Replaced valve body gaskets, now won't shift out of park

[Charles Casteel]

I'm trying to help out my son in law with his 2000 Explorer. It has 200k on the clock and the 5r55e and was flaring badly. I was hoping a quick fluid and filter exchange might buy him a little time. After reading decided to go ahead and try my hand at a valve body gasket replacement. All seemed to go well until I tried to start it and rotate through the gears. I understand it should have taken about 8 qts so I put in 7 to start. Started the car and it won't shift out of park. I got out a saw a significant spill underneath. Cleaned it up and it was late so I let it be for the night.

Please forgive what may be simple questions. This is the first automatic I've worked on. Thanks in advance.

Is it possible I just didn't let it run long enough to pump ATF in all the nooks and cranny's?
Is the tube in the picture below an overflow for the transmission?

 

[JK080]

The shifter wont move?

If so it sounds like the internal linkage may be in a bind, possibly with the manual valve. I would pull the pan and inspect the linkage.

Yes that's the vent tube, not really called a overflow but will leak fluid from here if overfilled.

It probably leaked out because that was a lot of fluid without the engine running, should have added about 3 quarts then started the engine and filled to the correct level.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

Remove the trans. oil pan and inspect the manual linkage in the valve body. Before re-installing the pan, make sure all the linkages work by moving the shifter through all ranges to check for proper movement, (have someone move shifter, while you watch inside trans. from underneath). If you have to remove the valve body again, you will need new gaskets all over again, dont try to re-use the them. As far as the oil spill is concerned, it sound like you have too much fluid to start. Start with 4 quarts after pan install, then start engine and move shifter throught the gears and let engine warm up, re-check fluid and add as necessary. Also, take note on how much fluid was removed, this gives a good baseline on how much will be needed in all, provided it was up to proper level before hand.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Apply the parking brake as a safety precaution just in case it goes out of park. Block the rear wheels too.

 

[Charles Casteel]

Thanks for the input. I'll crack it open again. ordered an extractor vacuum to keep it a little cleaner this time around and hopefully save some of that clean new fluid. Mercon V is pricey. And last time I think I was wearing or spilling as much as I got in the pan. I re-watched the 1A-Auto video. Pretty sure I missed the step making sure the linkage was hooked up right.