HELP!!! New code: PO720; was PO741

[charliemike]

Hi. I am posting for my husband and have very limited understanding of any of this stuff (okay, NO understanding). But he can read your replies when he gets some rest. We have a 2002 Ford Explorer 4wd with 5R55W transmission. Started with the blinking overdrive light, and then began some random stiff shifting. Had it checked and the code came up PO741. The local transmission shop supposedly changed the Solenoid Body today due to that code, then test drove my truck for "two hours" all around town and came up with a new code PO720 The service note says: "If light returns possible cause is modulator control valve sleeve pump stator bushing could have wear. PO720 output sensor? Fault??"
The shop tried to charge me an additional amount for "electrical diagnosis" that was not discussed or authorized. And lo and behold, the flashing OD light came back on within one mile of the shop. So ... $500 later, the problem appears not to have been fixed. I am seriously considering stopping payment on my check. We disconnected the battery tonight to see if that will clear anything up. Suffice it to say, we were not at all pleased with the tranny shop's attitude. The invoive they faxed me did not include any of the notes about "IF" the light returns...
Is this common, that the flashing light would not have been fixed by replacing the solenoid body? Could they have just removed, cleaned and replaced my existing solenoid body? Is it a core item that they would have returned or can I demand my "old" part to make sure they did replace it?
What is the PO720 code. How does it relate to the modulator control valve or pump stator bushing? If they had disassembled that part of my tranny, would they have been able to determine for SURE whether the pump stator bushing HAD wear, or would they only be able to presume it "could" have wear???
Oh, BTW, could the transmission shop have busted the output sensor by not removing it before they replaced the solenoid pack today??? Sorry, don't know WHERE the OSS is in relation to the solenoid.
Any suggestions??? Thanks in advance!!!
---C

 

[charliemike]

Oh, one more question: What is the chance that the mechanic "test driving" my truck for MORE THAN ONE HOUR all over the mountains here (with the OD light still flashing, presumably, since it was on within one mile of leaving their shop), caused additional damage???

 

[Tbars4]

welcome to the board....glacier and brooklyn bay can help you out with these questions so i'm giving you a bump till they show up...

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Those solenoid blocks have been known to act up around 60k miles. They should replace the block, gasket, retorque the bolts, and use a scanner to erase the codes (don't disconnect the battery). If the code doesn't reappear within 60 cycles (starting up, and turning off the engine), then it's safe to assume that the issue was only with the block. This link has some information of the various sensors which are used: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157488. Keep in mind that this link is for the 5R55E. You have the 5R55W.

 

[BrooklynBay]

These codes were from this link: http://www.fordforums.com/showthread.php?t=81076.
P0720 Output Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction.
P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off.

 

[charliemike]

Right, the PO741 says Torque Converter. Is that the same thing as solenoid pack??? Our truck has 180,000 miles on it, BTW. We bought it at 120,000 ... and it's possible the solenoid was replaced just prior to our purchase, and lasted these last 60,000 miles.
Too late about the battery, we already disconnected it. Doesn't sound like they restarted the truck 60 times. Sounds like they drove it around the planet for more than a solid hour. The truck seems to shift fine now (whereas it had random hard shifting before) but that light still flashes.
We found another customer who claims that tranny shop tried to charge him $2,500 to rebuild a transmission they never even removed (something about a connecting part being bad that would have disinitigrated and needed replacement, too, had they dropped the transmission).
I'm just real concerned that they didn't do the work properly... and I'm even more concerned that they may have caused more damage driving it around in limp mode for more than an hour!!!
---C

 

[BrooklynBay]

Maybe the shop never replaced the solenoid block, and only tried to clear the codes? It's hard to determine. Asking them for the old block might not help since they might have an old one from another vehicle on hand. Another member here once had a similar thing happen. He asked for the old part, and they gave him another part from a different transmission! He posted the picture here. Check WWW.ATRA.Com to see if his shop is listed, and how many complaints he has.

 

[charliemike]

I am requesting a copy of the invoice/receipt to buy our new solenoid. I will have another shop check it today if my husband can get out there.
---C

 

[charliemike]

New issues ...

Uodate:
Took the truck to another transmission place who hooked it up to diagnostics. Got the original PO741 code --- so the first tranny place charged me $555.30 to diagnose and "fix" a problem that still exists!!!
This guy said my TCC needs to be replaced but he refused to do the job because he said he couldn't justify taking my money just to replace the TCC when my truck has 177,000 miles on it. He suggested a total rebuild --- $1,700.
Although the O/D light is blinking, the truck is shifting fine. He said drive it till it drops, it won;t do any more damage than is already done.
Comments????
Anyone in the NC/GA/TN vicinity than can check my truck out. We barely had $500 ... we certainly cannot afford a total rebuild.
On the other hand, my husband is very competent working on engines. We do not have any special tools, but can he feasibly rebuild his own transmission??? We had a 1969 Mustang and he rebuilt everthing BUT the transmission. It was absolutely gorgeous and purred like a tiger ;-)
---C

 

[BrooklynBay]

I would suggest that you try to get your money back for the "new" solenoid block that shop claims they installed. He could easily install a new block if he is handy. WWW.TransmissionPartsUSA.Com sells them.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Here is my response to your previous email: I would suggest replacing the solenoid block, and possibly rebuilding the valve body first. Those transmissions have known issues with the blocks. Shops always try to push for an entire rebuild, so it's worth a try with other things first. Either way, if it really does need an entire rebuild, you will be ahead by having the new block, and rebuilt valve body already done.