Need help. What came off this ford transmission housing and possible fixes?
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
They're solid vehicles, a buddy had a 2000 Ranger with the 2.5. It left him stranded twice - once when he slammed the brakes on and a book flew off the seat and triggered the fuel cutoff switch he didn't know existed...and when the timing belt I offered to change multiple times stripped a few teeth at 200k+.
Nothing ever really broke on that truck but rust got the best of it after about 15 years in the rust belt. Finally retired it at about 265k, still ran great but it really was a rust bucket.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Local trans shop in Illinois replaced the bolts, $1400.
Drove the SUV to the home in Illinois I am trying to sell, it has a freshly seal coated driveway. Oil spots all over the driveway. A finger sample shows a fluid with every characteristic of transmission fluid/ power steering fluid.
Dropped the SUV back off at the local trans shop while the shop was closed yesterday evening, and took an Uber to the airport, and flew back to Seattle for work this morning. The trans shop called and said it was an oil leak, not a trans or other leak. I said the fluid I am recovering in spots all over the driveway is red in color. Clean read. The mechanic got belligerent with me.
Guess I will have the SUV towed from the trans shop to a Ford Dealer. One thing that bothered me with this trans shop is they never mentioned the missing shield on the trans, nor did they replace it. Starting to feel finding professional mechanics is near impossible.
Drove the SUV to the home in Illinois I am trying to sell, it has a freshly seal coated driveway. Oil spots all over the driveway. A finger sample shows a fluid with every characteristic of transmission fluid/ power steering fluid.
Dropped the SUV back off at the local trans shop while the shop was closed yesterday evening, and took an Uber to the airport, and flew back to Seattle for work this morning. The trans shop called and said it was an oil leak, not a trans or other leak. I said the fluid I am recovering in spots all over the driveway is red in color. Clean read. The mechanic got belligerent with me.
Guess I will have the SUV towed from the trans shop to a Ford Dealer. One thing that bothered me with this trans shop is they never mentioned the missing shield on the trans, nor did they replace it. Starting to feel finding professional mechanics is near impossible.
Good God, this is a horror. It sounds like you have had one sh.. bird after the other working on that poor thing.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Trav,
During lunch today I had a quite moment and time to reflect a bit on the SUV. I really, like this SUV, the only thing I don't like is no bluetooth and collision avoidance warning system. Other than that I love this SUV. Heck, the cooled seats work significantly better than my 2013 S class cooled seats.
Seems every issue I have had has come down to workmanship; not parts or design. And of course I am to blame as I picked out the people to do the work. It does make one wonder if the USA no longer has a majority of professionals at their positions in the trade businesses. Seems finding someone like you or Clinebarger is an extreme exception. But this situation is not limited to vehicle repair, I became a PEX A (self) plumber after having multiple plumbers, both union and non union do poor work that had to be redone.
Now the big question. I am 2,000 miles away. Do I have the SUV towed to an area Ford dealer to take a look at the source/ reason for the "red fluid" leak.
Can you not pay someone from a company like AAA to go out and inspect it for you at the trans shop? Over here the AA and RAC do vehicle inspections. This might get you a ”it’s pas fluid“ and “it’s definitely leaking from xyz area” or even a “the chassis is full of trans fluid and needs cleaning then recheck for leak“ type answer.
May help with the question/ dispute about what the leaking fluid is and where it’s coming from.
May help with the question/ dispute about what the leaking fluid is and where it’s coming from.
But why should he have to sell a vehicle that he enjoys driving, suits his needs for what he uses it for all because it seems impossible to find a competent mechanic to work on it?
The vehicle was seemingly in good condition after the recommissioning that GON had performed until a sudden engine failure forced a bigger than average but not difficult (for a competent honest mechanic) repair. GON even went to the effort to supply additional parts to further improve the reliability of the engine/ vehicle once the repair was being undertaken.
Hopefully he manages to get the oil leak and then the vacuum leak taken care of and put this hole extended episode to bed.
The vehicle was seemingly in good condition after the recommissioning that GON had performed until a sudden engine failure forced a bigger than average but not difficult (for a competent honest mechanic) repair. GON even went to the effort to supply additional parts to further improve the reliability of the engine/ vehicle once the repair was being undertaken.
Hopefully he manages to get the oil leak and then the vacuum leak taken care of and put this hole extended episode to bed.
I can't figure out what vehicle you have... is it an Aviator with the 4.6 DOHC and a 5R55 or a Navigator with the 5.4 with the 4R100? If it's the former, it wouldn't surprise me if the front pump seal is puking. If it's the latter... I don't know. The E4OD/4R100 is basically indestructible, while I have no doubt that a 5R55 is giving your trouble.
Looks like you're either pulling the trans or constantly leaving stains while you add fluid.
Looks like you're either pulling the trans or constantly leaving stains while you add fluid.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
It's a Navigator with the 32V 5.4L backed by the 4R100. The leak was from the pump seal, due to the idiot mechanic only putting in two of the bellhousing bolts, is my understanding of the situation. That was "fixed" by the trans shop but it's still weeping apparently.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
14A,
It is a Navigator. 32V 5.4 engine, 4r100 trans.
It could be just a power steering fluid leak. Wishing now I put the SUV up in the air and did an inspection before returning it to the trans shop. Very disappointed the trans shop is simply saying motor oil leak. I think they could have taken a few minutes while the SUV was up in the air and took a look at where the source of any fluid/ oil leak was.
That they were unwilling to suggest the source of the leak bothered me the most, regardless of what was leaking. That could imply trying to hide something. Get me back on the road 2k miles and it is my problem. As long as it is local, if they didn't repair what I paid them to repair properly, I have at least some leverage.
This poor truck is cursed 
A 4R100 losing a pump seal is pretty normal to have happen. Keep it full and you should be fine ...
A 4R100 losing a pump seal is pretty normal to have happen. Keep it full and you should be fine ...
The Pump should've been pulled & new Bushing installed, There are instances where a "Finish/Machine in place" Undersized I.D. Bushing must be used to maintain Converter Hub to Pump Bushing Clearance.
If there is excessive Converter Hub to Pump Bushing Clearance.....The Front Pump Seal will NEVER hold. A Go/No Go plug gauge (Go dia. 1.9982" / No Go dia. 1.9992") is required.
I also would've replaced the Dowels in the block, If the bellhousing was moving around....The dowels would've surely been beat up to a undersize state.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
CB,
Thanks for taking the time to post your insight. It provides critical insight on my next step. I hate leaving the transmission shop with this vehicle after paying $1500 to pull the transmission, replace the front seal, and bolts. My comments to the shop was I don't want to save money to have the transmission out the door cheap, I want to pay to have the work done right.
When I discovered not only a leak (red fluid), but the inspection plate still missing, flags in my mind were raised. Then I recalled when I picked up the SUV, the service writer told me the SUV was leaking oil, and I should check the oil on my 2k mile trip to Seattle. Something I had not observed before dropping the SUV off with them. After having red fluid all over my driveway for three days, I returned the SUV to the trans shop, and flew to Seattle.
I would have thought if they had the SUV on the lift, and it was leaking motor oil, they might have said "we took a hasty look and see motor oil leaking from this area". They did not. Maybe that is beyond what shops do. But because the mechanic was belligerent with me on the phone about the leak, I start to wonder if the trans is leaking, and he does not want to pull the trans again... and may have known the trans was leaking before I picked up the SUV with the "oil leak" comment at pickup.
Of course, this is all speculation. If I was local, I would have the SUV on jack stands and do a hasty inspection myself. I actually was hoping the leak was power steering fluid, but with the trans mechanic adamant the fluid was motor oil, it leaves me wondering.
Of final note, this is a mom and pop shop. Five bays. The "Mom" is the owner along with her husband and the service writer. The "pop" was in California on vacation with their Son. After the trans was pulled, the shop had to have a builder inspect the trans in the evening. I couldn't help but wonder if the "pop" is the main trans builder, he is on vacation, a laborer did the trans removal and install, and a builder came in at night for a hasty inspection, but the laborer did the work.
I am looking at sending the SUV to a local Ford dealership at this time. I have not been able to locate on-line another local area transmission shop.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Hoping to pick up the SUV this morning. The SUV will go straight into a storage facility, as I need to be at work tomorrow and don't have time for the 2,000-mile drive. The Trans shop owner has been driving the SUV for a week to see if they can duplicate the fluid leak, no news from them if they have been able to duplicate the leak.
That's one word you can use to describe this whole "situation". There are other words that come to mind as well.
