Issue Summary:
- After overhaul, a 5R55W transmission has delayed engagements on garage shifts and possibly a flared 2-3 shift.
- Explorer and Mountaineer models equipped with the 5R55W/S may exhibit a ticking or rattling noise coming from the bellhousing.
- After overhaul, vehicles equipped with the 5R55W/S may exhibit a metallic ticking noise coming from the bellhousing, similar to the sound of a cracked flex plate or flywheel.
- Vehicles equipped with the 4R44E transmission may exhibit a flare on the 2-3 upshift before or after overhaul.
- On 2000-and-up Ford vehicles equipped with AX4S, AX4N or 4F50N transmissions, filling the transmission with fluid may be difficult.
- A 2004-and-up vehicle equipped with the 4F50N transaxle may exhibit no movement in either forward or reverse range.
After overhaul, the transmission has delayed engagements on garage shifts and may even exhibit a 2-3 flared shift.
The internal-linkage detent lever has been bent (refer to Figure 1), causing a misalignment of the manual valve, and in some instances the manual valve may be bent as well.
The main cause of bending the internal linkage is the manual-selector-shaft nut. This nut has thread locker on it from the factory, and this thread-lock compound causes the nut that retains the manual-selector shaft to be so tight that the technician has exerted enough force to bend internal-linkage components.
Applying heat to the selector-shaft nut is required to loosen the thread locker (refer to Figure 2), thereby lessening the force required to loosen the nut and preventing damage to the internal linkage.
In many instances the transmission-range sensor has been damaged from the heat of the torch and will need replacement. The part number is listed here under service information.
- Detent lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . .XW4Z-7A115-AA
- Transmission-range sensor . . .1L2Z-7F293-AA
Explorer and Mountaineer models equipped with the 5R55W/S transmission may exhibit a ticking or rattling noise coming from the bellhousing. This noise can be commonly mistaken for a cracked flywheel or a misalignment of the flex plate to the torque converter.
The cause may be that the inspection plate between the engine block and the bellhousing is flexing as engine speed increases, causing the noise.
Ford Motor Co. has released a new-style inspection plate, installed at the bottom of the bellhousing, that has foam rubber to insulate it and keep it from flexing. Replace the inspection plate with the new design shown in Figure 3.
- Inspection plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2L2Z-7986-AC
After overhaul, vehicles equipped with the 5R55W/S may exhibit a metallic ticking noise coming from the transmission bellhousing, similar to the sound of a cracked flex plate or flywheel.
The cause may be that the adapter plate and the torque converter are not aligned correctly.
Use the factory alignment tool, Ford Flex Plate Align tool # 307-403, or an alignment tool available from many aftermarket distributors to align the pilot of the torque converter to the adapter plate before tightening the retaining nuts.
Refer to Figure 4 to see which holes in the adapter plate and the torque-converter pilot to align with the tool.
Refer to Figure 5 to see the tool installed.
Figure 6 shows the tool installed and the tightening of the retaining nuts.
Vehicles equipped with the 4R44E transmission may exhibit a flare on the 2-3 upshift before or after overhaul.
The cause may be insufficient direct-clutch pressure during the 2-3 upshift transition.
Locate the orifice shown in Figure 7 and enlarge the hole to 0.062 inch.
On 2000-and-up Ford vehicles equipped with the AX4S, AX4N and/or 4F50N, filling the transmission with fluid may be difficult.
The cause may be that the newer-design rubber-cap air vent is not allowing the transmission to breathe.
Note: This may cause the dipstick to pop out of the filler tube and, depending on the location of the tube, may allow water intrusion into the transmission fluid.
To correct this condition, replace the vent assembly with a new rubber top as shown in Figure 8 with the part number listed here in service information.
- Air-vent stem (Ford part number) . . .YF1Z-7035-AA
- Rubber cap (Ford part number) . . .XS4Z-7L282-AA
A 2004-and-up Ford Motor Co. vehicle equipped with the 4F50N transaxle may exhibit no movement in either forward or reverse range.
One possible cause for this condition may be that during overhaul or valve-body exchange, a valve body for a 2001-2003 4F50N was installed on the 2004 unit.
In model year 2004, vast hydraulic changes were made to the case cover, valve body and pump assembly to increase the durability of this unit. Figure 9 shows the passages in the 2000-2003 case cover.
Figure 10 shows the passages in the 2004-up case cover.
Figure 11 shows the passages in the 2000-2003 valve body, case-cover side.
Figure 12 shows the 2004-up valve body passages, case-cover side.
Figure 13 shows the 2000-2003 valve-body passages, oil-pump side.
Figure 14 shows the 2004-up valve-body passages, oil-pump side.
Figure 15 shows the 2000-2003 oil-pump passages.
Figure 16 shows the 2004-up oil-pump passages.
As you can see from the illustrations, the worm tracks on the 2000-2003 castings and checkball locations are totally different from those on the 2004-up units. The bolt locations remained the same on the 2000-2003 and 2004-up units.
None of the parts listed will interchange with each other, either individually or as a set.
Use the illustrations in figures 9-16 to identify the proper castings for 2000-2003 and 2004-up. The rough forge numbers will be added with each illustration to aid in proper identification of the case cover, valve body, and oil-pump assembly and checkballs.
March 2008 Issue
Volume 25, No. 3
- Ford 5R55W: Delayed Engagement
- Ford 5R55S/W: Ticking or Rattling Noise from Bellhousing
- 5R55S/W: Metallic Ticking Noise
- 4R44E: Flare on 2-3 Upshift
- Ford AX4S, AX4N, 4F50N: Hard to Fill
- 2004-Up Ford 4F50N Transmission: No Movement Forward or Reverse