slipping tranny 1997 ford explorer

[JJScorpio]

It drops down and breaks when I put it into low 2. I also think that it is shifting quicker after tightening the band a bit.

 

[Glacier991]

No the OD band is not applied in the 2nd gear shift, if I wrote that I misspoke and it must have been late, like now. I'd say the next thing is to replace the EPC. At 125,000 it will benefit from this anyway.... even if your problem is not FIXED by that, it is a good move.

And certainly the servo could be the culprit. When you first install them the rubber on them (it is a molded assembly) is soft and supple, after a few years it gets pretty hard. On the A4LD they are damned near impossible to change IN the car... I have never done a 5R but get the sense that some years were not so bad. BUT, before we go there, lets look at the VB and EPC.

And I'd be hesitant to tighten the band much more. Let's look into the apply pressure - which starts with the EPC and Valve body. I mean it is also possible you have a leaky pressure regulator spool in the VB.

(ah for a pressure gauge reading)

 

[JJScorpio]

Am I better off trying the EPC or the VB gasket next?

 

[robrike40]

I would go ahead and do both. Since you are already in there if you do either, hit them both at the same time. The VB is not going to cost much at all for the gasket and upgrade, maybe $30. The EPC can be purchased for $112 online or you can learn the hard way like I did today and let the tranny shop change it and charge you $204 for the EPC Solenoid. OUchhhhh!!!! I was having mine rebuilt though, hope you don't have to head down that road. If your Buddy can do it for the price you mentioned earlier though that would be sweet. EPC should not take long to change with the pan off. See VB guide. If you rebuild the VB and change the gasket, etc. plan to do it on a weekend for simplicities sake. I did not want to feel pressure doing mine so I planned it out ahead of time. Sadly, my internals had problems but they finished the rebuild today and I have the satisfaction of knowing the VB is in good shape since I tried that fix before turning it over to the trans shop.
Best of luck. I would really do them both though if I were you. The VB guide is like a bible for you, pretty much anything you could need or want to know is there.
Later,
Rob
98 XLT

 

[JJScorpio]

I went back out to adjust the bands again because I wanted to be sure I had them at the right specs. I thought for the heck of it why not try them at 1 1/2 instead of 2 turns out. To make a long story short, it feels like the brakes are on. It was worse in reverse. I only drove about ten feet before I noticed it. Im going to take them back out to 2 turns. Is it possible I could have hurt anything?

 

[toy720]

yes you had them way to tight at least you only went ten feet back them out and
change the epc do you have a volt meter you could check the resistance on the epc?
just for a quickcheck i think its shows the resistance for the solenoids in the 5r55e diary the resistance should be 3.1 to 5.7 ohms at least that is what i show them to be

 

[Glacier991]

No it is unlikely you hurt anything. Lesson learned.

 

[JJScorpio]

Yes it is a lesson learned. I backed them off and it is fine now. Its amazing how sensitive the adjustments are. I would not have guessed a half turn would bind it up like that. I thought the emergency brake was on. What I dont understand is if reverse is on a seperate band. Why was reverse binding also with the adjustments to tight?

 

[Glacier991]

I am guessing you had virtually bound up the OD and intermediate band, and they acted to lock up the tranny when both were applied together at the same time.

 

[toy720]

i would have to agree glacier when i was having my problems i did the same thing
tighten them up a little extra and guess what almost no movement jj did you ever get a chance to check resistance on the epc solenoid?

 

[JJScorpio]

The intermediate band was the one that was in to far. It was 3/4 of a turn to far....Not very smart huh? I wont get a chance to do the epc for a couple days because of work. Hopefully I get this figured out before it craps. I have a 94 Lincoln and I was going to put it on the road today and right out of the blue the water pump starts leaking, lol. I have had this car for 5 yrs and never a problem. I wanted to be able to work on the tranny without having to always put it back together by the end of the day....Add the fact that the weather here is bitter cold and I got the perfect recipe for more fun then I can stand, lol....