VB rebuild woes

[prvi06]

Ok, decided to rebuild valve body in my 99 Explorer XLS with the usual 2-3 slip...
Followed Glaciers rebuild post w/ all the excellent info.
Used the Ford TSB , Superior kit, Sonax boost valve.
Just finished getting everything back together. Fairly slow and meticulous.
Now don't have reverse gear or Drive, but tranny seems to engage in 1, 2.
Does anyone have any ideas before my wife gets home...(I can hear a told you so! echoing in my head...)

 

[Glacier991]

Did you get the manual valve engaged properly with the shift lever when you installed the VB ? We will not let you fail.

and inch lb torque wrench to tighten? All solenoids connected?

 

[Glacier991]

the other things that come to mind are internal VB issues with EPC boost valve (bore 207) pressure boost valve (bore 208) and EPC blow off issues (which you changed with the TSB kit). If you used an inch lb torque wrench you might remove and carefully revisit those things and make sure everything was in the right order.

I will not let you fail here.

 

[prvi06]

Manual valve hooked up; all solenoids connected.
Ok what's the odds that is where I screwed up. In the ATSG manual I can see it rotates into third detent location.
I thought something didn't seem right. I was having a hell of a time rotating against spring force.
I looked back though original post and saw a picture of the manual detent spring at far end so I figured I must have been hallucinating when I originally took it apart... Damnit, tranny fluid showers suck.
Does this sound right ? before I drop the pan again...

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Check the pressure of the transmission, and EPC with a 0-300 PSI pressure gauge. Did you use new separator plates with bonded gaskets?

 

[Glacier991]

I suspect there is something just not quite put together right... we'll get thru this.

 

[prvi06]

Ok, so here's the current rundown; transmission cable bracket was bent. No wonder cable was behavin badly when I was trying to set detent position. Well that caused lot's of grief as it unravelled as I tried to set detent position. Apparently Can. Ford dealers like to pillage us as it was $200 Can.
I know, fastpartsnetwork... but I needed right away...
Must go to my happy place... Ok , I digress.
Back to the shower... plug on reverse modulation valve stuck solid. Unstuck plug finally; valve assy seemed to move smoothly though; just plug became frozen. I think that would have been the reverse issue. Any comments appreciated. I don't remember any issue with this bore as I had nothing to replace and reverse wasn't an issue.
Now back to the Drive issue; If I shifted to drive - nothing - shift to 1 -2 - Drive seemed to engage;

Does the position of the ford blowoff valve matter; ie dimple facing down versus pointed toward bore ?

Anything else I should review prior to reassembly ? Thanks.

 

[prvi06]

As well, on the "foward engagement valve" bore the seems to be some "slop" movement in the plug on this ? Is that normal ?

 

[Glacier991]

I'd go through the entire VB and make sure everything is nice and clean and everythingn moves freely. You very well could have a leaky forward modulation valve... the modulation valves are problem children in these VB's. Your symptoms are pretty extreme though for that to explain them fully.

Also check the forward engagement control valve (bore 209). make sure you have everything back together properly in those bores. What did you use for lube in the rebuild process ?

After your cable experience it is possible your DTR sensor needs to be readjusted as well.