. Definitely replace the EPC, toss the old one as that's about second behind the VB in need. I replaced the 1/2 shift solenoid in mine also, plus the lock up solenoid. The shift solenoids aren't expensive, just the EPC is high.

I haven't rebuilt anything but the AOD/AODE/4R70W's, but you will need the piston seal tools to replace those if you rebuild it. There also may be certain hard parts like case bushings that would require a special tool to do. I bought a few of those for my current 4R70W build.

That kind of part is more common to have issues with in the A4LD-5R55E than in the AOD designs. That's part of the issue with the A4LD family, they are weak throughout, often expensive hard parts are found to be warped or burned up in them. That's a good reason to do VB kits really early in the life of the fragile 5R55E etc. Regards,

 

[Dakota_Don]

OK thanks, i did find this article

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/timnoll/2009-05-23_145337_tsb99-16-10.pdf