Transmission flare issues... anyone's guess

[Mitchs07explorer]

I've posted in here several times with this same issue but I figure it was worth one more shot.
At 80k miles I started experiencing hard clunking shifts, shuddering during shifts and an occasional flare from second to third gear. I took it to the Ford dealer and had them flush the tranny. Was good for about two weeks but then all symptoms came back. I took it to Aamco after that and within 20 minutes of looking at it they said I needed a rebuild. I had them put the fluid back in and then I drove it to another tranny shop to have them check it out and quote me. While driving it to the other shop it started driving perfect again, I dropped it off, they kept it for a few days and couldnt get it to do any of the things I said it was doing. I picked it up and drove it for a couple more weeks.

Again it drove fine for a while and then all symptoms came back. I was on the freeway when the check engine light came on, I assumed it was in regards to the transmission and I happened to be near a tranny shop I knew of so I pulled in. The tech scanned my car and it turned out it was just a small evap leak (my gas cap was loose). I explained the problems I'd been having and they took it into take look at it. They kept it for a couple of days and couldn't get it to replicate any of the symptoms I stated. I think they must have drained the pan to take a look before taking it on a test drive which seems to temporarily fix the issue. So I told them to rebuild it anyway because I knew there was a problem and I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

They completely disassembled the tranny and found nothing physically wrong with it. They did the rebuild and when I got it back and it drove awesome. The clunking was all gone, shifted smooth through all gears so I was a happy camper. Then around 18k mi after the rebuild I started to experience the flare between 2nd and 3rd gear again. It wasn't consistent though, it would come and go. I took it back in and they replaced the solenoids but again found no real evidence of what was causing the issue. I got about 5k miles after the new solenoids install and the flare between the same gears started to happen again. I happened to put 300 miles on it over the course of 2 days in the mountains before the flare came back. What was odd was that I drove it the 300 miles with zero issues. The day after my long drive the issue started again and this times it was every single time the vehicle shifted from 2nd to 3rd, I was only headed a short distance to work. It was a Sunday so the tranny shop wasn't open, I drove it to work that following Monday and it flared one more time and then didn't do it again after that. I called the shop and they told me to drop it off at the shop on Tuesday and of course it wasn't acting up at all at that point. They had it for 4 days and once again they couldn't replicate the issue.

So now I have the vehicle back for a couple of weeks and it's been driving fine. Yesterday I took it into the mountains again, mostly off-road and a bit of climbing. Drove great and then today it flared again on my way to work. It's like it has a problem being out in the mountains and then it heals itself after driving around town for a day or two.

I'm just wondering if there is just something flat out wrong with my transmission and regardless of rebuilding it it's just never going to be right. On the other hand I am suspicious that it could be a computer shifting issue but as I'm not an expert I can only speculate. I'd just hate putting a reman tranny in it only to have the same issue because of the computer.

Does anyone have an incling of what might be going on with my tranny? I'm at my wits end with it! I love my explorer but I also needs to trust that its not going to leave me stranded, which it hasn't yet but transmission quarks do t leave me very confident. If anyone has any suggestions or advice I'm all ears. I'm only at 26k mi after rebuild and now out of warranty.

 

[boominXplorer]

Did they install a rebuilt valve body when they did the trans or did they just "inspect" it?

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

Did they install a rebuilt valve body when they did the trans or did they just "inspect" it?

I'll have to look at the bill of sale to see what it says. I assumed all parts were new minus the remanufactured torque converter. Will the valve body create the issue I'm having?

 

[GeorgeH]

How much did the "rebuild" cost? Was it a dealer or local transmission shop?

 

[Explorer_PL]

The valve body or the servo sleeves. If they did not replace those or insert new sleeves, then it's having hard time to build up the pressure. Ask for the details what was done.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

How much did the "rebuild" cost? Was it a dealer or local transmission shop?

I ended up paying about $2700 and the shop is a local privately owned tranny shop.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

The valve body or the servo sleeves. If they did not replace those or insert new sleeves, then it's having hard time to build up the pressure. Ask for the details what was done.

I was wondering about the servo sleeves my self. I even bought the AJ1E solutions servos to give that a try since I am now out of warranty. What I find confusing is that this issue doesn't happen all the time. It'll just randomly flare every once in a while or after I take it up into the mountains and do a lot of up hill driving. I might as well try the upgraded servos and see if that makes a difference I'm just afraid of making it worse. The thing that makes me think it's not the servo bores is that I think it would be giving me the shift flare all the time or at least when the tranny is warmed up. It'll drive perfect the whole time when I take it up in the mountains or on longer drives but then it sits overnight and I drive it the next day and then it starts to flare again consistently for a day or two then the flares disappear. This is driving me nuts.

 

[Explorer_PL]

Maybe when you go uphill, the tranny temp goes up, fluid gets thinner so it seeps thru the bores. Colder fluid is denser thus sealing the sleeve better.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

Maybe when you go uphill, the tranny temp goes up, fluid gets thinner so it seeps thru the bores. Colder fluid is denser thus sealing the sleeve better.

That would make sense if that was happening as I was driving up in the hills but the problem usually occurs the next day after the vehicle has been sitting overnight. It happens whether the transmission is hot or cold.

 

[phil-from-tn]

Seeing as your not burning fluid and the mechanical condition seems to be good, its a control issue. It could be a flaky solenoid, a worn valve body, a warped valve body, or a flaky ecm. My bet is a flaky solenoid or warn servo sleeves. they aren't very expensive and can be purchased from http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com . Look for the Sonax parts as they build specific parts to correct transmission problems. I've used their valve body kits and solutions for driveability solutions on many of my personal overhauls. As you didn't state what transmission we're talking about, its hard to be specific.

 

[michael loibl]

Assuming we are talking about the V6 with 5R55 "light duty" transmission, the flare up on the 2-3 shift is one of the more common problems, as well as delayed engagement when Drive or Reverse is selected, and sometimes complete loss of reverse.

The 2-3 shift is a kind of "complicated" operation relative to every other up shift on this trans. It is fairly technical if you are not fairly familiar with the workings of automatics, but the short version of it is that 2 distinct operations need to occur at the same exact time in order for that shift to occur smoothly.

When this transmission first came out, we used to refer to it at my shop as the "fake five speed" in reference to the way it arrives at the "Second gear" ratio.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

It is the 5r55 trans, I'm surprised the shop I took it to initially didn't know that what I was experiencing was a common issue, they seemed pretty oblivious to what I was describing to them. Before I had the transmission rebuild I was also experiencing hard and shaky shifting, I assumed that was the servo bores and after the rebuild that problem went away. For now the shift flare from second to third has temporarily solved itself, for some reason the last 2 months it hasn't done it at all, I don't know if it tempature related or not but the only thing that's changed is that it's gotten colder out.

Can you tell me if my problem will result in damage to the transmission over time or is just a quark I'm going to have to live with.

Assuming we are talking about the V6 with 5R55 "light duty" transmission, the flare up on the 2-3 shift is one of the more common problems, as well as delayed engagement when Drive or Reverse is selected, and sometimes complete loss of reverse.

The 2-3 shift is a kind of "complicated" operation relative to every other up shift on this trans. It is fairly technical if you are not fairly familiar with the workings of automatics, but the short version of it is that 2 distinct operations need to occur at the same exact time in order for that shift to occur smoothly.

When this transmission first came out, we used to refer to it at my shop as the "fake five speed" in reference to the way it arrives at the "Second gear" ratio.

 

[tripplec]

I could be way off or right on this.
Given that its working now implies it not a failed part or should not be. I have been to transmission shops over the years and recently for one of my other vehicles which is a CVT tranny. I asked what they use for another vehicle and the will use say Dextron or Mrecon with LUBEGUARD additive!!! Saying we can stock every type of fluid out there and this is fine. Oh yeah, not for me it isn't. LOL (under my breath).
Getting a drain and fill or even a flush with the Mercon SP would be money well spent and go from there. They rebuilder may not have used the official fluid!!! Just saying and not a lot to loose.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

I had problems with the 2/3 shift flare in an 99 EB back in 2006. It was a very common problem at that time. Ford had issued a tsb to install a revised separator plate. I did that as well as a new epc and a superior shift kit. It completely eliminated the flare and provided much improved gear change. Not harsh but quicker and smoother. It lasted until scrapped 2 years ago.

And I always kept clean and fresh Mercon V in it.

All 5R's that I'm aware of take Mercon V. Mercon SP should not be mentioned in this thread as it is only for a 6 speed trans like the 6R60.