Delayed shifting on a 97 4r70W 5.0

[alchemist]

Sometimes my wife's 5.0 AWD has a delayed 2-3 shift and even a 3-4 shift. It doesnt happen all the time, but it has happened when the car is warm or cold. It seems like the tranny is stuck in 2nd at part throttle when I expect it to shift up, it always eventually shifts (I usually take foot off of pedal). There is no rhyme or reason to when it does it.

The fluid looks nice and red, with the proper amount.

Any thoughts on where/what to look at?

 

[97BlackX5.0]

how many miles on it.... if you go wide open and hold it does it jerk at all while going into gear...or shifting back up after you run the rpms back up then step on the gas again.. i had the same problem it turned out that the check ball in the direct clutch pack was sticking and that its causing the clutch to stay engaged when the tranny is in another gear... this spins the clutch and will eventually burn it out causing 1st and second to work perfect but it will neutral out after that.... (spinning a worn out clutch) i rebuilt my 97 just last year... i had about 108k on it...

 

[alchemist]

75K miles on the X. Well it doesnt happen all the time. It happens like 10-20 percent of the time or less. When it does it, it does it in bursts then is fine again.

I'm not sure what you mean by holding it wide open....do you mean from a standing start? Since it doesn't occur most of the time, I'm not sure how to diagnose it.


The check ball, is there any way to verify its operation?


It basically acts like its not shifting/holding 2nd gear for too long, instead of shifting to 3rd by 30mph, i get 4K rpms around there when i'm used to a shift by then

 

[Glacier991]

check balls in the drums are not something I know of an independent outside way to verify operation of..... short of an air pressure plate on the valve body (maybe) and IF that would work, it would only verify the component. Has this ever been rebuilt? I think on rebuild check balls in drums are a *critical* item to clean thoroughly. I know this isn't much help....

You may have some valve body, separator plate gasket issues. the 5R55 is famous for those.... other than that.....

I'd punt this one to Eneurb or Brain.

 

[alchemist]

Fortunately or unfortunately its never been rebuilt. I always thought this transmission was a rather stout package. I was hoping for an electronic issue, but we'll soon see

 

[97BlackX5.0]

hes got a 4r70w with the 5.0 not the 5r55e... by holding it wide open i mean getting up to like 30 mph then flooring it waiting till the needle climbs up near 5k rpm and then letting off the gas all the way then trying to push the gas once the rpms return to normal.... if it doesnt catch the gear or jerks at all when you push the gas back down again i'd say you have something sticking... mine would do this... you would floor it and then let off and when you put your foot back on the gas it wouldnt shift back into third gear.... youd have to rev it way back up for it to shift and then it would jerk... you can try a fluid change or a bottle of trans additive... do a search to find the best one... i think lubeguard or something like that.... theres no way i know of to fix anything besides valve body issues without pulling the trans.... it could be a whole host of problems such as the pressure control solenoid on the fritz or a accumulator sticking.... you are right about this being a stout transmission... most people dont have problems with them till 150k at least... and at most mine required a minor rebuild... i tore it apart and put a new clutch plates in it and new seals... but since there was no metal circulating... just reused the pump and torque converter... was about 200 in parts cause i did it myself... you might consider having the trans-go shift correction kit put in it.... and a shift kit on mild setting... both of these can be done without removing the tranny and run about 200 and will greatly improve shifting.... i havnt put mine in yet but im planning on it come spring...

 

[Eneurb]

Research Ford TSBs 99-18-05 and 97-11-11. Both deal with sticking accumulators, and do sound like the problem you are having.

 

[Jesse Marcellin]

Having a similar issue after removing the 5.0 upper intake and vacuum lines. When the lines were removed, I noticed a small amount of at fluid under the explorer. Revs to around 5k to shift for each gear. Any thoughts???

 

[GT2000]

I got this same issue on my 98, except mine only does when cold and sometimes it will only stick till 4k or so and then jerk and shift to 3rd. If i drive it easy and dont rev it past 2.5k or so it wont have an issue. No issues when warm. The more aggresive on the throttle, the more it holds and jerks it.