Transmission problems?

alex101 · #1 02-19-2013, 03:19 PM

so for the past month my truck has been doing something kind of weird. i can be driving down the road and all the sudden the rpms will drop down to about 2000 and wont move unless you do one of two things..(1) let off the gas and then press it again or (2) press in the gas a pretty good amount. Ive heard it could be the valve body gasket but im not sure. what are some of the other symptoms of the valve body gasket going bad? what do you think this will run me at a shop?

rangerlocal · #2 02-19-2013, 07:00 PM

My symptoms were the truck didn't want to upshift until I let off the gas because it didn't have enough pressure to kick to the next gear. Might be your problem. Get it scanned for transmission codes, you'll probably see a code for low pressure and solenoid B low pressure. Those were what tripped on mine when my gasket blew.

alex101 · #3 02-19-2013, 07:47 PM

how would i know if it threw a code or not and where could i get something like that checked? how much did it cost you to fix?

rangerlocal · #4 02-19-2013, 11:24 PM

You can try Autozone, but I don't know if their scanners are advanced enough to read the tranny codes. it's worth a shot though; I never go because I have my own reader. Dealerships can read them for you, and if you get a nice technician, they'll only charge you like 15 minutes of work. It's worth it to not chase your tail.

I replaced my entire valve body, installed a transgo shift kit to prevent it from happening again, new solenoids and gaskets. Cost me about $230 on ebay with a lifetime warranty.

alex101 · #5 02-20-2013, 02:30 PM

thats a pretty good price but what if i got a shop to do it? and did you have any other symtoms besides that in your truck?

bullpup87 · #6 02-20-2013, 04:38 PM

Hello all i have a kinda weird problem with the tranny in my 98 ranger xlt 2.5L, if i have it in drive with overdrive on like it is whenever you start the truck it wont drive but if you turn OD off it will run/shift fine and once you hit over 40mph you cant turn OD back on but if you drop below 40mph you have to turn OD back off? What would cause that?

rangerlocal · #7 02-21-2013, 06:51 PM

Trust me, you don't want to pay a shop to do that for you. It's a very easy job, and they'll prob charge upwards of $500 to do the work. They might not even do it unless they can give it their "once over" and charge you for a complete rebuild. Most shops just rebuild the entire tranny instead of trying to troubleshoot.

There's a tutorial on the explorer forums with pictures. It's not hard, and shouldn't take more than an hour to do yourself. Just go to Harbor Freight and buy a 1/4" in-lb torque wrench for $10 to torque the valve body bolts and you'll be good to go. You can adjust the bands while you're down there as well, sometimes they cause some slippage as they wear. Sometimes they break off the end, and you'll be able to see that when you remove the valve body. Definitely something to check.

Here's a link to the rebuild diary for the 4r44e/5r55e valve body: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=140987

You don't need to know everything there, but he explains the common problems that occur with these tranny valve bodies and how to fix them, but if you buy a valve body with these already done, you just have to drop the old and in with the new!

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by bullpup87

Hello all i have a kinda weird problem with the tranny in my 98 ranger xlt 2.5L, if i have it in drive with overdrive on like it is whenever you start the truck it wont drive but if you turn OD off it will run/shift fine and once you hit over 40mph you cant turn OD back on but if you drop below 40mph you have to turn OD back off? What would cause that?

You need to start your own thread for this, as it is not related to the OP's issue. You'll get more responses that way. But, check the over drive band and adjust it, and get it scanned for codes that might reveal a code for the TCC solenoid.

alex101 · #8 02-28-2013, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangerlocal

I replaced my entire valve body, installed a transgo shift kit to prevent it from happening again, new solenoids and gaskets. Cost me about $230 on ebay with a lifetime warranty.

where did you get the transgo kit? what exactly do those do?

rangerlocal · #9 03-02-2013, 11:41 PM

You can get the transgo kit off of ebay for less than $40 and install it in a couple of hours. It does everything the TSB that Ford has out now to release pressure in the valve body to prevent blown out separator plate gaskets, but also to increase transmission line pressure thereby decreasing slippage, giving a faster, harder shift and increasing transmission life. Worth every penny, especially in the slush-boxes on these trucks.

michael mcallister · #10 03-03-2013, 09:35 AM

Hey hey hey...

I think I got a cheap idea on this..
Check your spark plugs... If there white you might not have correct fuel pressure... Change out your fuel filter!!

----------

At my first shop I was giving a transmission job on a small bus... The symptom was that it couldn't up shift into first so they told me to remove and instal a new trans.. After I did all that the new transmission still wouldn't upshift no matter how hard you pressed the gas pedal.. It felt like it had no power..
My boss told me to check the spark plugs and they were all white. We bought a fuel pump and sure enough it ran fine...

Still charged them for the transmission.

alex101 · #11 03-04-2013, 06:17 PM

ok thanks guys yall have helped my out alot. ill check the spark plugs first just to be sure but if that doesnt work, i guess ill be goin the tranny route. just curious btw why exactly would having bad fuel pressure make the plugs a white color and if it was this problem would every plug be white or just one or two or what?

michael mcallister · #12 03-04-2013, 07:31 PM

The white color means its running lean...

alex101 · #13 03-05-2013, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangerlocal

You can get the transgo kit off of ebay for less than $40 and install it in a couple of hours. It does everything the TSB that Ford has out now to release pressure in the valve body to prevent blown out separator plate gaskets, but also to increase transmission line pressure thereby decreasing slippage, giving a faster, harder shift and increasing transmission life. Worth every penny, especially in the slush-boxes on these trucks.

how hard was the kit itself to install?

2001xlt4d · #14 03-05-2013, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex101

how hard was the kit itself to install?

speaking from expierence, i just installed on in my 5r55e its easy. just undo the pan. let it drain, then undo the filter. next you need to grab a piece of cardboard and mimic the bolt holes for the valve body. ( you dont want to screw this up) then you read all instructions and carefully replace what the transgo kit tells you...

you can get the kit from amazon
http://www.amazon.com/4R-44-4R-55E-5R-55E-TRANSGO-Rebuild/dp/B009T517X6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_6
same people i got mine from.

alex101 · #15 03-06-2013, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001xlt4d

speaking from expierence, i just installed on in my 5r55e its easy. just undo the pan. let it drain, then undo the filter. next you need to grab a piece of cardboard and mimic the bolt holes for the valve body. ( you dont want to screw this up) then you read all instructions and carefully replace what the transgo kit tells you...

it doesnt sound to hard, i know that all the bolts are specific to certain spots and i will be using that cardboard method. as long as i dont have to go to much further than the pan on this im pretty sure i can do it