Confused, '96 kazoo noise trans or T case...

[N1265]

Hi guys,

I have been searching this problem for a few hours now and get more and more confused with each post I read, so here is the deal.

I started with the 2-3 slip a couple of weeks ago, Then today while passing grandma I get a hard shift into passing gear( harder than normal ) and a flashing OD lite. when I Turned the X off the light disapeared... But now I get a hard shift ( seems like the 1-2 shift at 20 MPH) and a whirling ( or Kazoo ) noise coming from the trans.

I have read where some say this noise is actually coming from the transfer case but this does not make sense to me because I get the noise when I first start the X ( then it goes away ) then comes back when I put the X in Drive. Could this noise still be the Transfer case when the vehicle is NOT moving ?

The X still drives and does not seem to slip, but I am left with the noise and hard shifts.

Also, I read where some problems were caused by the EGR system, My EGR tube is rusted in Half at the exhaust manifold, ( about a 6 weeks now ) I plugged the exhaust leak at the manifold but left the tube going to the EGR open... Could this somehow be part of my problem ?

This unit is a 1996 xlt V-6 with 235,000 miles on it. It is usually my daily driver and I would like to get it back on the road asap...


Many thanks for any info,

 

[N1265]

more info....

I took the X to the shop today and it spit out code #P0741, which I am told is " TC stuck on"

The guy there also said the noise was the pump, the fluid smelt bad and if I kept driving it it would start to " melt down " He recommends a complete rebuild for $1400 - $1800 that comes with a 12 yr 12,000 mile nationwide warranty.


Is there any chance I can fix this by pulling the pan myself ?

Thanks for any Info....

 

[N1265]

does anybody know about this noise from the pump ? I could live with the shifting problems... but don't want to take a chance on it leaving me stranded.


Is the pump chain driven or gear driven ? is it common to have this noise and still put a few more miles on it ?

I am just mot sure that the guy at the shop is giving me the right information...



Many thanks,

 

[N1265]

More Info,


After leaving the X sit for a week I took it out for a spin, everything works fine and the noise dissapeared at first, but after warming up the " noise " came back. ( but only when ideling in gear )

Also, when I had it at the trans shop I think the guy cleared the codes, The OD light has not came on since.....

could this be as simple as changing the valve body gasket and filter ?


Thanks,

 

[volver]

Does it have a 4r70w transmission?

My sister and I both have 1998 5.0 explorers.

I have a custom ram air/ cold air intake with high flow filter, one set of cats removed, glass packs, harder springs, and new shocks, plus the engine is in better working order, all the fluids are in excellent condition. I dont have my spare tire and i have lost another 80 pounds of exaust. In theory my X should make more power and it is lighter. It should accelerate quicker than stock.

Megans X is stock. Everything is worn out. Her transmission also makes the same sound. It shifts hard into every gear.

I tested the 0-60mph on both cars. Two cold runs and two hot runs each. When its cold my car will accelerate from 0 to 60 in 7.9-8.2 seconds
When its hot it will 0 to 60 in 8.9-9.2.
The mods alow cold air into the engine from outside of the engine bay keeping the time down after the engine heats up.


Megans will accelerate from 0-60 in 7.0-8.1 seconds when its cold!
Stock it suposed to be 8.9 she is 2 seconds faster
it accelerates from 0-60 in 10.1-11.1 when its hot.

I beleve that the torque converter is stuck on. It would explane the hard shifting and her blazingly fast 0-60 over a stock explorer. But it has not thrown a code.

Normal operation of the 4r70w is a steady slip of the torque converter. As it slips in makes heat. I would think that the less it slips the better it would be for the transsmisson. She has been driving her explorer every day 10 miles or more for the last 4 months. Nothing seams to be getting any worse.

 

[volver]

Its stuck on for some reason other than the fluid needing to be changed.
There must be a valve stuck or something wrong with the elctronics.

I would by a shift kit from Trans Go or Baumann. They probebly have some thing special to fix your problem. Call them there web site is not that great.

Then drop the pan install the shift kit, drain the torque converter and fill it back up.

Might work. Project should cost 200 dollars. If it doesn't work find a new transmission from the junkyard. It will be cheaper than getting a new torque converter.

 

[N1265]

My 1996 X is the v-6 with the OHV engine, I believe the trans is the 4r55e.

Is there a drain plug on this torque converter ? I thought I read somewhere that it does not. if it don't , how would I drain it ?

I do believe that the converter is stuck because of the P0741 code.

Is there anything else I should do while I am in there ? tighten any bands or anything ?

what exactly happens when the converter is stuck "on " any way..... would it destroy any hard parts ?

with 235 k miles how much more can I expect to get with the $200 worth of upgrades ?


Thanks,

 

[coonerboy]

At 235k, with burnt fluid, miles you are only delaying the inevitable. Sounds like its time for a rebuild.

There is a possibility there is a problem with TCC lockup circuit. There is a solenoid that controls flow of fluid to the torque converter clutch that locks it up. If the TCC is stuck on, I would expect the engine might stall because there would be no slippage when coming to stops for example. If it was stuck off, the only thing you would really notice is a little higher RPM at cruising speed. Good luck!

 

[N1265]

Yea , I kinda got confused about the converter being " stuck on " myself . It does not stall at at stops, and I DO notice a little higher RPM at 55mph, But it was what the guy told me so it is the information I posted, ( even if it didn't make sense to me )


It is just that noise that bothers me, I would really like to milk this car out for all she is worth without taking a chance of being stranded in the winter ....

Maybe I will park it in the yard and use it as a movable storage shed. At least that way I will still get some use out of it

 

[coonerboy]

I had a trans go bad in a '95 F-250 I had a couple years back and I recall it making a noise similar to what you are describing. It would make the noise when starting off from a dead stop and then fade off with higher rpm's. Pretty sure it was the pump in the trans making the noise. Ended up getting it rebuilt. By the way, the pump is driven directly from the torque converter.

 

[N1265]

Thanks for the info, every little bit helps me to understand more.

How long did you drive it like that till you had it rebuilt ?

 

[coonerboy]

Thanks for the info, every little bit helps me to understand more.

How long did you drive it like that till you had it rebuilt ?

Not long at all. Within a matter of days I lost all forward gears and reverse. Just don't go to far or you will be looking at a big tow bill too.

 

[N1265]

I decided to pull the pan and look for any parts laying in the pan, There were none and the pan looked clean. The last filter was change at 185k
( 50 k miles ago ) the fluid however did look ugly ( black with redish tint ) but I did not think it smelled bad. I disected the filter itself and found a few small pieces of rusty metal and a few ( about 10 ) very fine shavings of either new metal or aluminum ( shiney ) on the inside of the filter element at the fold, the rest of the filter looked good and If I had not of wrecked it I would not of hesitated to re use it.

I did notice that there was a #4 written in sharpie on the side of the valve body and figured this was from a previous owner who ( hopefully ) did the mods for the valve body...


Thinking I might get lucky, I installed a new filter and replaced the lost fluid, But the noise was still present. I drove it around town figuring I would get some use out of the new filter and about 40 minuets later the OD light begins to flash again and and I get the hard up and down shifts...




If at any time anybody has any information to add to the info already posted please speak up ! For now the X will sit in the yard till I can figuire out what I want to do with it ....


Thanks, Nick

 

[N1265]

For those of you followig this thread :

I found a guy who pulled and fixed my tranny for $300. bucks. It ended up being a bad TC. he said one of the fins in the TC probable let go and that was the noise I was hearing.

$150.00 to pull and reinstall the unit.

$150.00 for a re-man TC, new fluid and band adjustment.
( 90 day warranty )

The noise is gone, the OD lite is gone, trans shifts fine ( no more hard up or down shifts ) and I am Happy I did not have to spend $1400.00 - $1800.00

He said it did not appear that the case was ever opend by a PO, so it looks like this unit has 235k original miles and counting.....