No 1st, Reverse is great still... any ideas?

[BrooklynBay]

Glacier, I was curious as to the type of material they make those gaskets out of. Is it basically a cardboard, or some other type of blend?

 

[BrooklynBay]

In the past I've replaced a lot of gaskets (pan, extension housing, differential, etc.) out of gasket material that I've purchased in a local plumbing store. The type that I like to use is the orange high temperature style that they make flange gaskets out of on circulator pumps, and other applications on boilers. This gasket material could be reused many times without a problem. It would be almost impossible to make one for a valve body with the tools that I have. I just have a Harbor Freight gasket punch tool set. Maybe there is a way of tracing one from another gasket, but it would be a very big job. The material expands when it is compressed, so I wouldn't think it would be good for a valve body anyway.

 

[Brandons]

Sounds good, i'll call ford and see if they have any in stock and prices, as well as look into the thicker gasket material. It seems the one gasket is actually stuck to the seperator plate already. The other one came off easy.

Ill hopefully go through everything later today. I havent noticed anything serious wrong, but i figure it cant hurt cleaning it all up.

Thanks again guys for the help

 

[Brandons]

Ive Finally rebuilt the valve body. I took out every bore except 216 at the 3rd part (1-2 accumulator spool). It would just not come out, the plug (already forget the name) wouldnt go past a certain point after taking the L pin out, i figured i should just leave it and it seems to be working fine anyways. Other then that ive taken every bore out, cleaned it, and reinstalled. I have it sitting now upside down with papertowel in between the plate and valve body to let anymore crap drain out without losing were all the pins go. Also i soaked everything in wd-40 (even my eyes, woops, lost 10 min to flushing my eyes, short story, bore sprang out, wd-40 splashed up).

I called Ford today and they can get the gaskets i need as well as O-rings. Im really at a loss to what the problem is, since nothing really alarmed me with the valve body, let alone it was extremely clean when i pulled it out. Im going to take a real close look at the low/reverse servo to make sure it is alright.

Im very curious about adding a spring to bore 209 - Cutback valve. I havent bought any shift kits yet, but im wondering if i should find an adequate spring for that bore, or will it be perfectly fine the way it is?

Thanks again guys.

 

[Brandons]

Alright picked up a new filter, ford was closed this weekend (should of figured that) so i never ordered the parts. Plan on calling tomorrow, or going there.

Figured i may as well put the pic, theres a "retail installment contract" sheet beside it i just randomly found on my desk today.. as well.

 

[Glacier991]

The cutback valve should be ok w/o a spring, provided it moves real smooth. I think the kits added the spring as insurance.

 

[Brandons]

sounds good, ill double check the valve as well.

The more i work on it the more i think that the low/reverse servo could be a problem? It had lots of gunk on it when i pulled it out (mainly in the bottom part).

 

[Brandons]

More parts today Valve body gaskets. Just need to get some o-rings for the servo.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Are these the thicker gaskets, or the regular ones?

 

[Brandons]

There just the regular Ford ones. It was a bit of hell getting them.

 

[Glacier991]

And yes the low reverse servo COULD be a major player in this. Remember that reverse enjoys boosted pressure. That servo is implicated in both shifts. R and 1st.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Superior makes lip seals as an upgrade to the standard O rings on the low/reverse servo.

 

[Glacier991]

The double lip seal is not available separately to my knowledge. It comes as part of the Superior 5R55E Shift Kit, or certain manufacturers Rebuild Kits. There is also a new "D" ring replacement for the O rings, but I have not located a source for those at this point in time either.

 

[Brandons]

I went into the local parts store today, they found the smaller o-ring seal and replaced it, as for the large they didn't see any problem with it, and didnt have any that size (i took the servo in to show them what i was looking for). The smaller o-ring cost me a grand total of $0.37, ford charged about $5.00, Canadian.

I decided to put it back together.

I did everthing carefully as i could. As i put the valve body back into the transmission, im pretty sure i got the right bolts at the right places, each one screwed in hand tight without a problem. I got everything else back together then put 4 litres into it. Started up the truck, waited a couple seconds, noticed my belt was nicely hugging the alternator (need newpulley tensioner, just friggin add insult to injury) i put it in drive, the engine drops about 150rpm, and then back to normal. I try reverse, nothing, give it a bit of gas and reverse jerks. Try drive, drive does nothing at all. I find out i had no fluid even on the dip stick. So i add a quart thinking it just may bring it up enough, try it, same thing. Im currrently out of transmission oil in the whole house. Drive is still crap as well as far as i know. I must of messed something up, i would figure that since reverse does work (even on low fluid) that drive would too.

So im a bit in a rut tonight.

Thanks for all the help though guys kept me going.

 

[Brandons]

Alright no go, took 8 litres of oil, only reverse works. I am so annoyed at this thing at this point in time that i could care less what happens to it.

Parents said not to bother even touching it because its going to a shop to get it done.

I am completely sick of this truck.

 

[BrooklynBay]

If one of the lip seals on the internal pistons is leaking, you will get a no drive condition. I once rebuilt one of these, and had a no drive condition. I opened it up to find a mistake on my part. I forgot to reinstall one of the smaller lip seals on a piston. It still went into reverse. Don't feel bad like you wasted your time on the valve body. Whatever was done to it only made it better. The internal problem is a separate issue. I know that it is very frustrating, but I think you should attempt to open it up, and rebuild it. You already did the valve body, so now you have less work.

 

[Brandons]

As my day goes by i am becoming more and more apt to rebuild it myself. Next time i plan on doing it in a proper shop, outside in the ice covered drive is no fun.

I know for sure my time on the valve body wasnt wasted, cause when it goes into reverse, it feels good. As well as i learned a ton just there. Im also wondering since i may of put the wrong length bolts in some spots that it could cause this?

Also as for the lip seal on an internal piston, would i be looking at like an o-ring seal, cause i didnt see a single one in the valve body. Only the reverse/low servo.... if there was suppose to be a seal, i see now why im having problems lol

On top of that i need to replace my idler pulley very soon, as well as the belt, so im only running it when i want to test the tranny. I dont intend to drive it anywere ATM, just enough to move.

And more now, when i do stick it in drive, the engine down like it wants to go, vacume line on or off, same thing. Im wondering if there is a major seal leak or something. Im also wondering if it is the reverse/low large seal, since that was not replaced, perhaps it is crap?

Im also wondering if since i ran this transmission with the vacume line off for about a month (didnt exactly drive it much though) if that could of caused the problem. I keep thinking thats why it happened in the first place but im not sure since B&M have the shift kit you can do that with.

And on a final note, Subscription money order sent!

 

[Brandons]

Guys, i went out today since it was extremely cold, started the truck, and i got drive! I was able to go about 4 feet before i hit the ramps and it would knock out of drive. It seems like a pressure problem since it will just drop out of gear, and as it warms up it will actually stop going into drive. Is it possible the one o-ring i did not replace was the culprit?

 

[Glacier991]

It is certainly possible. The fact that a more viscous fluid will get you pressure to engage strongly suggests a leak somewhere... and that is a good place to check.

 

[Brandons]

I keep losing hope though, its probably going to need to be dropped knowing my luck..

I hope it is just the larger o-ring, so $40 later ill probably have no progress after that.. oh well.