Automatic Transmission problems

[junosoth]

Hello, We have a 1994 Explorer. The transmission was shifitng good until 2 days ago. It seems like there isn't a 2nd gear at all. We start from a full stop and it will rev up until around 3000 rpms and won't upshift until we let off the gas peddle. Someone told us to try the vac modulator. I changed that and figured I should change the fluid and filter. It was close to that time. When I pulled off the pan and founf a small metal piece and i'm not sure where it goes. I was wondering if anyone would know where this part goes and if that is part of the shifting problem. Here is some pics of the part and thanks in advance for help.

 

[96eb96]

Sorry to say but that looks like part of a broken intermediate band, and the loss of 2nd gear shift confirms it. Unfortunately that usually means a transmission rebuild since replacing the band involves a partial trans teardown. Sadly it is not an unusual failure. Thank Ford for saving a few pennies on a weaker metal.

I'm curious, what was the mileage and service history on that trans? Was fluid changed within the last 40K miles? I'm not sure if anything can be done to prevent that from happening.

 

[junosoth]

We got the truck from a friend a year and a half ago. I'm not sure if he changed the fluid in the couple years he had it. He did say the original owner had the truck serviced regularly. We changed the trans fluid and filter when we first got the truck. Off the top of my head I don't think we have put even 10k miles on it. I would have to actualy check to be sure but has definately been changed within 40k miles. Thank you for replying.

 

[96eb96]

Good luck with the repair. If you are curious where it came from there is a pic in this thread.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=153407

 

[junosoth]

Thank you for the info. You saved me a whole lot of banging my head off the wall trying to figure out the problem time heh. Rebuilding it is probably beyond me so looks like I will be visiting the trans shop.

 

[Glacier991]

That definitely is a broken Intermediate band part(the intermediate and OD bands are the same, but lack of 2nd says intermediate. The appearance suggests it might have caused some other internal damage after it separated from the band itself.

 

[junosoth]

That definitely is a broken Intermediate band part(the intermediate and OD bands are the same, but lack of 2nd says intermediate. The appearance suggests it might have caused some other internal damage after it separated from the band itself.

Thanks for the info. The gear does seem to work on and off. So far that seems to be the only symptoms. I did notice that the screen in the filter was badly damaged. Is it a big task to rebuild an automatic transmission. I have never tried it. I took my last tranny from another project to the shop.