4R44E, 5R55E Case-Wall Movement and Comebacks
I’ve heard complaints of blown-out valve-body gaskets, loose valve body bolts and various otherwise unexplained symptoms due to cross leaks in Ford 4R44E through 5R55E units.
These problems are usually accompanied by an odd wear pattern or “fuzzing” visible on valve body gaskets and witness marks on the separator plate (see Figure 1).
When in Doubt, Reset
If you find yourself faced with a1998-up Acura RX300 or a 2000-up Toyota RAV4 with shift-quality concerns, here are a few things you should know before you waste your time chasing wild geese.
Building a Reaming & Inspection Station
As valve bodies continue to evolve and become more complex, rebuilders are finding it increasingly necessary to have a central location for bench reaming and inspection of valve bodies. Many transmission shops have found – to their surprise – that building an inspection and reaming station can be inexpensive and that a station can be put together from many items already available in the shop.
4R100: Repeated Converter Failure
In this lesson we will hear of a 4R100 in a 2000 7.3-liter diesel with repeated (four times) converter failures.
A Fix for 5R55W Front-Planet Bearing Failure
The 5R55W transmission was used in Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers from 2002 through 2004. This unit is very similar to the other 5R55 series transmissions, but each model has a few unique differences.
Small Tips for Big Rebuilding Headaches Part 2
Many of you who call us for technical support and advice ask for items that fit this description. While we are always open to new ideas for new products that solve root-cause problems, there are times when these parts are already readily available and reasonably priced. It’s just that few rebuilders know about them. So, here are a few brief tips for you on some of the parts you asked for and where you can find them.
Small Tips for Big Rebuilding Headaches
Small things are often the cause of problems that can create grief in our everyday operations. Those seemingly inconsequential items can and on occasion do bring production to a halt. What seemed like nothing of great importance now becomes the stopper.
RL4FO2A/RE4FO2A: Mysterious Axle-Seal Leak
A 1993 Nissan Maxima was brought to a transmission shop. The customer complained about a persistent transmission leak that was leaving a spot on his garage floor and said the transmission had been rebuilt about a year earlier. He added that the vehicle was returned to the original shop within the first month to have the passenger-side axle seal replaced. Since the axle-seal replacement did not eliminate the leak, the vehicle was taken to a general-repair shop, which replaced the axle seal and installed another axle under warranty. The customer said that each time the vehicle was worked on, the leak seemed to stop for about a month, then reappear.
46-47RH/RE Cooler and Converter Flow
The image of a target is often used in education or training. The bulls-eye is the topic of most importance. It’s what you “Need to Know,” with each consecutive ring or “Nice to Know” reinforcing or providing that information.
4T65-E All-Wheel-Drive: Noise and Gear Failures
The 4T65-E was introduced in 1997 in several vehicles equipped with the supercharged 3.8-liter engine, and some non-supercharged 3.4- and 3.8-liter engines. It was considered to be the big brother to the 4T60-E transaxle.
Reprogramming Our Procedures
We’ve heard many times how we can fix transmission problems by reprogramming the computer and how important it is to check for updates when dealing with a new problem or symptoms. Most of the technical-information sources have been preaching this for several years now, but it is important to note that you cannot rely on traditional service bulletins for complete information on vehicle-software updates.
Look Before You Leap (into a CD4E)
How many times has your mother told you to look before you leap? It was good advice when you were a kid, and it’s even better advice if you’re about to tear apart a modern transmission – especially when the transmission in question is a CD4E.
