I had the transmission (4R55E?) rebuilt on my '97 Ranger yesterday. The owner of the shop said Ford had redesigned the valve body and he replaced mine with the newer model. He said it contained heavier springs and it would shift a little harder but would smooth out in time. It's shifting harder alright. I can't believe what its doing is "normal". Can anyone verify this redesign story?
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'97 Ranger Transmission Rebuild Problems
- Thread starter prasnick
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Welcome to this forum! The 5R55E is a 5 speed transmission. Your shifts shouldn't be hard. Ford programmed a certain amount of slippage for those transmissions to have a smooth feel. Do you get a flashing overdrive light? The hard shifts could be an indication of the transmission going into limp (FMEM) mode.
Brooklyn Bay, Thanks for your reply. No, the OD light is not flashing and the check engine light is not on. It seems to shift harder with lighter acceleration, but it's never really consistent. I can also hear a faint high-pitched whining or rubbing noise when I take it out of park.
Brooklyn Bay, Thanks for your reply. No, the OD light is not flashing and the check engine light is not on. It seems to shift harder with lighter acceleration, but it's never really consistent. I can also hear a faint high-pitched whining or rubbing noise when I take it out of park.
Wrench
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Take it back to the repair shop and get it in writing about your complaint. Go for a test ride with the shop owner and verify you complaint. Document everthing. You don't seem sure whether you have a 4R55E or 5R55E? Have the trans scanned for any ford proprietary codes. I an not aware of any ford factory upgrades to that VB that would cause harsh shifts. Sure would like to see the line pressure readings from this repair!
Wrench, thanks for the reply. I plan on taking it back ASAP. I discovered something else interesting. The owner's manual says that the transmission holds 9.5 QTS of fluid. In the rebuild, I was charged for 12. Does it take 2.5 extra QTS to rebuild a transmission? I checked the fluid level and it is VERY over full. Could this condition be causing the problem?
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The cooler, and hydraulic lines take fluid, so it would be more than 9.5 quarts. The extra deep pans take about 3 quarts.
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