archer973
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- January 31, 2014
- Messages
- 112
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Mt. Vernon, WA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1998 Ford Explorer XLT
So a few months after resurrecting this SUV (1998 Explorer XLT Resurrection), I started having transmission shift problems. Not surprising since the vehicle sat unused for 10+ years in a garage before I started working on it. I've explored a lot of different threads here and tried a lot of suggested solutions with no success, but I feel I'm still missing something. Here's my progression...
At first, shifting was just delayed shift into upper gears. I replaced the valve body gaskets as recommended, and one of them was blown. Didn't fix the problem. It got worse. Took a better look at valve body and found one of the solenoid clips had come loose. Put it back together, better but still had problem. Pulled the valve body again and tested each solenoid and did a thorough cleaning. Didn't fix the problem. Bought a rebuilt valve body and installed it. Didn't fix the problem.
The shift problem started getting worse. When starting the engine after a period of sitting idle, I could put it in gear and it immediately started moving. Stop or increase the engine RPM and the shift problem starts again. Then I had to race the engine to get it to shift into 1st or reverse and while on the road there was a long delay before shifting up.
Not being a transmission person, I decided not to try to rebuild and bought a used/tested transmission with a torque converter. Finished the install yesterday and that did not fix the problem.
I'm searching threads again, but not finding answers. So many threads here never end with a stated solution. Don't know if they never fixed the problem or just didn't tell us what fixed it.
Today I will be testing the TPS and VSS. Tested the TPS several months ago before this problem started. Never tested VSS. Don't know for sure if these could really be the problem. I'm also thinking there may be a wiring problem somewhere, but so many wires and little knowledge of where to look. Hoping you guys can give me some help.
At first, shifting was just delayed shift into upper gears. I replaced the valve body gaskets as recommended, and one of them was blown. Didn't fix the problem. It got worse. Took a better look at valve body and found one of the solenoid clips had come loose. Put it back together, better but still had problem. Pulled the valve body again and tested each solenoid and did a thorough cleaning. Didn't fix the problem. Bought a rebuilt valve body and installed it. Didn't fix the problem.
The shift problem started getting worse. When starting the engine after a period of sitting idle, I could put it in gear and it immediately started moving. Stop or increase the engine RPM and the shift problem starts again. Then I had to race the engine to get it to shift into 1st or reverse and while on the road there was a long delay before shifting up.
Not being a transmission person, I decided not to try to rebuild and bought a used/tested transmission with a torque converter. Finished the install yesterday and that did not fix the problem.
I'm searching threads again, but not finding answers. So many threads here never end with a stated solution. Don't know if they never fixed the problem or just didn't tell us what fixed it.
Today I will be testing the TPS and VSS. Tested the TPS several months ago before this problem started. Never tested VSS. Don't know for sure if these could really be the problem. I'm also thinking there may be a wiring problem somewhere, but so many wires and little knowledge of where to look. Hoping you guys can give me some help.