shifting problems and no reverse

[kcmoe]

I've dug through the old posts to find similar symptoms to my problem and found a few different ones, but none that discuss ALL my troubles so i'm hoping somone can give me some advise.

2000 Exp. V6, 2WD- from what i can tell it's a 5r5ee tranny right? never been flushed in the 3 years i've owned it. doubtful it was before. 125K miles on it.

symptoms: a few months ago the O/D light starts flashing after being on the highway for a few miles. Took it to a shop that was recommended by several people. they said there was a problem with the torque converter and it wasn't going into lockup on the highway, and maybe another issue that they didn't seem worried about. wanted $1400 to fix the converter, suggested a complete tranny rebuild and TC for $2800. i don't have tha tkind of money. been driving it anyway becuase i have no other vehicle and a commute to work. this weekend it started slipping badly and giving soft/late shifts. yesterday on the drive home after slowing for a toll plaza it wouldn't shift from 2to3. i pulled off an exit. shut engine off. restared, this alway sresets the O/D flash, shifts 2to3 again for awhile. shut it off again, restart same deal. i discover that if i take it out of gear when coming to a stop, then putting into drive when time to go it shifts 2to3 and the light doesn't flash. ooookkkaaaayyy? whatever. get home park it over night. figure i'll limp it along. this morning i have no reverse. all forward gears are there. but abosulutely nothing in R.

like i said i've dug through the posts here and seen talk about the ECP causing no reverse, late shift issues. also talk of a reverse indicator solenoid and rebuilding the valve body. i'm fairly comfortable getting dirty on cars, so the solenoids and torque converter i could probably handle doing. i'm a bit hesitant about the VB rebuild though.

mainly i'm wondering if given my symptoms what those of you with more experience/knowledge suggest? replace torque converter? ECP? rebuild the VB? all of the above? combos? HEEELLLPPP!!! thanks in advance too.

 

[bluestream1]

Do you have engine breaking in manual first? I mean... when you go down a hill, and drop tranny into L do you get engine breaking (does tach rev up) to slow the truck down, or does it just coast? Start from stop or slow speed and check this. On my truck I got some engine breaking when cold, but none when hot.

This may be a sign of a blown VB gasket.

 

[BillJ]

Possible reasons for no reverse:

1) Improper fluid level.
2) Transmission shift cable broken or misadjusted.
3) Improper band/clutch application pressure.
4) Fluid filter damaged or plugged.
5) Main control assembly gaskets damaged or bolt out of torque.
6) Main control separator plate damaged.
7) Pump assembly bolts out of specifications.
8) Reverse clutch burnt, worn, or leaking.
9) Direct/reverse servo piston seal cut/leaking.

I would suggest the VB rebuild for the delay shifts and no reverse symptoms. I have no experience with the torque convertor so I'll leave that for others to comment on. On the VB rebuild, if you take your time and pay attention to details it is not a hard job.

 

[Glacier991]

Add to that a stuck or sticky reverse modulation spoool in the VB...

 

[kcmoe]

Ok. Looks like form omst of the replies here, and I read through the VB Diary a couple of times, rebuiling the VB is the first thing I need to do. I think I can actually handle it after reading through there. I'll get the parts ordered and get to it. Just want to make sure I'm ordering everything I need.

the Ford TSB kit, Seperator plate, pan gasket(?), filter, fluid and i'm going to do the ECP too for good measure. Sound right? thanks.

 

[BillJ]

Would recommend a shift kit also. The Superior kit has double lip seal for the reverse servo. Also for a couple bucks more I would get a new reverse servo cover gasket too.

I found this following thread very useful for the VB rebuild:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154655

 

[BrooklynBay]

The viton D seal kit is a tighter kit than the double lip seal. Check your DTR sensor too.

 

[kcmoe]

Just an update to this. I finally got around to doing the VB rebuild this weekend. It made absolutely no difference. Still nothing in reverse. No OD lockup on the highway.

My new plan is to look into torque converter problems.

 

[NHale623]

I might have missed this, but did you pull the codes?

 

[kcmoe]

When it first started flashing the O/D light I took it to a tranny shop and they pulled codes. They said it was showing a problem with the TC and wanted $1400.00 to fix it. But of course "that's no gurantee it will fix everything so it'd be best to rebuild the tranny too." for $2800.00.

I started looking for info myself and came here.

 

[1karkrazyguy]

Hi kcmoe,

It is very hard to diagnose what is wrong with your transmission without you having the OBDII DTC codes.

You need to go step by step in making an informed diagnosis of the problem otherwise you will spend many hours chasing down a fix, based on anecdotal information you read online, here or anywhere else.

Get the hard facts 1st. Get the DTC codes for your trannie. Make the shop write them down. Initially, it could have been the EPC solenoid, (electronic pressure control) or the TCC solenoid or any number of things on your transmission or any of your electronic engine controls as it is an integrated electronic control system that controls your transmission's shifts or it could be a mechanical problem with the transmission.

Check this explorer forum thread out. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170162

You need the OBDII diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) to see exactly what is going on with your transmission and truck. Look to see if the 1st shop you took it to wrote down the OBDII DTC codes. (But after driving the truck for months with the OD light flashing, it could be something additional now and you need to have the DTC codes rescanned....)

If not, take it to a FORD dealer or an ATAC certified transmission shop that has access to a FORD NGS scan tool and have them pull the DTC codes.

Then post the DTC's here and I am sure this board will be able to steer you towards a concrete solution, so that at least you know what to do.

If you are in the Midwest, there is a company with great prices on completely re-manufactured units. They do ship trannies in hardcases to your local tranmission shop for installation. Very reasonable. Check them and their products out. http://roadmastertranz.com/aboutus.htm

Hope this helped.

 

[kcmoe]

I'll see if I can get the codes pulled again for exact numbers.

 

[kcmoe]

It's fixed! I made a dumb mistake. After rebuilding the VB I didn't reset the computer. It was still running in limp mode. Friday night after work I disconnected the battery cables. Let it set overnight and most of Sat while we ran errands. Hooked it back up. Had all forward gears as usual, tried R. It took a minute or two but it finally engaged. I "rocked" it back and forth at about 30 foot lengths for a few minutes to get everything pressurized. Sunday I went to take the old tranny fluid to the auto parts store to dump and if the O/D light started up again have them pull the ODB II codes. Sure enough the light started flashing. "great" I thought. more problems. Get there and the machien is broken so I head for the other location about 15 minutes away. Except this time the O/D light doesn't flash. Get there and have the guy pull codes. "No codes show. Is your engine light on?" Told him i'd been having tranny problems and the O/D light was flashing. "Oh. well this thing won't show those." hmmm. ok whatever. So i drive off and cruise around town for a bit and everything seems fine. No O/D flash. Get on the highway. Nudge it up to about 75mph. Goes into O/D. no flashing lights. Everything's good!!

Drove to work today, 45miles on the highway, shifts seem fine. O/D works. No problems. sweet!!

Thanks for all the help and info guys!!

 

[kcmoe]

or not. Everything was fine until tonight on the way home from work the O/D light started flashing again. Overdrive still engaged. Reverse is still good. Didn't notice any shifting troubles or anything. I'm not sure what to check next. I won't have a chance to get codes pulled until at least early next week if not the weekend after that. If anyone has anything simple I should check I'm all ears!