Losing all gears in tranny when climbing very steep hill!

[Vozar]

Well i was out the other day testing the truck out and I climbed this very steep ledge. THe ledge was probably a 75 degree angle up(more or less) around there(really damn steep) and i got up it and the headlights were pretty much pointing the sky and i lost all the gears in the tranny and coasted back down. The funny this is that i still had traction and if it werent for the tranny i could have kept on going! It took a second while i was back on the ground but i got the gears back. I have a couple questions though.


Is this normal to loose gears going up this steep?

I assumed all the fluid went to the back of the tranny and it didnt have enough power to suck it up in the gears due to the extreme angle.

Has this happened to anyone else before?

I checked the fluid and it seemed alright.

Im not really worried about the tranny but this seemd kind of weird.


Thanks guys.


Matt

 

[glfredrick]

I don't know... I have been on some STEEP stuff with my 92 and it just keeps on pulling. The one time it didn't (the same thing you describe) it was almost 2 quarts low...

There are different filters and pans available for the 2x4 and 4x4 versions of the Explorer transmissions. There might be a chance that you have the 2 x 4 filter instead of the more difficult to find and more expensive 4 x 4 filter, which could cause the problems you describe. Ford went and added an extra sump to the bottom of the 4 wheel drive pans - and the filter has an extra snout that goes down into that sump - whereas the 2 wheel drive version just has a flat filter - no sump and no snout. I'd pull the pan and check it out.

You can run an extra quart of fluid as well - it usually doesn't hurt anything... If someone knows better, please speak up... I want to know as well!

BTW, 75* would be a lot of hill - I have been on some stuff that feels almost straight up and down and I have hardly ever gotten my inclinometer to get much past 50*. Most hills that are navigable without adding a strap or something run in the 40* range - after that, they get pretty hairy.

 

[cjbarron5]

yep check the fluid level if it cant get to the pump it cant move the truck

 

[Vozar]

I checked the fluid a couple days ago and it was a smudge in teh crosshatched area. Can u fill the whole crosshatched area?

 

[cjbarron5]

yes most definatly i run my tranny fluid just over the full mark but i have a external filter and 2 coolers and i run my engine oil right at the full line

 

[Positive Vibes]

I have had that problem when wheeling in Moab up very steep climbs. I kept adding tranny fluid till it quit doing it. You figure if you put to much fluid in it will just bleed out the over pressure line.