Tranny quit with no warning.I need help.

[dwelz]

95` eddie bauer
4r55e Auto tranny

I am in a truly ###*ked situation.I am looking for advice as well as knowledge from anyone that can help.To start off,my wife was driving the rig the other day and without any warning the tranny went out(i assume).she said she let off the throttle going downhill,then when she went to gas it there was nothing whatsoever.What its doing is when i put it in gear,any gear,it seems like its slipping bad.I mean at 3500 RPMS it barely crawls at all.It goes into gear fine.There were no warnings leading up to this either.No slipping,hard shifting...etc.Any help would be rewarded by tattooing your forum name on my wifes left boob.Thank you.

6 months ago i moved to east TX.I live in a podunk town with no form of transportation.I just found out the day before the tranny problem that im gonna be a daddy.So now im thinking fu*k it.I need to move back home to portland,OR at least if this happens there we still have the bus.My point is,my wife says junk it and rent a uhaul.A uhaul will cost around 1400$ total.But i say if i can fix it for less or even the same amount why not do that.Then we would still have a rig.Any thoughts?

 

[dwelz]

Almost forgot.I pulled the pan and removed the filter.While holding the filter upright the fluid was full to the top but not draining through the bottom port.Is that normal? I did change the filter and it didnt change anything.when i pull the tranny what should i be looking for?

 

[marragtop]

HOw many miles are on it, how dirty was the fluid, and was there any metal in the pan when you pulled it?

 

[dwelz]

170k on it.
Fluid was good.didnt smell burnt at all.barely any flakes besides the normal.The magnet wasnt too bad.

 

[dwelz]

PLEASE!!!! Anyone???

Im in a real F`d up spot right now.

 

[N1265]

Ok,


First off if you have The V-6 ohv engine it is not un-common to get well over 200k on these mortors, so if the whole unit is in good condition and is at 170k it would not be a bad idea to keep it.

for the $1,400 you are thinking on spending on a u-haul you can have a good shop do a total rebuild of the tranny with a warrenty.


I am not sure what kind of help you have there VS back in Portland but the money for the u-haul you will never get back....

 

[N1265]

Has the trans been serviced at the regular intervals ?

Has the unit done a lot of towing / hauling ?

 

[dwelz]

Thanks guys for responding.I appreciate it alot.Just found out from the guy i bought it from that the tranny was used.And i did tow a trailer full of stuff down here from portland(around 2300 miles).And i agree,i should put what i can into fixing the problem.Ive already got 750$ in front end work alone on it.The motor is real strong and everything else is great.What do you fellas think about swapping the tranny for another used one with about 120k on it.I can get one at the local junkyard for 350$ w/ 30 day warranty.

So do you all think its the tranny itself? or maybe torque converter?

 

[robertoa1a]

There is a tranny section in this sight. Your odds of getting answers from folks with tranny rebuild experience are better there. I wonder if the pump went out?

 

[N1265]

Did it throw a trans. code ? ( OD lite flashing ) if the OD lite was flashing it means it loaded a code in the computer. Before rushing off to the junk yard and getting another I would have some one read the code. There is a lot of electronics in this trans and it will give you some insight of the problem...

Getting one at a junkyard is an option, but I would not pay more than $400. for it, after all those 120k miles may be harder than the 170k you have on yours.

 

[robertoa1a]

my understanding is when you remove and replace the trans your self things get a lot cheaper at the rebuild shop. I would rather have rebuilt one than a junk yard one because the rebuilt shop may overcome weaknesses in the unit.

 

[N1265]

It could be the pump, or torqe converter, or something simple. But if the guy you got the explorer from already put a used trans in it before you got it does he know how many miles are actually on the trans ?

These trans are also noted for blowing the valve body gasket and having a bad pressure regulator. ( can't think of the proper name right now ) they could also be part of the problem.

I read a post in the trans. section of this forum a while back where someone stated that the life expectancy out of these transmissions was 160K, But I got 235 K out of mine...

 

[dwelz]

You know i talked to a guy the other day who used to work at a transmission shop and the first thing that came to his mind was the pump.Makes sense kind of because like i said i hadnt had any problems with it prior to that day.It just stopped pulling pretty much.I mean itll pull at high rpms barely.And i didnt think about maybe dropping the rebuild price if i pull it and install myself.Im going to have to call some places again and see the difference.Because these places down here wanted between 1600 - 2400$ to rebuild......

Once again thank you guys.I seriously appreciate the advice.

 

[robertoa1a]

Some kind of a fluid control issue. The torque converter is not engaging. It all sounds so familiar.

 

[dwelz]

thats what it feels like to me.

 

[dwelz]

Can i get a forum mod to move this to the transmissions section please?

 

[robertoa1a]

Not moved yet. bump. anxious to find out the answer. administrator please remove this post too. With respect.

 

[foodman392003]

Tranny quit

Is this a 4x4? If so it can be the transfercase. My Trans quit on the highway out of the blue one day. Just slipped into nutural at speed. After pulling over and hitting the gas again it would take off again? drive good till I let off the gas. Did this till I got off the Xway. The trans fluid looked great? Checked the transfercase fluid and it was burnt. It didnt get changed at the dealer with everything else? Changed the fluid and the truck drove fine for 20,000 more miles so far. Lost low lock though. So the damage was done to the transfercase.

 

[dwelz]

It is a 4wd.But when she was driving she let off the throttle when she was comin down a hill then gassed it at the bottom and got nothing so she pulled over asap and didnt drive it.after i got it towed home pulled the pan abnd everything was fine.Now when i pulled the filter it was full to the top but nothing running out the bottom.so i changed filter and tried it but it barely moved at like 4000 rpms.I will be pulling the tranny first thing in the morning.What should i look for? If it is a bad converter then how will i know? Or anything else for that matter?

once again thanks guys.

 

[foodman392003]

doesnt sound like you have checked the fluid in the T case yet? YOu read my story. Sounds alot alike.