Everyone with an Automatic inside!!

Ok guys I got quite a few PM's over this from this board and from a couple others that I post on.

Let me state that everyone here that reads this it might not apply to your specific application, but it sure is a hella lot cheaper to check than it is to find out like I did.


Yes this is a re-post from another thread but I thought it needed to be here too!

Start original post here:


Ok as most of you know, I'm a pretty die-hard Ford kinda guy, with a few exceptions.
That doesn't mean that Ford doesn't come up with some really dumbass-riffic-stupendiously-geniusomatic, stupid **** for brain ideas.

So my story begins:

Well as we all know, the last time I went wheeling I lost the oil pump in my 224k mile motor, eh not so bad, I can deal with that, so Saturday I went to work and put a new motor in the Nasty Hoe.

While in the process of removing the transmission cooling line from the radiator, a Pepto Bizmo pink colored fluid came out!
But if you recall I so called "Water Proofed" my truck, so I thought.

While at the last run some of you all might recall, due to a slight navigational error, I wound up in some water approximatly 3 1/2' or so deep (up over my lap while sitting in the driver's seat), and was dubbed the new Submarine Captain!

Well after going ahead and pulling the transmission and transfer case, my 30k mile "Ford" rebuilt transmission was completly full of water and transmission fluid, I don't even know how we kept on wheeling for another 5-6 hours after that.

So after further inspection, with the transmission out, I noticed 2 little rectangular holes in my vent tube up at the top of the bellhousing, I'm not sure what Ford was thinking but this turned out to be a disaster for me!

So after being pretty, well, miffed about that I went out back at work and snatched up a 5 speed and shoved it in there insted, so now I need to go buy a clutch and pressure plate, and swap out pedals, put the transfer case back on and put in the drive shafts, and we'll be back on the road, it just was a little more than my pocket book was ready to deal with this weekend.


So all you clowns with automatics that like to play in the water like I do, pull that factory vent tube off and replace it quickly, or you might wind up with pansyass pink fluid funfilling your day too!
But oh well that's the price you pay to play!




UPDATE:


Went to work and checked 5 other 1st gen. 4 speed automatics from Explorers, and have seen anywhere from 2-3 punched/stamped holes in the vent tube of transmissions that come in the 4x4 application.
I didn't have time to check on the 2nd gens so someone may want to take up my slack here.

 

[sk1er17]

Originally posted by SVO
If all looks good, you have no problems sir!

excellent...

On another note- would we be able to feel these holes by weaving our arms up there and not dropping down the tranny at all? (lol, ill be doing this in my college parking lot today- i dont wanna look like an idiot for nothing!)

 

[SVO]

Originally posted by sk1er17
excellent...

On another note- would we be able to feel these holes by weaving our arms up there and not dropping down the tranny at all? (lol, ill be doing this in my college parking lot today- i dont wanna look like an idiot for nothing!)

Yes you can, there like 1/8" holes in the tube, just take note of the pictures and you'll get an idea of where there at.

 

[410Fortune]

OKay dudes, dont forget that water can get into the tranny/t case/front and rear diffs if the truck sits in deep water. The seals in the drivetrain are made to keep fluids in, not water out.

I believe the reason Ford has the vent tube leaving the tranny and going up towards the back of the engines intake, then back down towards the ground is for tranny boil over, in case this happens or you overfill the tranny the ATF will dump on the ground. But I am not sure about this, anybody else know why it is routed this way?

The stupid vent tube also clips into the same bracket that holds the wires for the 02 sensors. This bracket bolts to the top of the tranny bellhousing/engine in the same spor as the tranny dip stick tab. You can access these bolts with a socket or wrench from under the hood, behind the upper intake if youdont want to drop the tranny x member (people with Skyjacker crossbars have a harder job ahead of them to drop the tranny/t case)

I used some rubber hose and went from my T case vent tube to the transmission vent tube and attached them together with a T fitting and hose clamps. then the hose goes up under the hood (avoiding the exhaust/suspension) and up the firewall right near where the brake booster is. Then a cheapo small air filter sits on top of the vent line.

It is possible to include the vent tube for the front diff into the same line with another T fitting, but I routed mine seperate (along with the ARB air hose) because it just fit better on my BII with the amount of travel I get from the front end I didnt want to bu pulling on the tranny/t case vent too.

the rear diff is vented up near the fuel door too.

These modifications tothe cheapo stock vent system will really help, but they will not stop water from getting in....

If you sit in deep water (not moving) for long enough, water will work its way onto everything.
Engine oil, tranny fluid, t case, and front and rear difffs must be changed. Also the tranny should be backflushed to get the water out of the valve body and converter.......

(dont drive it! till this is done)

 

[Webster3]

Ok, so there is a vent line on the transfer case too? Where do I find that one?

Ed

 

[410Fortune]

look at the T case, you will see it. Drivers side I believe it comes out of the t case and goes into a hook shape, it is held in place on a metal bracket with a stupid plastic thing on the end to keep dirt out (yeah right)

Pull it off and replace it with your own rubber hose and use a hose clamp to ensure a tight fit........route it up witht eh other extended breathers and you are good to go.......

 

[DarkMan]

Originally posted by 410Fortune
I used some rubber hose and went from my T case vent tube to the transmission vent tube and attached them together with a T fitting and hose clamps.

Question from a non-mechanic. Is it safe to tie the T-Case and Tranny fents together like that? One function of the fent on the tranny is to allow for overflow. If I managed to overheat my tranny, do I really want the boiling tranny fluid to dump into my T-case??

 

[SVO]

Good observation, mixing the two fliud would be a no, no, in either case.


"Gotta keep'm seperated"

 

[AlaskanJack]

Originally posted by SVO
Good observation, mixing the two fliud would be a no, no, in either case.


"Gotta keep'm seperated"

If I'm not mistaken both the tranny and t-case use the same fluid.


On another note:

I am replacing my 5 spd tranny and I noticed two rectangular holes in the bellhousing top center maybe 1"x2". No plugs or nothing should these be open?? My buddy didn't know and he said maybe for venting. Oh and its the M5R1

 

[SVO]

Originally posted by AlaskanJack
If I'm not mistaken both the tranny and t-case use the same fluid.


On another note:

I am replacing my 5 spd tranny and I noticed two rectangular holes in the bellhousing top center maybe 1"x2". No plugs or nothing should these be open?? My buddy didn't know and he said maybe for venting. Oh and its the M5R1

A : You still don't want to overfill them, and you wouldn't want the trash from the T-case in your auto.


B: I'm pulling my 5spd tonight I'll take some photos, but I don't think there are any plugs supposed to be in there, it should be to vent dust from the clutch and allow heat to escape.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well those holes are pretty big, what happens when water runs in them the ones on the 5 spd?

 

[SVO]

Well not to be a smartass, but it gets all wet in there, and can possibly hamper the T-brearing and pilot bearing (rust), other than that, if you don't let it soak over night like someones girl friend, you should be ok.
Be sure to coat the splines in the input shaft with a little grease, but not much as you wouldn't want it to "sling" up onto the disc.

 

[SVO]

We're getting closer, a lil bit here and a lil bit there, but if all goes well and UPS doesn't shaft me, we'll be running this weekend!

 

[dejello]

Nothing like cutting it close eh?

 

[SVO]

Originally posted by dejello
Nothing like cutting it close eh?

I'm getting sick and tired of driving my GT!

 

[AlaskanJack]

I wish I had a shop to work in. My 5 spd tranny would be swapped in by now if i had one. But due to weather its been 2 weeks now and still haven't got it swapped.

 

[SVO]

Originally posted by AlaskanJack
I wish I had a shop to work in. My 5 spd tranny would be swapped in by now if i had one. But due to weather its been 2 weeks now and still haven't got it swapped.

Don't forget to check the bushings in the top of the trans where the stick is, mine were trashed and needed to be replaced, you will have to drive the pins back to get the lower bushing and shims out.

This is really something you don't want to have to do while the tranny is in the vehicle.

Here is what all the parts in there should look like, one set on top and one set on the bottom, I used a lil petrolium jelly to make it operate smooth and to keep water/dirt out.

 

[SVO]

And........


At least you can leave your project where it sits, I have to go back to SOP before the morning/weekend, so I have to move my jobs in and out nightly.

The owner doesn't want my toys in the shop during operating hours to detur us from tinkering with them throughout the day. lol

And like this morning it's pouring rain so I have to grab the big lift and haul it outside, and get soaked

 

[410Fortune]

ever hear that song by Justin Timberlake??? "Cry me a river"

hahahaha just kidding


Looking good......
You are going backwards though if you ask me.
I absoluletly hated the Mazda 5 speed, well the 3 that I had.
My truck originally came with the Mitsubishi 5 speed behind the 2.9L and that sucker held up great. Aft erhtat it was all down hill. I tried everything! I even had a custom kevlar clutch made, new hydraulics about 4 times, etc etc. Just never worked right....

I am so happy with my A4LD I could cry.
Next time I will slap a c4 behind the OHV 4.0L though, I am not getting much use from the OD except when I am on long road trips...............eventually I am hoping she is on a flatbed for those long long trips, then I can chop the top too!!!!!!!

 

[SVT Girl]

Originally posted by SVO
I'm getting sick and tired of driving my GT!

Thats a shocker!!! I thought you loved driving the GT?? Oh wait thats me!!!!!!

 

[AlaskanJack]

I had already planned on getting those parts new. The tranny I got had no shifter so I need to pull the one of my tranny.

Here is where I am at. T-case removed. All bolts removed from extension housing, shifter unbolted and all but the top two bolts are loosened. Still need to unbolt tranny mount, remove starter, disconnect two wires on top of tranny(according to my buddy), disconnect hydraulic clutch line.

So I'm like 15% into it. New tranny is in garage crated extremely well, will need a chainsaw to get it out.


I was going to just remove extension housing and pull mainshaft out and swap in mainshaft from rebuilt tranny to save me time. But then I floundered about that. My thought was that the tranny still easily shifts into all gears and the mainshaft output is spinning freely in Nuetral. My t-case locked up and snapped my output shaft on tranny. The output looked like it had been cracked for a while and just twisted off. I was parking car when I took foot off clutch and it lunged forward and died. When I went to leave well that's when I discovered what happened.

So this was why I was considering just swapping the mianshaft. Make any sense to you.