No gears, bad noises.

[Willard]

So I was driving along today like normal, mid throttle, and my explorer goes to shift into third gear and something popped.

I lost forward gear, so I coasted into a driveway. It went into reverse for a second or two, then nothing. This whole time it's making a nasty whirring noise. It makes the noise in any gear, park and neutral included.

I haven't really done any diagnostics yet, I was too mad to deal with it. The first thing I will do is pull off a cooler line to see if the pump is pumping. If it is, I'm guessing I lost the torque converter. The truck won't move in 4x4, so the transfer case isn't the issue. I also assume this since it makes noise in park and neutral.

I rebuilt the transmission myself about 20k or so ago, but the torque converter and pump were not touched, leading me to believe one has failed. The noise sounds like it might be the torque converter, although I have no idea. Everything was working beautifully before this. The truck has about 240k on the odometer.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Edit: Forgot to add, fluid level and condition was good, and there are no leaks.

 

[94explorer2x4]

It definetly could be a converter. Have you checked pump flow? I had a flexplate shear off around the bolt circle and it did almost the same thing went into reverse for a second then nothng only a horrible noise.

Good luck let us know the results and if it was a converter failure you may have a ton of metal in the trans it will definetly need a service flush and good cooler flush or replacement if it will not flush out.
Nate

 

[Willard]

Since you responded I'll update with what I found.

I checked pump flow and it was fine. So I commenced with pulling the transmission. I got it out yesterday. I stuck the input shaft into the torque converter to see what happened. There's definitely something wrong. If I turn the input shaft while engaged in the converter, there is a definite scraping sound going on inside of it. It doesn't sound right at all. Without pulling apart the trans, everything with it looks fine to me, just nasty dirty. Apparently the converter has been failing for awhile, judging by all the metallic particles in the fluid. It was worse then when I pulled the transmission apart for it's rebuild after not being touched for at least 100k. There was also a fair amount of sand sized particles in it, which I'm thinking came out of the torque converter.

I'm going to flush all the fluid out of the cooler lines, and get as much as I can out of the transmission before install. Once everything is cleaned up, I'll install a new converter and see what happens. Here's hoping that was the problem.

And I did check the flywheel, but it's fine. The torque converter definitely isn't though.

 

[94explorer2x4]

To be honest even a new converter will scrape if turned like that the best thing to do is put it on the trans like you are about to install in truck and gently suport the converter so as to act like it is bolted up then spin the converter if the noise is still heard then it is definetly bad, also it cannot be pushed all the way into the trans you must pull it out like three eights to half an inch
Nate

 

[Willard]

I did put it on the trans and spun it, there was a noise still there. A slightly different noise, but there was still a noise. From what I recall when I rebuilt the transmission the converter didn't make any noise at all with the input shaft inserted on the bench.

I know it pretty much has to be the converter or the pump, and seeing as how the pump was still pumping, that leads me to believe the converter must be the culprit. Since it made the noise in park and neutral I wouldn't think it could be anything internal to the transmission. I did put the input shaft in the transmission and turned it by hand, it felt normal and there was no noises to be heard. From what I can see with the pan off the internals looked fine.

I'm ordering a new converter tomorrow since I can't find one in town, I guess we shall see if this is the problem. I really hope it is, I can't afford really anything else at this point, and can't be without a vehicle for long.

Also, and I don't know if this is normal or not, if I move the converter around I can see and hear all the internals inside it moving around. That may be normal and may not be, but it doesn't seem quite right to me.

Another question, is there a way to turn the pump manually? I can't turn the pump shaft by hand, but it never did turn by hand so I consider that normal. Does is turn if I put the converter on and spin it?

 

[94explorer2x4]

yeah their is a turbine wheel inside that is free floating and tippng it from side to side it will move about 1/4 inch side to side good luck and hope it solves the problem

 

[Willard]

New TC, same problem. This marks the end for my Explorer. Not worth trying to fix anymore.

 

[94explorer2x4]

Im sure she had a god run sorry to hear it.