Tranny Warnings and Price Question

[mikeinri]

What's the going rate for a new auto tranny to be installed in a 2004 Explorer?

Warning: If your tranny develops symptoms like it's low on fluid (doesn't want to go into gear when cold, doesn't want to engage in first after coming to a stop), park the truck and get it towed.

I have 200,000 miles on my 2004, and the tranny had been flawless until last weekend. It started to develop the symptoms above, but of course you can't check the level or fill it like any other vehicle (no dipstick/ fill tube). The rear hatch was also covered in oil. I drove it to my mechanic, he said he didn't have time to put it on a lift on Monday, made an appointment for Wednesday.

I had to go to work and had nothing else to drive, about 40 miles round trip. As I was getting close to home, it started coming out of gear, and I got the blinking OD light. Parked it until Tuesday night, drove it to the mechanic. Ran worse than ever.

Mechanic calls and says I might be lucky, the aux cooler was leaking, and they didn't get the expected amount of fluid out of the tranny. Replaced that and refilled the fluid, then noticed that the tranny was leaking at the bell housing.

Pulled the tranny, says the torque converter is cracked and it's time for a new tranny... $3500 for a Jasper transmission.

I just had Jasper engine installed over the winter, and the rest of the truck is solid, so I need to get it back on the road.

Has anyone figured out how to add a dipstick to these trannies? Does anyone know why they made these without them in the first place?

Mike

 

[Tyleryac]

I remember discussion regarding adding a dipstick however I don't remember who did it or how.

 

[EXPLORER04]

I paid $1400 for a re manufactured transmission w/ all the upgrades and 3yr warranty

 

[imp]

I remember discussion regarding adding a dipstick however I don't remember who did it or how.

I did it, but long ago. If my pics are still in my photo place, I'll post them here. Take me awhile, but it will be today, for sure. imp

 

[imp]

I punched an appropriate-sized hole in the side of the pan, brazed a steel compression-type tubing fitting, 3/4" OD tube, bent a length of steel tubing to clear everything, used a Motorsports replacement engine oil dipstick cut to required length. The marks I put on the dipstick for "full" were made to coincide with the height of the "standpipe" built into the pan.

Mine is a 2004 Explorer, 4.0L. To do this for a 4.6L V-8 would likely require some changes to tube length and bend for clearance purposes. as an afterthought, my nephew, a welder, remarked brazing is vulnerable to cracking from vibration, so I made a bracket to clamp the tube up at it's top, bolted to the engine. It's shown in the third pic. Toughest part of job was bending tube to clear everything! imp

View under hood, before bracket install.

View beneath car, pan and tube installed.

 

[Onuma]

Nice work on the dipstick.

Nephew is right. Brazing is usually bronze (sure looks like yours is), so it is not fused metal and is therefore not as structurally strong as welding. Eliminating that vibration will save you a lot of headache.

Any reason you didn't decide to weld it, or was that just what you had available at the time?

 

[imp]

Nice work on the dipstick.

Nephew is right. Brazing is usually bronze (sure looks like yours is), so it is not fused metal and is therefore not as structurally strong as welding. Eliminating that vibration will save you a lot of headache.

Any reason you didn't decide to weld it, or was that just what you had available at the time?

Yes. After due consideration, thinking about the brazed-in connections on Freon compressors all over the world, and the assurance of a completely leak-free, pin-hole free structure, I went with brazing it. The fitting is big and heavy, thick-walled, and welding such a hunk to the pan's thin metal was not in my best realm of experience. My MIG welder is a bit small for that thick a chunk. Been working OK now for 3 years, about 60K miles, no leaks, no problems. Happy with the results. mo.

 

[Onuma]

Nice. That's a worthwhile repair/mod in my book!

Not that your idea fits the bill here, but my Army buddy had a saying which I was just reminded of: "If it's stupid, but it works...then it's not stupid."

 

[Duranged84]

Onuma, I may have to steal that phrase, and I think I've just found my next mod when I change tranny fluid on both trucks again.

Imp, Have you noticed the dipstick handle getting too hot that close to the EGR tube?

 

[imp]

Onuma, I may have to steal that phrase, and I think I've just found my next mod when I change tranny fluid on both trucks again.

Imp, Have you noticed the dipstick handle getting too hot that close to the EGR tube?

Interesting question! No, I have not. But if it were an issue, the EGR tube could easily be insulated a bit. imp

 

[Duranged84]

Awesome deal. I definately plan to add a dipstick to both of mine soon. Wanted to on my last Explorer but that project went south too fast.

 

[tejayandtina]

Paid $2700 almost 3 years ago for a Ford reman installed by my mechanic out the door.

 

[gtbutler]

Ok, I'll go ahead and say it. I'm really not sure why there are so many "haters" of the existing 5r55 tranny setup, and why people want to add a dipstick?

I think the design is actually kind of ingenious. Overfilling fluid levels is as dangerous (sometimes more dangerous) as under filling. The existing "plug within a plug" creates a scenario where when following instructions it is impossible to overfill. Yes you do pump more fluid into the pan, but then remove pumping device and check to see if fluid drips, if no, add more and check again. Once it drips, let it drip until no more. Voila, a perfectly filled transmission.

Yes, with a dipstick you can see the general condition of the fluid (cherry red, brown, smells burnt, etc.). But dropping the pan reveals much more (potential contaminants etc), which would be done with, or without, a dipstick.

I'm just sayin'...

 

[stonerhino]

Odd... Mine likes to declutch the torque converter when going around sharp turns when I take my foot off the gas. Like when I'm entering a corner too fast and loose too much speed.

It also engages 4x4 when reversing under 5mph. I've got to get that fixed as the drive line binds up when parking.