My 97 Explorer won't shift out of first.

[wellthatwasdumb]

I bought a 97 Explorer automatic with the X engine code from a friend for virtually nothing. After getting it to crank, I took it for a test ride, and found that it wouldn't shift out of first and there was no engine braking. It had been parked for a few years, and he says that it shifted fine when it was parked, though I'm skeptical that he really knows that for sure. I researched the problem on the internet, and found that the valve body gasket in the transmission was problematic, so I checked that out today, and surprisingly, it looked okay. Now I'm wondering if one of the solenoids is the problem. One thing I noticed when I was taking it apart was that the corner bolt on the valve body - the one which holds in one of the solenoids - was REALLY loose, as in backed out ten or more turns, so that solenoid was very loose, and fluid was almost certainly going where it shouldn't have been. I don't know what that particular solenoid controls though. It's the solenoid that's furthest to the front of the valve body as installed on the vehicle; the one on the corner of the body, the first one in a line of four. I'm wondering if that solenoid being loose might be my problem, but I'm sure there are other potential causes that I should consider, and there are other things I should probably replace while I'm inside the transmission. However, I don't want to spend a lot of money just to find that it still won't shift. What do you guys think?

Great forum, by the way.

 

[wood1]

Well you can't loose anything by re-installing the VB with a new gasket, torque the thing properly. It is extremely important to torque using the sequence and a proper torque wrench.

An X code is the OHV V6 I think. So you have a 5R55E transmission.

If you don't want to spend any money that's what i would do. If you still have problems, a rebuilt VB with new solenoids and EPC will fix you up as long as you don't have any mechanical issues. If and when I buy another Explorer one of my planned upgrades will be to either rebuild the VB or replace it with a Central Valve Bodies rebuilt, that and dual trans coolers and an external filter.


transmission section

 

[wellthatwasdumb]

Is there a way to bench test the solenoids?

 

[wood1]

You can check the resistance. From what I have read the EPC solenoid is known to fail.

 

[wellthatwasdumb]

You can check the resistance. From what I have read the EPC solenoid is known to fail.

Do you know where I can find the standard resistance specs?

 

[wellthatwasdumb]

Nevermind, I found it.

http://www.mysporttrac.com/~library/1844/5r55e flare.pdf

 

[wood1]

This is Glacier's VB rebuild thread. He knows his stuff.

5R55 VB rebuild

 

[wood1]

Nevermind, I found it.

http://www.mysporttrac.com/~library/1844/5r55e flare.pdf

Great find!

 

[wellthatwasdumb]

Okay, so I found a TSB that seems to cover my problem precisely:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1279051&postcount=15

However, that TSB recommends replacing the separator plate gaskets, but my gaskets were fine, so I don't think that was the problem.

I've read through a good portion of Glacier's rebuild thread (and numerous other threads, both on this forum and others), and I still don't know what might be causing my problem.

Apparently 2nd gear is just fixed gear plus overdrive, and the overdrive and intermediate servos are known to fail, so now I'm wondering if I have a bad overdrive servo.

 

[wood1]

That TSB also says to install this. I woudl try a rebuilt VB if you are sure your gaskets are good. I'm also wondering if the new bonded separator plate has different holes or different sized hole to fix some issue.

 

[wellthatwasdumb]

That TSB also says to install this. I woudl try a rebuilt VB if you are sure your gaskets are good. I'm also wondering if the new bonded separator plate has different holes or different sized hole to fix some issue.

Ah, thanks for that. I was a little unclear about what the TSB actually recommended. I think I'm just going to have to call Sonnex tomorrow and see what they say. Are there any other experts I might call?

 

[wood1]

Central Valve Bodies have been used by many here with excellent results. They use Sonnex parts to rebuild their VB's then test them. I rebuilt mine myself, but if I were going to buy one I would have bought theirs.

 

[wood1]

If you want the ATSG manual PM me your email address. I have it in PDF.

 

[wellthatwasdumb]

I'd really rather not go the full valve body route if I didn't have to, at least not without knowing what else might be causing this problem. I have minimal money tied up in this thing, and I'd like to keep it like that unless I know for sure that what I'm doing will actually fix the problem. Could the overdrive servo cause something like this? How about overdrive band breakage? A bad sensor somewhere, or a bad PCM? How do I test those things? I appreciate the central valve body nod and I especially appreciate the manual; maybe it'll help me get to the bottom of what's going on.

 

[wood1]

If you try to adjust the bands and find you cannot tighten the OD one then it's a broken band or an anchor has come out of place.