Got less than 6000 mIles on 1993 Explorer rebuilt tranmission

[rustigirl]

Ok here goes! I have a 1993 Explorer 4.0 automatic. In November 2014 I had the transmission rebuilt costing me $2200. Warranty good for 1 year or 12,000 miles. I had been driving it everyday until the end of November 2015. No problems and needed fluid once and not that much. That was right after the rebuild.
I was driving home up in the mountains when all of a sudden it started surging and I could smell something burning. I stopped immediately and found the engine compartment full of black smoke. Couldn't find the source and then I checked the Tranny fluid stick. There wasn't a drop of fluid on it and it was fine a few days before when I checked it.
I put fluid in it and made it the 3 miles home.I looked underneath and found the front. Seal leaking. I put some Lucas sealer on it and drove it around for a few says and the leak stopped. It seemed fine and even shifted ok until I was coming back up the mountain and it quit shifting in all gears. I had to be pushed home. It only needed a little fluid when I checked it the next day. When the tow truck came to pick it up to take back to the shop, I was able to drive it in 4 wheel drive. It took a few seconds to engage but it drove fine. So why is it drivable in 4 wheel drive? The car runs great! The shop that did the rebuild wouldn't honor the warranty even though though it was only past it by 3 weeks.
I had 5997 miles on the tranny. They wanted $1500 to rebuild it again. I said no way.
Could it be something simple ? I need advise please! I work on my own cars and quads but never had to do a transmission.
The transmission shop lied to me when I had them check it out. One guy said he took it apart and I needed a new transmission. Found out no one took it apart. They just checked the fluid!

 

[2stroke]

4x4 high or 4x4 low? If you are in 2x4 high put it in drive for a few seconds, then put it in park do you get a grinding sound?

 

[rustigirl]

4x4 high and no grinding. It doesn't make any noise. Just doesn' t move when I have it in regular drive. I haven't tried the low.

 

[natenkiki2004]

2wd, 4x4 hi, 4x4 low... the transmission doesn't care, it still works the same. The only reason if one of those worked better than the other is if something was seriously broken in the transfer case.

Really sounds like the transmission is overheating and puking fluid to the point where there's not enough pressure to engage the clutches anymore. The question is... why?

 

[rustigirl]

Why is what I'm wondering too! I'm hoping it can be easily repaired. I love the old girl! I've had her for almost 12 years and regular maintenance is all I ever had to do until the tranny went out last year.

 

[Number4]

You really should have taken it back when you first noticed a leak. But that was then and this is now. It seems fairly difficult to find truly good transmission mechanics.

 

[FR-425]

http://www.atra-gears.com/tcra/a4ld.htm

May provide a clue to the seal failure. Like was said above the alignment tool needs to be used to get everything installed correctly when they reinstall the pump, if this procedure was done incorrectly it could lead to a seal failure. Also the bushing in the housing may need to be replaced. This requires a new housing or a machine shop to rebuild and line bore the bushing.

Got most of this from the ATSG update manual.

hope it helps

The link is no good any more but Steve hit the nail on the head. Improper install.
99% of trans shops do not know this and as a result it is only luck if they get it right.

In your case the pump was likely also not installed incorrectly or they just reused the old one.

 

[FR-425]

You could take them to small claims court and very likely get your money back and have it redone at another shop.

Also verify that they put the heat shield back in. Many mechanics skip it cause it's a pain. With out it the servos will fail and it adds to overheating problems.

 

[mekelly]

If you have it rebuilt again, I would seriously consider installing a Magnefine transmission filter (very easy to do).

Studies have shown that 90%+ of all transmission wear particles are generated when breaking in a new or rebuilt transmission. The Magnefine filter will prevent those wear particles from damaging your new (rebuilt) transmission. If I understand correctly, Ford used to mandate that external filters be installed on rebuilt transmissions to help ensure they didn't fail again and come back as warranty repairs.

I don't work for (or get paid by) Magnefine but I have them installed on my 1994 Explorer and my 1999 Expedition. After cutting them open at 12,000 miles of use, I became a believer. Lots of ferrous material on the magnet and the paper filter captures nonferrous particles about 3 times smaller than the filter in the pan.

 

[2stroke]

2wd, 4x4 hi, 4x4 low... the transmission doesn't care, it still works the same. The only reason if one of those worked better than the other is if something was seriously broken in the transfer case.

Really sounds like the transmission is overheating and puking fluid to the point where there's not enough pressure to engage the clutches anymore. The question is... why?

This isn't necessarily true. I've seen transmissions fail to where they were too weak unless you were in low range. Now explain why driving in 4x4 high only is a transmission problem.

 

[natenkiki2004]

If you have it rebuilt again, I would seriously consider installing a Magnefine transmission filter (very easy to do).

Studies have shown that 90%+ of all transmission wear particles are generated when breaking in a new or rebuilt transmission. The Magnefine filter will prevent those wear particles from damaging your new (rebuilt) transmission. If I understand correctly, Ford used to mandate that external filters be installed on rebuilt transmissions to help ensure they didn't fail again and come back as warranty repairs.

I don't work for (or get paid by) Magnefine but I have them installed on my 1994 Explorer and my 1999 Expedition. After cutting them open at 12,000 miles of use, I became a believer. Lots of ferrous material on the magnet and the paper filter captures nonferrous particles about 3 times smaller than the filter in the pan.

^^ This. ESPECIALLY in Fords. I've gotten the consensus from mechanics and for some reason Ford doesn't like to use an actual filter but rather a screen. Some other manufacturers do this too, like Toyota on some newer models. It doesn't have to be a Magnefine but ANY filter in-line will greatly help the transmission. Magnefine does make a rock solid product though. Manufacturers don't want to put real filters in because they want to reduce the maintenance list and cost to the consumer to make them think the car is so well engineered that it doesn't need to be fixed. They also do it for cost. I'm a believer, just see my signature on transmission filters. I'll put one on every car I'll own, even ones with a real filter inside the trans, it means I won't have to drop the pan.

This isn't necessarily true. I've seen transmissions fail to where they were too weak unless you were in low range. Now explain why driving in 4x4 high only is a transmission problem.

I could concede to that if the clutches were mostly burned up and slipping while engaged. But that would only apply to low range. 4x4 hi shouldn't make a difference unless something in the transfer case or rear driveline was seriously broken.

 

[2stroke]

Did you put it in 4x4 right before it stopping shifting? Maybe it's just the transfer case shift motor.

 

[rustigirl]

No I kept it in drive. I was behind a very slow moving car coming up the mountain. It was shifting fine and wasn't overheating but I know if wasn't happy. I never pushed the car too hard. It was my baby!

 

[rustigirl]

It had no leaks and never used any fluid. It was like an instant overheating and the fluid was gone. I had checked it the day before and it was fine. I always keep a detailed record of everything I do to my cars. The transmission shop that did the rebuild gave me a very vague work order of what was done. I asked for details of what was replaced but didn't get it. Now they're saying I ran it out of fluid. The second it heated up I pulled over and stayed there until my mechanic came and put fluid in it and followed me the 3 miles to my house. It still had fluid in it when I got home and 2 days later when it was picked up.

 

[Number4]

I suppose it's possible that you lost all the fluid while driving it.