High gear shift flare.

[WhiteRanger]

That sounds like a good sign.

Maybe the VB is not coming apart as I suspected. Of course who knows what surprises might be in store after I dropping the VB.

 

[WhiteRanger]

BB, turns out after dropping the VB, the VB gasket was blown out similar to one of your diary sticky thread "Common Fix For 4R55E/5R55E Transmissions...."

I am also replacing the TCC & EPC solenoids for good measure while I am in there.The shift control solenoid (TCC) can cause shift problems and the Elect. Pressure Control (EPC) solenoid has had some issues in the past with Ford. I found out there was a TSP on the separator gasket and as a result they replaced the gaskets and the separator plate with the laminated separator plate that has the gaskets glued to both sides of the plate. The new plate should help levitate gasket blow-out issues that I had.
If all goes well, I should have the trans back together for the ultimate test.

 

[WhiteRanger]

BB,
I put the transmission together doing what I said in my last post and the transmission is up and running. This problem appears to be primarily due to the blown out separator plate gasket on the transmission side where it bolts to the transmission. For good measure, I also replaced the brackets that sometimes crack that hold the solenoids to the VB and performed the TSB (kit SK3L5P-7M203-JA) replacing parts in bore 207 and discarding parts in the VB. The updated separator plate with the gaskets glued to the separator should help reduce future gasket blow-outs.
I took a few pictures and have have a couple of ideas to add to if you want. It took 8 qts. of Mercon V fluid to replace that was lost.
Including a $25 repair manual, the repairs ended up to be $365. Better than $1,800 or so.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Pictures would be helpful. Where did you get the kit from the TSB (Ford or another place)?

 

[WhiteRanger]

Most of the parts were primarily obtained from Ford except for the fluid, filter and pan gasket. I asked the parts man for all the TSB's pertaining to my Ranger and reviewed them to what could apply to my transmission problem.

A 1/2" magnetic pan drain plug was brazed in as opposed to soldering it in. There are several pics on that.

Final note, as you probably know there 3 or 4 length bolts that secure the VB to the transmission, With the help of a 5R55E rebuild manual, I color coded the holes were the bolts were to go before crawling under the truck to install the VB. It is very confusing where the bolts go back by storing them in a cardboard template.