95 Ford Explorer 4X4 EB edition Tranny Problem

[The Drifter]

I hope someone could help me decide on what to do about my 4r55e tranny. it became stuck in first gear and unable to shift out of first, as soon as explorer starts it is in gear even when selector is in park,and the OD light flashes to beat the band.

A friend told me to look in the pan for metal chips so i took the pan down found no chips but found 2 flat square pieces that looks like aluminum. My question is this some thing that can be fixed if so what would be a starting point for me to check.

Or should i just replace it
Thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Metal shavings are not a good sign. The flashing overdrive light is an indication of a code that is stored. Pull the code. Could you post a picture of what you found in the pan?

 

[The Drifter]

Thanks for fast response

I will take a photo tomorrow as it is in my buddies garage. There is zero shavings in the pan just those 2 flat pieces of aluminum.

Thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

Anything like metal in the pan isn't a good sign. It is an indicator of internal damage to hard parts.

 

[Glacier991]

Very interesting. Please let us know. I am a fellow Sacramentan. Welcome to the forum.

 

[dogfriend]

I will take a photo tomorrow as it is in my buddies garage. There is zero shavings in the pan just those 2 flat pieces of aluminum.

Thanks

Could the flat pieces be the magnets that are placed in the pan to collect debris?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Some pan gaskets use small disc shaped spacers to prevent them from getting crushed. Maybe the aluminum parts in the pan are those small discs?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Here is a thread about small aluminum disks that were found in a transmission pan: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155213. They fell off of a cork gasket.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Here are some of BillJ's pictures:

 

[BillJ]

For a picture of a tranny pan magnet, check out Figure J in the following link:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_transmission/article/0,2021,DIY_13700_2270920,00.html

 

[BrooklynBay]

Nice how to link! They even used a 99 Explorer as the vehicle in the pictures. Here is photo J: