Rebuilding a 5R55E, upgrades?

[tweeeeka]

Driving my sister's 97 4.0 SOHC 5r55e equipped ex sport today and let it coast for a second and ZZZZZZZZZZZZ! The Tourque converter won't unlock. Since the truck's got 108k miles on it I figure I'll get the tranny rebuilt while its out.

What upgrades/ford revisions should I have put in while its out?
Part numbers would be a good help.

It does whistle in reverse, and I'm vaguely aware that there's a TSB out on that.

Need to make the truck ultra dependable since its my sister's and she'll be out on her own soon (graduating from college sunday).

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

Congrats to Sis!

The 5R is controlled by a bank of solenoids attached to the valve body. There's a TCC solenoid in the bank, that controls torque converter lockup; maybe the solenoid has stuck? I would check that before rebuilding the entire transmission, especially since that's relatively low mileage (108K). The transmission dosen't have to be removed to change the solenoids, just drop the pan.

I'm not familiar with the whistling reverse, only the "lazy" shifting reverse (which a redesigned O-Ring cures).

There's several transmission experts on this board; I'm sure someone will chime in.....

 

[Glacier991]

Certainly your call on a rebuild while the trannie is out. The old A4LD got re-engineered into the electronically controlled 4R44E and 4R55E, which were more or less A4LD's with upgrades and solenoid controlled valve bodies. The 5R was a slight departure from the 4R, though I cannot point to exactly where and what was changed inside - it is still a kissing cousin to the A4LD, but I understand it did need a new case design (so you can't put a 5R's innards into an A4LD case for example). As I was looking to upgrade the A4LD (see my series of threads entitled "My A4LD Diary") I found only a few backward compatible things in the 4R and 5R. I also more of less discovered, when trying to look at parts and upgrades, that the 5R is new enough there wasn't a lot available aftermarket for it - dealer only. I don't think that there are many, if any, "upgrades" available for it at this point in time.

I believe you are right, there is a TSB for the whistling, I think it's the valve body separator plate if memory serves. There is a good chance the TCC problem you have is something not too difficult to fix. What kind of use has this transmission had? Any towing? Any off-road? Or just a soccer-mom kinda car? I'd factor that into my rebuild decision if I were you.

 

[tweeeeka]

It's mostly only seen soccer-mom type use. Although the streets here in San Francisco are worse than the trails and ranch roads we use in my Bronco(thats our off road vehicle). And my sister has a LEAD FOOT which she acquired driving her first truck, a 83 K5 4x4 Blazer with a 6.2L diesel.

I was wondering about upgrades/revisions because I know that the 4R70W in my 96 Tbird has a lot of revisions that should be performed to the valve body, different springs and pistons.

How would I go about testing the solenoids? The truck is really bad. You can't let it coast at all without it grinding.(not driving it, but getting it home after the prob. first occured,) I slip it into nuetral when coasting. It's gotten so bad that even when dropping it back into drive after stopping it grinds until you can get your foot on the gas (don't wanna do a nuetral drop).

 

[Glacier991]

If it is making "grinding" noises as you describe them, I think you have something more serious than an electrical concern in a solenoid. Possibly a sprag. With that additional snippet of info, I'm thinking remove tear down and rebuild may well be the order of the day.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

I'm thinking remove tear down and rebuild may well be the order of the day.

I would agree with Glacier's comments.

There's a Superior Transmisson Parts shift kit available for the 5R55E. Part number is K4R/5R55E. This kit includes the updated reverse servo O-ring.

You can also get an updated valve body separator plate from the local Ford dealer. I believe it comes in a "kit" too, with gaskets and a different spring that's installed in the valve body.

 

[yob_yeknom]

reverse whistle

Any Ford dealership should have no problem printing out the TSB for the whistling noise while in reverse. The problem is solved with a new seperator plate. I'm about 90% sure the part# for the new plate itself is F77Z-7A008-EB, but check the TSB just to make sure because it's been a long time since I replaced mine. You need new gaskets too, so if there's now a kit with it all that would be your best bet.

The new plate did stop the whistle.

 

[tweeeeka]

Drove it back from the tranny shop today (my guy is scared of it cause he's never worked on a 5R55E, so he tried to blame the noise on the T-case) and it's most definately the torque converter. So I gotta find a shop in the bay area that's experienced with the 5R55E. Unless someone offers them exchange, with reasonable shipping.

 

[tweeeeka]

Actually turned out to be the T-case. Strange.

Everyone that heard the sound immeadiately said torque converter, but it turned out the t-case wasn't unlocking. Oh well, all fixed now.