Long trip ahead. Do I gamble with this transmission?

[Sorry]

(Mods, please move if necessary)

I posted another thread detailing my 02's transmission issues involving p0741 TCC unlocking issues. It's all detailed in my other thread. But I can answer any specifics. My real question here is:

What sort of further damage could be caused by driving with a torque converter that won't stay locked. It will modulate and lock, according to the live data, but something causes it to unlock and throw a code (due to slipping?)

I was on my way to a job yesterday when this problem (that seemed to have been gone) came back. My destination is about 400 miles away, and takes about 5½ hours of mostly highway driving. I know some vehicles don't have a TCC lock at all, so I know it's not detrimental to all transmissions. But does anything in the 5r55 suffer from the TC not being locked? The gas mileage is not a big concern. I'm losing too much money not being at this job to not get there.

I do plan on rebuilding the transmission once I return in a couple weeks, so "some" damage is not a huge concern as long as it gets me there and back. But I'd have to be pretty confident that it would get me home to my son for his birthday later this month.

I have to come up with a yay or nay by noon. If it's not detrimental to the transmission, I'm hooking up the scanner to monitor trans oil temp and tss/oss speeds and I'm hitting the road. If it's likely to leave me stranded, I'm jumping on the first bus I can get.

I've already put about $900 into this vehicle in the past week, and I've missed out on about $1000 worth of opportunity in the past couple days.

Thanks in advance

 

[Number4]

I'm not a trans guy, but couldn't this burn the fluid? If it wont lock up, it'll rely on the viscous connection at high speeds for a long period of time.

 

[imp]

Torque converters worked OK without clutches for 50 years, why would now be different? You can drive the vehicle forever with a non-engaging TCC without any harm at all, except to your fuel economy, expect about 5% less miles per gallon.

My TCC quit engaging 2000 miles from home, Ford Shop Mechanic told me if I drove it home without the TCC functioning, it might ruin the transmission. I drove it home, ordered a new solenoid module, installed it, TCC back working, that was 50,000 miles ago. imp

 

[Sorry]

That's what I was thinking. Lot of sources saying it could cause damage, but I said just that. What about before tcc was even a common feature?

My wonder, though, is.. whatever is causing it, if not the solenoid, could possibly cause harm.

 

[imp]

As I See It

That's what I was thinking. Lot of sources saying it could cause damage, but I said just that. What about before tcc was even a common feature?

My wonder, though, is.. whatever is causing it, if not the solenoid, could possibly cause harm.

Understand your concern. Take the advice of another, if wrong, it cost cost an arm and a leg. OTOH, there are few choices, you need the vehicle running. Having a shop (or anyone) mess with it will take up time.

If it were me, I would continue driving it without TCC lockup as long as there is no perceivable noise or vibration. The TCC itself, unless it falls apart (extremely unlikely), will just sit in there doing nothing but spin harmlessly along with the rest of the converter elements. The clutch is very similar to a standard dry clutch, one part spinning with the engine (outer converter housing) and the other spinning with the turbine, or driven element, which is splined to the transmission input shaft. TCC is engaged by hydraulic pressure, delivered through passage in the input shaft. Presence or absence of that pressure is done via the TCC Solenoid.

"If it were me". Please keep in mind, this has to be YOUR call. I drove with the TCC not functioning, and it's still working again, despite 2000 miles without it. Now, if you go ahead, and later something else goes haywire, I would like to remain blameless! Not good at predicting the future. imp

 

[Sorry]

Your advice is valuable! Thanks tons.

I ended up taking my other vehicle to the job, but I'll probably be leaving the explorer tranny in until it stops. If I decide I need to take it out of town a lot, I may replace it