My lady needs some 2000 explorer sport transmission help

[It's her ford]

She has a 2000 explorer sport with 207k miles and the transmission is finally starting to fail. We did a tune up a month ago with all new plugs wires, filters... and then a week later the OD off light would flash momentarily and driving would be sluggish and less responsive. It was somewhat correctable by shutting the car off and restarting.
After a couple weeks limping around it's not really possible to drive at all without the light flashing. Accelaratingfrom a stop it will hitch at about 20mph/2500rpm or what I believe is shifting into second gear. More sporadically at highway speeds and about 3-3.5k rpm... she can make a few stops and accelerations before it will start, usually by about the fourth time is when it starts to blink now.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated as we're both light in the wallet and I get the fun of trying to save it.

Much thanks for any thoughts in advance.

 

[bluestream1]

What do you mean by this: it will hitch at about 20mph/2500rpm or what I believe is shifting into second gear.

 

[It's her ford]

What do you mean by this: it will hitch at about 20mph/2500rpm or what I believe is shifting into second gear.

It's like as it's trying to shift it slips, the rpms spike slightly real quick, it then quickly finishes the shift. All in about two seconds. After that happens a few times on a trip the OD light will then start to flash. Usually about 5-10 miles from cold start. Once the light flashes the car doesn't like to drive anymore. So she shuts it off as soon as possible and upon restart it drives fine for a short time until the process repeats itself.

 

[drdoom]

Have the codes read. Don't keep driving it until you repair it. What it's doing is going into "limp home mode".

 

[bluestream1]

YOU have the 5R55e 2-3 shift flare. Its a blown valve body gasket and there is a TSB on it. You can diagnose this yourself when you go down a hill drop it into manual Low, and see if you have engine braking. If not then the gasket is blown.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...nd-the-infamous-2-3-shift-flare-issue.174202/

 

[bluestream1]

Here it is... TSB 03-22-10...

FORD: 1995-2001 EXPLORER
1995-2002 RANGER
1996-1997 AEROSTAR
2000-2002 EXPLORER SPORT
2001-2002 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC
MERCURY: 1997-2001 MOUNTAINEER


This article supersedes TSB's 03-11-9, 02-13-8 and 02-08-2 to update the model coverage.

ISSUE:
Some vehicles built prior to 12/1/2001 may exhibit the following shift and engagement conditions:

No 2nd Gear
No 3rd Gear
No Engine Braking In Manual 1st.
Out of specification pressures controlled by the transmission main control valve body separator plate may be the cause.

ACTION:
Verify the condition, the main control valve body separator plate may need to be updated to the latest level. Refer to the following Service Procedure for details.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

CAUTION: A NEW SEPARATOR 7Z490 MUST BE USED WHEN INSTALLING THE SPECIAL SERVICE KIT 7M203 OR ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION DAMAGE MAY OCCUR. REFER TO THE PARTS APPLICATION CHART IN THIS ARTICLE FOR CORRECT SEPARATOR PLATE PART LISTING.



NOTE: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY OTHER CONDITIONS OR COMPONENTS THAT MAY CAUSE SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AND IS ONLY WRITTEN TO COVER THESE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.



NOTE: AN IN-LINE SERVICE FILTER IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE ADDED OR REPLACED FOR THIS TSB.



Verify that one or more of the following conditions exist.
Low Line Pressure While In Drive At WOT
No 2nd And/Or No 3rd Gear
No Engine Braking In Manual 1st
DTC P0732, P0733 Or P1762
Install Kit (3L5Z-7M203-JA) to update the main control valve body assembly, refer to the installation procedures found in the kit.
Reinstall the main control by continuing to follow the installation steps listed in the Workshop Manual, in-vehicle service, main control valve body.
After completing the procedure, verify the condition has been corrected.
Clear all DTCs.

Part Application Chart
Vehicle Application Engineering Description Qty. New Service Part Use on Transmission Application 7000 -Reference Only-
95/96 Models ONLY
95/97 Models Separator Plate to Case Gasket 1 2L5Z-7C155-AA ALL
95/97 Models Separator Plate to Main Control Gasket 1 2L5Z-7D100-BA ALL
95/96 Models - ALL Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F5TZ-7A008-CA 95GT-AA/BA/CA/DA/EA/FA/ GA;96GT-BA/CADB/EB/FA/ GA/HA/KA/MA/NA
97 Models ONLY
97 2.3L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-AB 97GT-GC
97 3.0L OHV Ranger/Aerostar Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-AB 97GT-EC/FC/MC/NC/RE/SE
97 4.0L OHV Ranger/Aerostar Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-CB 97GT-KE/LE
97 4.0L OHV Explorer/Mountaineer Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-DB 97GT-KF/LF
97 4.0L SOHC Explorer/Mountaineer Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 F77Z-7A008-EB 97GT-AE/BE
1998-2001 Models ONLY
98/01 2.5L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-DA 98GT-GA; XL5P-CA
98/00 3.0L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-EA 98GT-EB/FB; XL5P-AA/BA
98/00 4.0L - EI Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-FA 98GT-KB/LB; XL5P-DA/EA/FA
98/00 4.0L - EI Explorer Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-GA 98GT-CB/DB; XL2P- EA/FA
98/00 4.0L - SOHC Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-HA 98GT-AA/BA; XL2P- CA/DA
2001-2002 Models ONLY
2001/2002 2.3L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-AA 1L5P-CA
2001/2002 3.0L Ranger Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-BA 1L5P-AA/BA
2001/2002 4.0L-SOHC - ALL Plate - Valve Body Separator 1 1L5Z-7Z490-CA 1L5P-DA/EA
ALL MODELS
1995-2002 ALL as Listed Above Valve Body Service Kit 1 3L5Z-7M203-JA ALL




PART NUMBER PART NAME
3L5Z-7M203-JA Valve Body Service Kit


OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES:
NONE

SUPERSEDES:
03-11-9, 02-13-8, 02-8-2

WARRANTY STATUS:
Eligible Under Provisions Of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Coverage
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Courtesy of Donnie Arbogast, here is a tabular listing of some of the above info.

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