help with diagnosing 5r55e pressure readings

[kjgces]

ok, about me, i have been posting for a while during my quest to fix my 5r55e. so far i have had good and bad luck. when i got it it had 160k miles, not bad, but when the tranny FINALLY got fully warmed up the 2-3 flare started and then after "tinkering" with it i finally got reverse to start acting up.
So far, I have had the trans flushed, i replaced the vb with a "rebuilt " one from transmission parts in FLA, it work very good for about a day and a half, oh yes, i DID the separator plate and the blowoff valve tsb. after a week of so they sent me another vb since we "thought" the first one was sticking somehow. put that in, installed a drain plug(finally) and adjusted the bands, worked fine for about a day and a half. opening it up again, installed another ford separator plate thinking the torque had gone bad on the bolts(yeah right). THAT worked for a few days. then i thought, it MUST be the servos, so replaced both servos and put the drings on the reverse servo, adjusted the pressure screw on the epc 1/4 turn "in". on and on and on it goes, currently, about two months into this adventure in frustration, my reverse is now very bad, almost none at all, forward is STILL 2-3 flare and intermitent bucking when going from 2-3 when cold,( it moves right into the 2-3 flare once it gets warmed up, feels like it is dropping out of gear then sliding back in but in rapid speed. at heavy throttle it works "better", some times, sometimes it doesnt matter. today i got in there with a pressure gage on the line pressure port. here is what i found...
initial readings---rpm----position---temp-----reading-----comments
idle park cold 100-95 steady needle
idle rev cold 125 vibrating
idle neutral cold 90 steady needle
1000-1500 rev cold 225 swinging about
idle drive cold 120 vibrating

second test (after fixing broken tubing 2x and cleaning up all the oil in driveway after trying the stall tests)
transmission has now warmed up to operating temp.

rpm-----position------temp-------reading----comments
idle neutral hot 55 steady
idle rev hot 75 steady
idle park hot 50 steady
idle drive hot 80 steady OD on
idle man 1 hot 75 steady OD on
idle man 2 hot 75 steady OD on
stall speed man 1 hot 75 shuttering
idle man 1 hot 75 steady OD off
idle man 2 hot 75 steady OD off
idle drive hot 80 steady OD off
3000 neutral hot 60 steady OD off

what do you think. it sure does point to the EPC and other parts getting dirty and sticking or leaking once it warms up.
if you think about it, every time i removed and reinstalled the vb it worked well for about 1-2 days or until it got dirty again. however, now we have three different epc's counting the original one, we have two rebuild vb's of respectable quality. each time i dropped the pan there was a film coating on all the components( the gray gunk). even after just a few days. overall the readings were significantly lower once the trans heated up, the ford doc i found says if "low pressure reading at idle in all ranges -
-low fluid - no not that
-fluid inlet filter seal - i doubt it but possible
-main control body - have used two but who knows how GOOD the rebuilds are, what REALLY has been done, are they just cleaning them or FIXING the parts, changing solenoids, etc. i'll bet those are the ones that cost 200 instead of the 90 i paid.
-cross leaks- yep could be that, but i thought the new sep plate fixed that.
-gaskets- same as above...
-Pump- possible but doesnt explain why it runs well for a day or two
-separator platesame as above (been there done that TWICE)

ok, what does everyone think?

 

[inh]

Have you installed an external trans filter? Sounds like you have a lot of crap in the trans, and changing the fluid hasn't got it all out, but merely mixed it up. A filter on the trans cooler lines should help. Sounds like that gunk could be causing all these weird problems.. Gumming up all your new/rebuilt parts after a day or two.

 

[ranger7ltr]

Hmmm... I would think the pressures are hella low...

I think I would be concerned on the gray coating on the components... I installed an external filter since I didn't know the history behind the truck and the fluid smells like a solvent but not burned...

And the white towel test showed a reddish fluid with a little dirt mixed in...I need to drop the pan and change fluid and see if I have some vb/ vb gasket issues...

Hopefully others will chime into this one...

 

[kjgces]

trans filter

inh, that sounds like a good idea, the dirt has to be messing up the new parts. but where is it coming from and doesnt the internal filter do anything to clean it up? thanks for the help.

 

[kjgces]

low [ressures

ranger7ltr, yes the book says they should be about 30-40% higher in all aspects. i think the pump is making pressure but i'm losing it in the vb somewhere, or maybe the epc is getting gunked up...

 

[inh]

It comes from your clutch material, mars, and probably hell too. I really think that is your problem. Pick up one of these:

http://summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G4980/

It will filter out all that crud. I would install that and run your transmission through the gears (while parked) and let it sit for awhile idling, to try and get all that crap out. Then, if it were me (but im sure your patience and budget is thin by now) i'd order another valve body (http://www.800700tran.com/prod.itml/icOid/80) and put it in with the correct separator plate for your truck with the ford TSB update. There's no telling if your valve bores are clogged, and im sure your EPC is toast, and possibly the other solenoids.

That should do the trick. You should probably drain and replace as much fluid as possible.

 

[inh]

Also, because this part can be a pain, I found that by cutting two notches in the ridge that sticks out and hammering it up made the perfect size flange for mounting the filter on:

It's also very easy to get to for filter changes =]

 

[kjgces]

i'm going to think about that, it seems to make sense when nothing else does. i have another vb here so i might get the end plugs and a new epc and install that one along with the filter kit. you really think it will get out the junk the other filter is missing? so i guess the internal filter is only good for stopping big chunks of metal! thanks, kjgces.

 

[inh]

I promise you the external filter will get rid of that crud, theres a big long thread on here about an external transmission filter. The internal filter is only for big pieces. People have found that after installing the external filter, there is no longer sludge in the bottom of the trans pan.

Take the VB you have, and pull out the end plugs, and clean the ever living crap out of it with brake cleaner. Should be good to go =]

Might as well get some upgrades for it while its out though, like the things listed in the 5r55e valve body rebuild diary. Sonnax increased ratio boost valve, they also make an increased pressure spring. Check out the valve body rebuild diary, stickied at the top of this forum.

Also, not much help, but http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2181198