TRANSMISSION QUESTION

[thebomb09]

I just bought my 98 Explorer before Christmas and it has about 75000 miles on it. The other day a friend and I replaced the spark plugs, spark plug wires, transmission fluid, gasket, and filter. The problem is this. Aside from the fact that it is a pain in the arse to get the trasmission pan down, it looked and smelled like the transmission fluid had NEVER been replaced in it. The transmission fluid was the same color brown that engine oil is. YIKES. While we were cleaning out the pan, there wasn't really all that much metal shavings around the magnet or anywhere else in the pan, but we did find these two little round metal pieces in the pan. This scared the hell out of me.

Does anyone have any idea what these two little metal round things are? The explorer still drives fine, actually better then before, but it still concerns me. Any help would be great.

P.S. Where is the PCV Valve at on a 4.0L SOHC engine. I have looked everywhere.

 

[ga_sport4X4]

LOL

I'm not laughing at the two metal things u found in the pan. The fact of the matter is that I couldnt find the pcv valve either, and yes, the transmission pan is a royal pain in the a!$. I have no clue what the metal things you have found in pan are, but i do know the location of the pcv valve. If you are under the hood, the pcv valve is located on the back, left side of the intake manifold.

 

[slow-demon]

Those round metal things probably is from the original ford pan gasket. The metal things are in the gasket to stop you from overtightening the pan gasket. If you used a FORD replacement gasket you will see the metal round things embedded in the gasket.
The PCV valve on a SOHC is located on the passenger side of the engine between the upper intake plennum and the firewall. It is kind of a pain to get to and replace . It is held in place by a plastic clip which is attached to a brkt on the upper intake.

 

[thebomb09]

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM

Ok so if the little round things are supposed to be there, if I use a different gasket other than a ford gasket will it cause me problems them no being there. Did that make any sense???

I just want to say thank you for your help. EXPLORERFORUM rocks.

You can laugh at me if you want to. I had a mechanic friend try to find it too and he couldn't find it either.

Thanks again.

 

[janikphoto]

I don't think they were laughing AT you. They were laughing with you 'cause it was really hard for them to find, too.

And when I changed the trans fluid on my wife's '98 there wren't really any metal shavings but a bunch of sludge in the bottom of the pan. It was like a clay or gooey silt of some sort. I'm sure all sorts of wierd things will build up when you only change it every 95k miles... Now if I can just figure out why the reverse is taking a second or two before it kicks in...

 

[thebomb09]

Yeah there was a little sludge in the bottom of my pan too, but it really wasn't that bad for 75k. I am going to take the metal thingys to ford and ask them what they think they are just in case. Ford will probably tell me the engine is going to blow up, but it is worth a shot.

Do you think it is a good idea to go ahead and change the transmission fluid again at 90 to get it back on track? I have read that a few people have changed it a few times real close together after it hasn't been changed for that long of a time. Any suggestions??

 

[janikphoto]

I think you don't have to talk to ford about those little metal circles cause I remember the gasket having them too. We got out stuff from ford and the new one had it. It guess some slipped into the pan somehow... Since not all of the fluid drains when you change it (some stays in the converter), I would say that it wouldn't hurt to change it again soon... Say like 20-30k down the road...

 

[aldive]

Some relatively cheap peace of mind can be had by adding a secondary tranny filter. See Hank's thread at Dead Link Removed

I did this install and am very happy with the results.

Good luck.....

 

[slow-demon]

Only "FORD" brand pan gasket has the metal things embedded in them. Aftermarket companies don't have them. Try going to the Ford parts dept and ask to see a '98 trans pan gasket. You will see the metal things in them. They're just there so you can't overtigthen the gasket.