Flashing O/D and Chk Tranny... where to tell what Tranny I have?

[jpoprock]

Hello guys. I'm experiencing the dreaded flashing O/D Light and Check Transmission problem. I have an 02 Expl Ltd 4.0L w/ 123K miles on it. At 100k, I had Ford do the power flush and they replaced all the fluids in my truck, telling me it was like brand new. At 100K I also had the rear diff's replaced. I think the spider gears were bad. They did that for me for free (long story).

Whenever I start the truck and take off, the light isn't on and neither is the check tranny message. It always comes on about the same time into the trip, and any speed. It takes about 5 min, then it comes on and stays on till I shut the truck off.

The thing is... the truck drives fine. It's not making a single noise, and it shifts fine. I can tell when I turn O/D off. And I can tell that it's shifting into 4WD H and Low. So, i'm hoping that it's a cylanoid or something OTHER than a $2,000 transmission.

I wanted to know how I can tell what tranny I have, so that I can gather as much info as possible about my problem. I'll make it known to the service dept that I'm no fool, and I can't be taken advantage of (because I know they love doing that). I know of a few tranny guru's in the area, that might be able to help too. I just don't know which route to take.

I guess the first step would be to get them to do a diagnostic, then let me have the results so I can post them here (if they will let me!).

But my main question is... should I not be driving the truck, despite the fact that it's driving flawlessly?

Thanks!

Jason

 

[James909]

You have a 5R55W5 transmission. It's possible that the solenoid block is going bad and causing the flashing O/D light. Especially if they have never been replaced before. But the stored codes will help us pinpoint the exact issue. It's best to avoid driving the truck until you have the problem corrected. With the O/D light flashing the trans goes into FMEM mode and the EPC maximizes all controllable internal pressures. This will cause extra stress on the trans.

 

[BrooklynBay]

The solenoid blocks have been known to act up around 60K miles. You could get one here: http://www.800700tran.com/prod.itml/icOid/159. Another common problem is that the servos wear down their bores. WWW.Servobore.Com sells a repair kit for this instead of throwing out an entire transmission case. The third most common problem is band breakage. Some members have had good results flashing the computer, and installing a new tune. # 77 in my list of useful threads has information on the solenoid block: http://www.transtarindustries.com/tekDownload.asp?ID=86. # 69 in my list of useful threads has additional links with more information.

 

[jpoprock]

Thanks for the help guys. I stopped by the Ford garage after posting my original post to ask about it. I'm making an appt with them Monday morning. The service mgr wasn't there, but the manager was. I told him what it was doing, and his opinion was that because it wasn't slipping, and driving normally, that it could be something easy like a sensor. However, he said that if it was his, he'd probl drive it! I'm actually going to have to drive it because I don't have anything else. But it probl won't be long before it goes into the shop.


I will say that every great great once and awhile, my tranny will slip when you accelerate. But it's been doing this a LONG time, and maybe three times a year max. I figured it was because of where was in the gear when I went to accelerate. I don't know.

I guess the service mgr there has been there a long time, and excels at Tranny's. They are a really nice dealership to deal with. The one I used to use closed, so I'm going to have to use this different one in a nearby town. Since my family likes to drive Ford's, and we own a local business, they try super hard to make us happy. So, I don't anticipate them trying to screw me over. And the more prepared I am, and the more knowledgeable I seem, the better.

I'll check out the links and may have some questions. Can you guys give me any sort of "price range" that this could cost me? Like best to worst case, and somewhere in between? I realize it's hard to tell at this point, but I don't know what I'm going to do if it turns out to be $3K. Cuz I don't have that kinda cash lying around. And it's Murphy's Law that this would happen 6 months before the thing is paid for! I was planning on keeping it as long as I can, and use that car payment money to go towards debt! It would still be cheaper to fix it if I'm going to keep it, than it would be trade it and have a car payment for the next five years.

I know of a guy around here that apparently can take the rotten Dodge tranny (and ironically enough, I live in Kokomo, IN, where the Dodge Transmission plant is!), and make it nearly bullet proof. Some say his tranny mod is unbreakable. People have tried to break it, and can't. So, I wonder if he can work on Ford tranny's? And why doesn't Dodge steal his methods? HA!

Oh, and one more thing.... I still need to look at the links... but is some of this something I can do myself, or since a computer is involved, do I pretty much have to take it in?

Thanks guys!
Jason

 

[jpoprock]

Hey guys. I decided to get a 2nd opinion from a reputable Tranny service tech. His diagnosis was a bit different than Ford's. The guy at Ford guessed when he told me my code and said he was pretty sure it was 1744 (going by memory). He said that it was either the Torq Conv Assembly or the Solenoid Body, at a cost of $1400, or it was the Overdrive Servo Piston that has gone bad at a cost of $1000. I said, "how much to fix them both?" and he said "$1600".

So, I took to this other guy who came highly recommended from some of my hot rod buddies, and he looked at it. His code was PO741. That might have been the same code Ford had... as the guy was going by memory. That code is: "Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off". But this guy said that he's actually not too sure what the problem is. He thinks that it could be a bad Valve Body, or it could be the Solenoid assembly has gone bad. OR he said it could be the computer, but can't test that. He said the reason he wasn't sure was because both have enuff hydrolic parts in them that go along with a TC lock-up. He's afraid to just "guess", then be wrong as that is a waste of his time and money, and would prefer to get it right the first time. He said that he's going to get ahold of this place in Fort Wayne, IN that makes rebuilt Tranny's, and get a cost on one of those, just as an option. He said he's not as speclialized with the 5R55W tranny as some may be. He said that there are some really tight tolerances on some of this stuff, and Ford has been slow to release info about the inner workings of this tranny. I think it's strange he would say that. Maybe it's true. But he's been running his own Tranny Business for almost 30 years.

What do you guys think?? The sooner I get some thoughts, the quicker we can proceed with this. So your response is critical! Thanks!
Jason

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could replace the solenoid pack, and valve body for a lot less yourself. Some people have flashed the PCM, and installed a new tune which helped make the shift points better. There is a lot of information on this transmission both online, and in printed books. Check the links in # 69 in my list of useful thread for more information. Here is a solenoid block: http://www.800700tran.com/prod.itml/icOid/159. Here are some 5R55W parts: http://www.800700tran.com/level.itml/icOid/336.

 

[jpoprock]

Well the veh is at the shop now. The guy is weighing his options, and I told him I'd try to get some info too. I don't have time to mess with it, so I don't have a problem paying him to do it. Either way you slice it, he'll be less than Ford garage will. I just can't figure out what Ford garage was trying to fix, if this guy thinks it's something slightly different? And it doesn't makes sense that if one fix from Ford costs $1400, and the other costs $1,000, then how can they do both for $1600? Since the guy at Ford said the TCC and the Solenoid Body are typical problems ($1400), and the Overdrive Servo Piston is another ($1,000), and that it could be either or until he gets in there and looks, I said, "Well why don't you just fix them all so I can insure that I won't have those problems again? How much to do it all?" and he said, "$1600, no more than that". Strange. You'd think it would be every bit of $2,000, but I'm not complaining. He said the parts alone for both problems ran about $700. This other tranny guy where my truck is now hasn't said anything like that. Only that he can always beat a dealer's price.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Take a look at the price in post # 6, and at the links in # 69. One of the links is WWW.ServoBore.Com.