Working on the tranny

[scott.475]

This is not "just another tranny" thread. I have searched and used the advice I have found. I posted here http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72630 about my problem, where it is whining in all gears but fourth.

Last night I was outside the Explorer when my wife let out the clutch while in neutral. The tranny made a terrible rattling sound. I pulled it out today and took it apart. The gears all look fine, no broken or chipped teeth our unusual looking wear marks. HOWEVER, the oil was extremely black and there was quite a bit of metal on the plug. The oil was nowhere near capacity...I doubt there was even two quarts in there. I did find a leaking tranny-tailshaft adapter gasket.

So, do y'all think the problem will be solved by simply fixing the gasket and filling it to capacity?

How do I physically or visually check for wear of the rebuild parts?

 

[scott.475]

Well, I ordered up a rebuild kit and synchros from www.drivetrain.com for about $400 total. Today I took the input shaft to a tranny shop to have the bearing pulled off. When I picked it up the guy said the gear was bad and showed me the wear and case hardening from the heat build up. He told me if I put it back in it was going to make noise. I could definitely see the heat damage and wear he pointed out. When I got back home I looked at the counter gears that it runs against...they look fine. No discoloration whatsoever, so I ordered a new input shaft from the dealer for $212 Still, cheaper than a new unit. Should be able to get it all back together by Monday or Tuesday, hopefully back in place on Thursday or sooner. Will keep y'all posted.

 

[Dre]

I'm surprised that I have not seen your post in there.... or you didn't follow what has happened to my tranny..... I had the same problem with transmission in my Sport as you know... whinning sound in all gears but fourth... but my tranny gave in before I could find a replacement. After taking tranny out I opened it and noticed teeth shaved off on two of the wheels... IMO - lack of oil, overheated bearings, wheels... bla, bla, bla. Now I check oil every week... just to be sure.
BTW...why would you pay so much for a rebuilt kit? I've seen one on the net for around $270.00 plus shipping including complete input shaft and all the bearings and seals... unless I'm goofy and have missed something on that page... or wait! just look here:Rebuilt Kit on ebaY

 

[scott.475]

I'm going to wait to get really mad at myself utnil I actually have the kit in hand and see what is in it!

 

[Dre]

hey... you learn something every day...
good luck,

 

[scott.475]

Okay, I followed the service manual instructions exactly. I took two full days just putting the gears back together, taking a lot of time. I got everything back together today, with two exceptions...I haven't gotten the tranny filled up with fluid because I need a pump (though I just realized I can pour it through the shifter hole), and I have not bleed the clutch. However, the tranny will not shift at all now. The stick moves side-to-side as if in neutral, but it will not move into any gear at all. I am on the verge panic here...wil it start to work once I get it full of oil, or is something catastrophically wrong? I was able to move the shifter rings through the gears by hand before I put the top cover back on, and I made absolutely sure the shift forks were in the shift rings when I put the cover back on, so I am really confused.

Help, please!

 

[Doug]

If you can move the synchros i would imagine that the transmission is fine, you may want to take the top cover off and check and make that that piece is ok. i think once you fill it with atf it'll start shifting. one of the parts are lubricated at all so theyre not gonna wanna move real easily.

 

[scott.475]

Can anybody else think of anything?

 

[scott.475]

BTW, it is in a gear, I think first. I got the oil put in and it will move forward like it is in first, but still won't shift.

 

[Dre]

got to check again to make sure all the forks are in correctly where they're suppose to be... and that all the gears are in the proper place. You might have a problem within the forks... one working against the other.... better check now than be sorry later... when I did replace my tranny I could move lever without the shifter itself into gears... 3 and 4 and sideways... it's unusuall that you can't shift it with shifter attached... better check it now.

 

[Doug]

You might have 2 gears engaged, can you turn the output shaft? I remember when i was playing around with the top cover it was really hard to get it back into nuetral. I'd end up going to far one way or another. also you may have thought you got the synchros lined up with the shift forks but didn't. if you can move the synchros by hand it's probably something simple.

 

[scott.475]

It was the shifter forks. I thought I had them aligned right, but I guess not. Shifts through all gears now without any trouble. I should have it all back together by Thursday at the latest. Thanks for the help all.

 

[Dre]

checking it twice......

remember the song?

good it worked for you,

 

[scott.475]

OOOOHHH Man am I ever hot! When I got my rebuild kit the synchro kit was opened and they were all the same, no third gear synchro with the missing teeth. I called Drivetrain and they told me thay had found that usin a synchro with all the teeth helped the tranny shift better. Well, I took it for a test drive tonight. The shifting is not nearly as sloppy as before, which is good, but of course it grinds a little going into THIRD GEAR and none of the others! Gee, I wonder why that could be? To top things off, it is still making that whining noise, even after replacing the input shaft, and now my "Check Engine"light is coming on, but I think that is because if the crushed O2 sensor plug I crushed, and tried to reconnect until I get a replacement.

I am through with this. I have pulled the tranny off about five or six times in the last month, and while I am getting good at it, it is getting might &*%$*( old, since I don't have a garage, and either do the work in my grass or gravel. Screw it, I'll wait for the friggin' thing to explode all together, then just get a new one.

I sure hope the 3rd gear synchro needs some breaking in, but I somehow doubt that I will be that lucky.

OOOOOOO! I am so mad!

 

[Dre]

still making noise??? did you replace all the bearings as well? looks like you've got your hands full.... taking it out 5 times? for me once was enough..


good luck with third gear... somehow I think these guys don't know what they're talking about...