engagement problem

[ckmieciak]

I had this problem for a while, i have a slight engagement problem when I go into D or R. When i start my truck and put it into drive it will act as it is in neutral I have to press on the gas let off and it will engage and then go. same as in R. Only really happened when the truck is cold. After driving for a while it seems fine. Also when i come up to a some what hard stop from like 30 mph to a complete stop it seems to pop out and be in neutral same thing have to press on gas and then let go and it will engage. I know its in neutral cause if im on a hill my truck will roll as if i had a manual transmission. I have no O/D blinking or anything . no service engine or anything.

I have a 2002 explorer XLT 4x4 v6 with 85,000 miles, I have had the transmission flushed twice and I have the tranny filtered changed before the summer. Problem seems to be getting worse. Ive brought it to two shops and they both dont know what the problem is, they keep saying lets try this and lets try that and just more money adding up.

Can anyone help with some insight?

 

[JK080]

Need to conform that the fluid level is correct, everything you described can be linked to low fluid.

 

[ckmieciak]

ive had two different shops looking at it. the first one just did a regular flush and added new fluid. the second did a compression flush with a filter change and refilled it. the last time i went to them they said it was filled. is there any way to check myself so i know its full ? I have the sealed tranny so that why i was bringing it to them in the first place

 

[rickybobby]

My 97 does the same thing. I believe a seal in the pump is failing and it is "cavitating" as the trans tech described it. I rev the engine once or twice before i put it in gear and everything works fine. If I restart it while still warm it is fine.

 

[JK080]

ive had two different shops looking at it. the first one just did a regular flush and added new fluid. the second did a compression flush with a filter change and refilled it. the last time i went to them they said it was filled. is there any way to check myself so i know its full ? I have the sealed tranny so that why i was bringing it to them in the first place

Put a drain pan under the tranny at the drain plug on the bottom of the pan, start the engine and remove the 3/16 Allen plug from the center of the big nut. If there is no fluid flowing out it could be low on fluid. Its full when fluid flows out when the plug is removed. You will have to pump fluid into this hole to add transmission fluid. I use a pump to do this at the shop but you might have to be creative to find a way to get fluid into there. I have heard some people have used a lawn and garden sprayer to do this, I have not tried it.

 

[ckmieciak]

went back to my mechanic shop that had worked on the tranny. said the level was full and i asked about the problem, he said that the tranny pump is weak and is on its way out. only way to fix is the pull the tranny out? is this true anything i can add to the tranny to strength it or something along the lines?

 

[JK080]

Make sure these are installed.

http://www.sonnax.com/product-lines/transmission/parts/2878

http://www.sonnax.com/product-lines/transmission/parts/2266

 

[ckmieciak]

both of those require me to drop the pan and redo the whole process correct? and i would need to bring it to a shop?

is there any like additive that people recomend?

 

[JK080]

Falling out of gear coming to a stop, delayed engagements, slipping when cold, slipping on a hill are all signs of low fluid.

If it does this and its full of fluid the only other thing would be a wrong or loose filter, or the seals on the filter may be missing.

I would take it back to the shop that changed the filter and have the recheck the fluid level and filter. Other than that it may need to come out and be rebuilt. The items I linked too are for when the tranny gets rebuilt these items are a must, even if you don't upgrade anything else.

Don't be fooled by additives, they don't fix anything.