Brain or Glacier Help! 5r55e question

[Ozonkiller]

I'm hoping Brain or Glacier can answer a question for me. The ever so troublesome 5r55e in my '97 Explorer has twice pushed the TCC solenoid out of the valve body. The first time I replaced the converter, (was slipping) replaced blown valve body gaskets (flared shifts and loose VB bolts) and reinstalled the solenoid with new bracket. Worked OK for about 6 months. Started acting up again and found the solenoid pushed about half way out of valve body again. Fixed it again. Did nothing else as shifting and such seems OK. Drove it for a month and all was good until I took it for long freeway drive. 40 miles later got the blinking OD lite. Dropped it off at Lee Myles transmission. They told me that it showed a slipping converter code which cleared itself about 4 miles before I arrived at their shop (figures). They had it for a week, driving it every day and everything checks out. The manager pretty much said that the good news is your transmission is fine, and the bad news is that your transmission is fine. Can't fix it if it ain't broke. No charge.
In the mean time I managed to talk to a Ford tranny tech who told me that he's seen this before and there is an updated TCC solenoid that should rectify the problem.
You guys seem to be the sharpest crayons in this box and I was wondering what your take is on this. Also, I've heard mention about a seal behind the converter. Could this have something to do with it?
Sorry I ran so long on this. Any help would be appreciated more than you can know. Anyone gotta match? :fire:

 

[Glacier991]

I'll plead ignorance on updates in the 5R valve body leaving that to Brian (Brain) or Eneurb to reply to. I'm sure they has some idea. By now you know that the mechaincal issues with the A4LD largely got fixed in the 5R which then inherited a host of valve body problems. You did good on your valve body repair is sounds like. I do vaguely recall a redesigned bracket to hold the TCC and EPC (I think) solenoids, might check on that [(edit) in fact I am all but certain there is a redesigned bracket in FORD's inventory]. Also Brain has some info on that TC seal issue.... yet your problem sounds more VB to me. Not much help I know, sorry.

 

[Ozonkiller]

Thanks. I eagerly await their input!

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Just to elaborate on Glacier's solenoid bracket: It's part # XL2Z-7L491-AA, and holds in several solenoids including the EPC, maybe 4.

When I last had my pan off, I noticed a loose EPC solenoid that would wiggle in it's bore. That was 2 years ago, and I didn't have the information that is available now on the various problems of the 5R, so I left it alone. I suspect that the bracket was cracked or bent, so I ordered a new one.

The next time I remove the pan, I'm installing an armload of new parts that I have on hand. Lock and load......

 

[CDW6212R]

While thinking about the 5R55E, does anyone know when the 5R55E got redesigned, to have a different case. I gather that the newer Explorer 5R's have the transfer case bolted directly to the transmission.
Did that happen in 2002, and is that a 5R55S, and is it essentially the same internally?

I'm planning a project for the future.
DonW

 

[Glacier991]

I think the 5r55W may have been the first. In any event I believe that the S and W share the same case, not sure if the N does, but it may. As to year, I'll check tonight at home, I think 2002 is right.

Project eh ? (salivating) details!

 

[Eneurb]

The accronyms sometimes still confuse me, but I think the 5r55e is the old A4LD style, and the W,S and N are all the new style, and they were first available in the Lincoln LS in 2000 (but that was 2wd, so I don't think it matters), and made it into 3rd gen. Explorers. As for the trans. problem that we are dealing with here, I have never seen or heard of that happening, so I don't really have much to say on it, other than if I ran into it on a customers car, I would probably want to replace the valve body...