Towing explorer when it's stuck in 4 low!

[R&J Whitetails]

Hi everyone today I did something stupid, I bought a 98 explorer sport that was stuck in 4low and I towed it on my car dolly 40 miles at 70mph. I got home and seen fluid dripping underneath it. I stRted it and put it in reverse and it didn't move. It will not move in fwd or rev. I put some trans fluid in and nothing happened. Did I smoke the tranny or what? For stupid idk why I didn't bother to pull the rear shaft.

 

[ccm2001]

What kind of fluid ? Could be your transfer case or your front diff is leaking

 

[R&J Whitetails]

What kind of fluid ? Could be your transfer case or your front diff is leaking

It sure looked like trans fluid at a glance. I just was under it and looks like there is a solid steel line on the drivers side that just hangs there kinda like an overflow line maybe?? Seems like the fluid was coming out of it and spraying the Rear of things as I was going down the hwy. The vehicle worked when I put it on the trailer so I know the trans was working

 

[R&J Whitetails]

I just took another look and it's trans fluid. Looks like it comes from up on top of the bell housing to me. I took a pic of that line that hangs there but can't figure out how to post it on here. Its deffinetly not my front diff

 

[R&J Whitetails]

Anyone else have any input?

 

[MidnightRebel07]

That line your describing that sticks up is the vent tube for the trans or transfercase, not exactly sure which line you're talking about without seeing pictures. My guess is you fried the clutches in the trans and possibly destroyed the transfercase. Don't have much to go by, there's a lot of things that could be wrong and could've happened. Did you have it in neutral when you loaded it and towed it and was it still in neutral when you arrived. 4lo isn't meant to go above say 30-40mph max, even if it was in neutral.

Try to post some pictures, as many as possible.

 

[R&J Whitetails]

That line your describing that sticks up is the vent tube for the trans or transfercase, not exactly sure which line you're talking about without seeing pictures. My guess is you fried the clutches in the trans and possibly destroyed the transfercase. Don't have much to go by, there's a lot of things that could be wrong and could've happened. Did you have it in neutral when you loaded it and towed it and was it still in neutral when you arrived. 4lo isn't meant to go above say 30-40mph max, even if it was in neutral.

Try to post some pictures, as many as possible.

I used a tow dolly so the front wheels were off the ground and like I said it is stuck in 4low and the transmission was in neutral when I pulled it home. As far as that tube that sounds like a vent tube now that u mention it. I would post a pic of it but don't know how to post them on this forum.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

To post pictures you can use a site like photobucket to upload them. Sorry I'm on my phone or I'd have the link for you. I think Lono100 made a "How-to post pictures" thread. If you go into the new to site section they have threads there on different ways to upload and post pictures.

 

[R&J Whitetails]

To post pictures you can use a site like photobucket to upload them. Sorry I'm on my phone or I'd have the link for you. I think Lono100 made a "How-to post pictures" thread. If you go into the new to site section they have threads there on different ways to upload and post pictures.

Yea I see I can use photobucket but wonder if it will work from my iphone. Anyway it's a steel line and it would make cents If it's a vent. I almost don't think the trans would be smoked if it it was in neutral do you? I could pull the 4wheel actuator and see if it some how shifted into neutral I suppose or what would u say? I would think the trans would atleast do something when you put it in a gear but there is absolutely nothing happeneing in any gear. It's like its in neutral.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Will it go into park and stay still? It's only a thin wire and another cable that connect from the shifter to the trans. Check the cable to the trans. Also disconnect that from the trans and change gears by hand with the linkage on the side of the trans, disconnect the shift motor from the transfercase and test it with a power source and voltmeter. Fluid isn't just going to come out of that vent tube like that going down the highway. Did you feel any drag or hesitation while towing it home, it could shifted into any of the gears. Are you positive on where the fluid is coming from, transfercase, this is more likely if it was stuck in 4lo, especially at 70mph. Even though you had the trans in nuetral the t-case was locked front and rear in lo range.

 

[Flash]

This isn't 5R55E specific: The fluid pump is usually at the front of the trans driven by the input shaft.
If you tow in neutral, most of the guts of the trans is being turned by the tailshaft without the benefit of a fluid pump.

The only trans that I know of that has a rear mounted pump is the one fitted to mid 60s Ford V8s, the Fordomatic.

Never tow an auto with the tailshaft attached.

As for what's broken, you may be very lucky and get away with a fluid top up but I doubt it.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

That's what I was thinking Flash. I'm kinda worried his t-case might be screwed as well.

 

[R&J Whitetails]

Will it go into park and stay still? It's only a thin wire and another cable that connect from the shifter to the trans. Check the cable to the trans. Also disconnect that from the trans and change gears by hand with the linkage on the side of the trans, disconnect the shift motor from the transfercase and test it with a power source and voltmeter. Fluid isn't just going to come out of that vent tube like that going down the highway. Did you feel any drag or hesitation while towing it home, it could shifted into any of the gears. Are you positive on where the fluid is coming from, transfercase, this is more likely if it was stuck in 4lo, especially at 70mph. Even though you had the trans in nuetral the t-case was locked front and rear in lo range.

It goes or shift into every gear or atleast the shifter lever moves.
I didn't feel any drag pulling it with my duramax that I could tell. I will push it in the garage today to see if I can see a problem

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Ok, hood luck man. Hopefully it's not too bad and it's an easy fix. Keep us updated.

 

[R&J Whitetails]

Ok so here's where I'm at I took the shift linkage off the trans and shifted it by hand just fine. When I hooked it back up I gave it a try again and the expo still didn't move. I could hear it hitting the park pin when I put it in park however. I took off the actuator on the trans and it was in 4low so I turned it as far as I could but it would only go to neutral. I started it up again and went under and tryed to turn it some more and it went right in to high. GREAT! Then I jumped in and put it in gear and gave it some gas an it wanted to move but not very well at all. The actuator must be shot cuz it doesn't move when I turn the knob in the cab. What's the plan for this thing now guys?

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Since you unhooked the shifter cable you'll need to adjust it. There's a How-To on here about that. When I get home I'll link it for you if you don't find it in the search. You said you got the transfercase back to 2wd, correct? To test the trans jack up the truck, put on blocks/ jack stands (both front and rear if it's not in 2wd), shift the trans into gears to see if the tires turn in proper directions. You you want to you can remove the front driveshaft and see if it'll move with just the rear driveshaft to narrow down things. You can bench test the electric shift motor to figure out what's going on with that.

 

[R&J Whitetails]

Since you unhooked the shifter cable you'll need to adjust it. There's a How-To on here about that. When I get home I'll link it for you if you don't find it in the search. You said you got the transfercase back to 2wd, correct? To test the trans jack up the truck, put on blocks/ jack stands (both front and rear if it's not in 2wd), shift the trans into gears to see if the tires turn in proper directions. You you want to you can remove the front driveshaft and see if it'll move with just the rear driveshaft to narrow down things. You can bench test the electric shift motor to figure out what's going on with that.

I just popped it off of the linkage there shouldn't need to be an adjustment since I didn't adjust anything. I was thinking I could do a pressure test on the trans to see where that is at. Yes I got the transfer case back to auto. Good idea on testing the trans I will go unhook the front drive shaft and see what I get

 

[MidnightRebel07]

You'll still need to adjust the cable because it's under a lot of pressure and tension. The main reason is the indicator wire is do thin so yhat you get the indicator lined up with the cable and trans. I had to do this last year after the cable stretched out and wouldn't go into park or the rest of the gears completely lined up with the indicator.

 

[R&J Whitetails]

You'll still need to adjust the cable because it's under a lot of pressure and tension. The main reason is the indicator wire is do thin so yhat you get the indicator lined up with the cable and trans. I had to do this last year after the cable stretched out and wouldn't go into park or the rest of the gears completely lined up with the indicator.

I pulled the front shaft and I have no reverse and I can put it in drive and it takes about 5 seconds for the rear tires to start turning. The front shaft still turns when it's hanging there also and it's in auto not 4 high

 

[MidnightRebel07]

What do you mean "auto"? It's either 2wd, 4hi or 4lo and if the front shaft is still spinning its in either 4hi or 4lo. Ok so there's the long age on the transfercase, move it manually to 2wd and see if it works. The 5 second delay on the rear tires is normal, atleast you have fluid pressure to turn the tires, this is some good news. Try moving the linkage on the trans through each gear with the cable disconnected.