97 5.0 AWD Replacement Transmission?

[Morris Capers]

I have a 97 5.0 and the vehicle is starting to shudder pretty bad. Most noticeable when you are cruising along and barley apply any throttle. It feels like I'm driving on a washboard road but clears up if I accelerate decently. Taking off from stops is also noticeable. I've got about 125xxx on it and had the trans was serviced last April. I also have a trans temp gauge and it never overheats. I though it could be miss fires or ignitions problems so I replaced the plugs, wires, and coils. Still happening. This issue literally came out of nowhere. I am willing to shell out the 1300 to 1600 on a new trans but all the ones I can find in 4r70w 4wd say 98-up. Like the one in this link:

JEGS Performance Products 603032: 4R70W Performance Transmission for 1998-2003, Ford 4WD | JEGS

Would this trans work?

 

[SupaSwope]

Yes sir

 

[96eb96]

I have a 97 5.0 and the vehicle is starting to shudder pretty bad. Most noticeable when you are cruising along and barley apply any throttle. It feels like I'm driving on a washboard road but clears up if I accelerate decently. Taking off from stops is also noticeable. I've got about 125xxx on it and had the trans was serviced last April. I also have a trans temp gauge and it never overheats. I though it could be miss fires or ignitions problems so I replaced the plugs, wires, and coils. Still happening. This issue literally came out of nowhere. I am willing to shell out the 1300 to 1600 on a new trans but all the ones I can find in 4r70w 4wd say 98-up. Like the one in this link:

JEGS Performance Products 603032: 4R70W Performance Transmission for 1998-2003, Ford 4WD | JEGS

Would this trans work?

1) How was the transmission "serviced"? Was the ENTIRE fluid drained and replaced with new Mercon V? (remove TC drain plug, change filter and fluid).
2) This is a very good option too: https://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU

It is quite rare for these transmissions to fail without doing the above.

 

[CDW6212R]

I have a 97 5.0 and the vehicle is starting to shudder pretty bad. Most noticeable when you are cruising along and barley apply any throttle. It feels like I'm driving on a washboard road but clears up if I accelerate decently. Taking off from stops is also noticeable. I've got about 125xxx on it and had the trans was serviced last April. I also have a trans temp gauge and it never overheats. I though it could be miss fires or ignitions problems so I replaced the plugs, wires, and coils. Still happening. This issue literally came out of nowhere. I am willing to shell out the 1300 to 1600 on a new trans but all the ones I can find in 4r70w 4wd say 98-up. Like the one in this link:

JEGS Performance Products 603032: 4R70W Performance Transmission for 1998-2003, Ford 4WD | JEGS

Would this trans work?

No, that particular 4R is a three bolt starter version(modular 4.6 bell housing pattern).

You have to have a two bolt starter 4R trans. Ford changed the wiring harness inside the 4R after 1997, you can use the later 4R70W's, but you have to move the terminals around inside the trans connector, and use a pre-98 DTRS, the sensor on the side where the shift lever comes out. The later DTRS is digital, older models are analog, and had a recall/update. SO don't reuse your DTRS, always install a new one in any case. The 98+ 4R's have better reverse drums(have a mechanical diode on the front of them(stronger)). You can use the guts of any 4R70W to upgrade older models, even an AOD.

Problems are usually(95%) due to valve body conditions or accumulators. Those are improvable by owner for any automatic Ford. I'd find someone who can replace the accumulators(and their springs if you find them), install Sonnax upgrades, and fully replace all ATF. Add a bottle of Lubegard too for good measure, it's all helpful.

 

[Morris Capers]

Thanks for the replies! I could have sworn it was a transmission related problem the way the vehicle was acting. Especially because there was no check engine light. It ended up being a really bad misfire on cylinder #8. I had not gotten a check engine light until a few days after the problem appeared. I replaced the wires and went with the cheapest ones i could, just to try and eliminate possible problems but the parts store brand wires were jumping too. The spark was audibly and visibly jumping from the boot to the header on cylinder #8. When my Livewire set showed up it resolved the problem. The Motorcraft wires had gotten burnt up by the OBX headers and the parts store wires were trash to begin with. The problem is now resolved. I'm actually surprised the vehicle was running so bad with no check engine light for a few days. I feel like an idiot for assuming it was the trans but that was because there was not CEL. Also, when it was serviced I drained the toque converter and added a larger trans cooler because I'm running 33x1250s

 

[CDW6212R]

Very good, now you can enjoy it again for a while. Keep an eye on the plug wires, the tight spaces around the headers make it tough on any plug wires.

 

[Spudhut]

Morris - what did you end up doing?

Looks like mine is starting to do the same and I think I got a slight whine on a lower gear shift. I checked the fluid and it does not appear low or heavily discolored.


@CDW6212R - any chance you can post a link to those parts you mentioned above?

 

[Turdle]

Morris - what did you end up doing?

Looks like mine is starting to do the same and I think I got a slight whine on a lower gear shift. I checked the fluid and it does not appear low or heavily discolored.


@CDW6212R - any chance you can post a link to those parts you mentioned above?

Post #5

I suggest new spark plugs (possibly wires) , . The 5.0 will sometimes exhibit a random low rpm misfire which feels like a shudder, replacing the spark plugs usually takes care of it.

 

[Spudhut]

Thank you @Turdle

 

[C420sailor]

I had torque converter shudder. 120k on the trans. Dropped the valve body, cleaned it out, replaced check balls and gaskets, replaced both accumulators, and replaced the shift solenoids and TCC solenoid.

Shudder gone, shifts like a beaut.