5R55S slipping issue
07-12-2014, 10:30 AM
#11
In my second post about parking, that was before the flush I believe. Like I was saying it only does this when first driven. If anyone has experienced this slippage or falling out of gear please let me know, all info appreciated thanks guys.
07-13-2014, 03:04 PM
#12
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maui
Posts: 4,752
If you manually shift the car then you will know whats going on. It sounds like its low fluid and that may be causing the TC to lock and unlock giving you that slipping feel.
Check the fluid and try manually shifting the car around those turns and see how it feels. I doubt your trans is hurt, sounds like it just low on fluid.
Check the fluid and try manually shifting the car around those turns and see how it feels. I doubt your trans is hurt, sounds like it just low on fluid.
07-17-2014, 09:18 AM
#13
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Redding, CA
Posts: 4,552
If you manually shift the car then you will know whats going on. It sounds like its low fluid and that may be causing the TC to lock and unlock giving you that slipping feel.
Check the fluid and try manually shifting the car around those turns and see how it feels. I doubt your trans is hurt, sounds like it just low on fluid.
Check the fluid and try manually shifting the car around those turns and see how it feels. I doubt your trans is hurt, sounds like it just low on fluid.
07-20-2014, 11:24 PM
#15
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 417
Having just put a rebuilt 5R55 from Jasper in my Vert, I'll weigh in.
The slip is likely from low line pressure. There are several issues that can crop up in these units from what I've read. Low pressure is is common, preventing the torque converter from locking until you reach a higher rpm or until the trans warms up. Once it grabs at that higher rpm, it thunks. Mine also started hesitating and then clunking into reverse. Once they had it apart, the 5th gear planet was missing some parts of teeth, brass shavings in the pan, and the culprit was a switch. Can't remember the name of it. Thermal something. Basically it would stick. My mechanic said he could sit there and mess with it and 1 out of every 20 times it would stick. But, these transmissions are popular in the rebuilt category as the explorer and many other models use this unit. So, parts are expensive. To the point that I could spend a few hundred more and get a 3 year warranty on the rebuilt unit, which I did. Unlimited money...i would go buy a manual.
The slip is likely from low line pressure. There are several issues that can crop up in these units from what I've read. Low pressure is is common, preventing the torque converter from locking until you reach a higher rpm or until the trans warms up. Once it grabs at that higher rpm, it thunks. Mine also started hesitating and then clunking into reverse. Once they had it apart, the 5th gear planet was missing some parts of teeth, brass shavings in the pan, and the culprit was a switch. Can't remember the name of it. Thermal something. Basically it would stick. My mechanic said he could sit there and mess with it and 1 out of every 20 times it would stick. But, these transmissions are popular in the rebuilt category as the explorer and many other models use this unit. So, parts are expensive. To the point that I could spend a few hundred more and get a 3 year warranty on the rebuilt unit, which I did. Unlimited money...i would go buy a manual.
11-18-2014, 01:47 PM
#16
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Having just put a rebuilt 5R55 from Jasper in my Vert, I'll weigh in.
The slip is likely from low line pressure. There are several issues that can crop up in these units from what I've read. Low pressure is is common, preventing the torque converter from locking until you reach a higher rpm or until the trans warms up. Once it grabs at that higher rpm, it thunks. Mine also started hesitating and then clunking into reverse. Once they had it apart, the 5th gear planet was missing some parts of teeth, brass shavings in the pan, and the culprit was a switch. Can't remember the name of it. Thermal something. Basically it would stick. My mechanic said he could sit there and mess with it and 1 out of every 20 times it would stick. But, these transmissions are popular in the rebuilt category as the explorer and many other models use this unit. So, parts are expensive. To the point that I could spend a few hundred more and get a 3 year warranty on the rebuilt unit, which I did. Unlimited money...i would go buy a manual.
The slip is likely from low line pressure. There are several issues that can crop up in these units from what I've read. Low pressure is is common, preventing the torque converter from locking until you reach a higher rpm or until the trans warms up. Once it grabs at that higher rpm, it thunks. Mine also started hesitating and then clunking into reverse. Once they had it apart, the 5th gear planet was missing some parts of teeth, brass shavings in the pan, and the culprit was a switch. Can't remember the name of it. Thermal something. Basically it would stick. My mechanic said he could sit there and mess with it and 1 out of every 20 times it would stick. But, these transmissions are popular in the rebuilt category as the explorer and many other models use this unit. So, parts are expensive. To the point that I could spend a few hundred more and get a 3 year warranty on the rebuilt unit, which I did. Unlimited money...i would go buy a manual.
I've been doing a ton of research since the tranny seems to work well when cold but as it heats up it starts having issues. Valve body and Solenoid packs seem to be 90% the cause of most problems. As long as you catch the problems early enough you avoid burning up the transmission and causing a premature rebuild scenario. If you've got shards in your pan, it's too late, a rebuilt is necessary and I would recommend the Valve body and Solenoid pack be rebuilt/replaced as well since they probably caused the problem in the first place.
I've got 66K on mine and I'm the original owner. I plan on dropping the pan sometime in the next couple of weeks to replace both items.
11-18-2014, 07:34 PM
#17
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: RI
Posts: 690
Just had to replace my transmission at 116k miles, around 80k of that was boosted. It had randomly started popping out of gear when coasting, like it was in neutral, and when you got back on the gas it would rev really high and then violently clunk into gear. The culprit? It was the placement of my JDM catch can - water (rain and wash) was getting in the vent on top. Had more than a quart of water in the PA deep pan and my Amsoil fluid looked like a strawberry milkshake. Needless to say I relocated the can from the firewall to the strut tower and made a little shield for the vent when I installed the Super Streetfighter and new PI converter.
Last edited by jpplaw; 11-18-2014 at 07:41 PM.
11-18-2014, 08:04 PM
#18
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 417
It's a Thermal (transmission) cooler bypass valve/switch. Basically a thermostat that prevents fluid from flowing to the tranny cooler when the fluid temp is under 170F. Problem is, it is prone to failure (sticking or not opening at all) and overheating the transmission. The easy fix is you put the larger spring that's part of the assembly on the opposite end of the valve, therefore locking it in the 'Open' position.
I've been doing a ton of research since the tranny seems to work well when cold but as it heats up it starts having issues. Valve body and Solenoid packs seem to be 90% the cause of most problems. As long as you catch the problems early enough you avoid burning up the transmission and causing a premature rebuild scenario. If you've got shards in your pan, it's too late, a rebuilt is necessary and I would recommend the Valve body and Solenoid pack be rebuilt/replaced as well since they probably caused the problem in the first place.
I've got 66K on mine and I'm the original owner. I plan on dropping the pan sometime in the next couple of weeks to replace both items.
I've been doing a ton of research since the tranny seems to work well when cold but as it heats up it starts having issues. Valve body and Solenoid packs seem to be 90% the cause of most problems. As long as you catch the problems early enough you avoid burning up the transmission and causing a premature rebuild scenario. If you've got shards in your pan, it's too late, a rebuilt is necessary and I would recommend the Valve body and Solenoid pack be rebuilt/replaced as well since they probably caused the problem in the first place.
I've got 66K on mine and I'm the original owner. I plan on dropping the pan sometime in the next couple of weeks to replace both items.
Exactly. I don't have the ability to do this myself. A rebuilt unit was close enough in price to to repair the unit that I got one with a warranty.
I'm actually going to go pick the car up tomorrow from the 3rd transmission replacement. Getting tired of the 5R55S.
11-18-2014, 10:03 PM
#19
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Where are you getting the rebuilds from? If they keep using a stock Valve body the tranny will keep failing. There are three or four different companies that offer complete refurbishing kits for the valve bodies for this exact reason. sonnax and shift technologies (transmission) offer the most comprehensive kits. transgo and one other one offer kits for the most common problems.
Sonnax even bought a valve body company (valve body express ) to offer valvebodies that come remanufactured with their kits. Their prices are about the same as others companies that just rebuild them back to OEM spec.
Sonnax even bought a valve body company (valve body express ) to offer valvebodies that come remanufactured with their kits. Their prices are about the same as others companies that just rebuild them back to OEM spec.
11-18-2014, 11:19 PM
#20
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 417
If they had a single consistent failure I would definitely entertain this after warranty runs out. I got a unit from a major remanufacturer of parts. Excellent warranty. Already paid for itself actually.
First failure was a thermal switch and 5th gear planetary chewed up.
Second failure is a bearing in the torque converter whining horribly.
I'm aware of the heat issues and low fluid problems. If I have a solid unit when that warranty runs out I may put a deep pan on it and get a reworked valve body and thermal switch.
Then again, I doubt I'll want to risk putting another $3000 into it before I'm done with the car. I'll probably end up selling the car.
Or setting it aside for something more interesting when time allows.
First failure was a thermal switch and 5th gear planetary chewed up.
Second failure is a bearing in the torque converter whining horribly.
I'm aware of the heat issues and low fluid problems. If I have a solid unit when that warranty runs out I may put a deep pan on it and get a reworked valve body and thermal switch.
Then again, I doubt I'll want to risk putting another $3000 into it before I'm done with the car. I'll probably end up selling the car.
Or setting it aside for something more interesting when time allows.