AWD96spoon
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- September 27, 2017
- Messages
- 132
- Reaction score
- 37
- City, State
- Ardmore, ok
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1996, Explorer AWD
I have a 1996 explorer with the 5.0 and 4r70w with bw4406 swap. I rebuilt the motor in it almost 3 years ago, and had a reputable transmission builder rebuild the trans as a precautionary measure as I was planning to use the explorer as a daily driver. After getting the transmission back from the builder, and installing it, it had an immediate failure due to a faulty part from the manufacturer is what I was told. Builder rebuilt it at no additional cost under warenty. Since then, it has been rebuilt 4 more times and never lasts more than a couple hundred miles, before beginning to slip and have major issues. I was convinced that the builder was just incompetent and couldn't find the issue and fix it. After the last failure, I got my money back from the builder and had AAMCO pick it up and put a remanufactured unit in it. About 150 miles after picking it up from AAMCO, I started having issues with my ABS light coming on, OD off light flashing, and check engine light coming on with code P0503. I got frustrated with the truck and it sat in the yard for for couple months before I replaced the VSS. I haven't driven it enough to see if it's fixed because when I took it for a test drive, I made it to the end of the block and the transmission didn't want to take off from the stop sign(same thing it did last time it had issues) so I drove it around the block and parked it. I parked it on the driveway after that and the next day noticed the pan was covered in ATF and there was a significant drip spot on the driveway. I figured that it had been leaking fluid after every rebuild since they kept using the same aftermarket pan and rubber style gasket on every rebuild and I always had the truck parked in the dirt so I never noticed the leak. Last night I went to replace the pan with the stock one and stock gasket, but when I pulled the pan out, it was full of fine metal dust and the drain plug magnet looked like a chia pet. There was not any chunks or large shaving, but the bottom of the pan was coated in this stuff. The transmission is still under warranty for another couple years, so my question is, do you guys think there is still an underlying issue with the truck that's causing it to kill transmissions, or do you think it was probably just leaking out enough of its fluid to kill itself every time? Should I just put it back together and hope it's not hurt too bad or take it in for a warranty claim? I have way too much time and money into this thing and I'm honestly sick to my stomach thinking about another transmission being bad. I need some help here.