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Thu Nov 29, 2012 11:16 pm

So I just spent the last couple of hours replacing the Explorers "Transmission Modulator" to fix a shifting issue that it's had for the past year or so as well as getting it running again (it's been sitting for a couple of months.) It was an absolute pain to get to, you have to rip up the carpet in order to get to the transmission's inspection plate and then remove the modulator by braille. But once the task was done and I put it in gear, it still had a delay in it's gear changing. It turns out that the ATF was really low too, not even registering on the dipstick. So 3 quarts later, and it's shifting every single time and shifting smoother than it ever has before.
A little background: The Explorer was my dad's Daily Driver but was parked over the summer when he purchased a Ford Taurus. It had shifting issues prior to parking it. He used to have to back into are driveway when he came home from work because Reverse wouldn't always engage in the morning when he left for work. But even then, it took the transmission a good couple of seconds before it would "clunk" into drive and he could start driving. He said that the issue would later go away once the engine and transmission had warmed up.
But now, it's smoking, not really thick, but still smoking. The smoke has a really unique smell to it but I can't determine if it's just the way the exhaust smells, or if the modulator is pushing the ATF into the engine.
My question is, could it be? The new modulator is one from BWD and they're reputable from what I've read, but I fear that even though it works now, it may go back to how it was.
It now has ATF in it and a new modulator, but this car hadn't always been well kept..As a matter of fact, last summer when I replaced the spark plugs, I found one that was original to the car.
So, any transmission guru's that could help me out with this? I don't want to have to go through all of this again and with Winter on it's way, my dad wants to start driving it again because it was 4WD...
Sorry for the long winded post..It's been a long day.

Thu Nov 29, 2012 11:50 pm

change the fluid a few times,an old trans trick is to add a berrymans carb medic/carb cleaner to the trans befor changing the fluid&filter and running it for about 20 min,no more than 30 min.then change the fluid&filter 2 times. ford used the cheepest shit for atf and it would solidify,cake up,varnish the valves all of witch will make it run hoter making it worse and killing the drum &piston seals witch in turn burns up the clutches.a lot of times this will fix it(or make it a lot better, it wont fix any thing but make the valves move freely&soften the seals abit) some need the valve body removed for more work.Ive removed the oil pan from some c4's&c6s' that had the fluid turned to solid jell. with a perfect imprint of the valve body in it,you could read the ford script&part #'s in the jelled atf.I dont know if or when ford ever changed thier fluid vender or specs.

Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:03 am

Hahah wow! Good to know! Thank you Mark!

Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:44 am

your welcome,I used to build auto trans for a living,I figured I was building racing trans I might as well get paid to do it instead of running a established forgin car shop straight out of highschool for a few years.but I did love working on the alfas,lotus,jaguire,fiat,sabb,some japan stuff, but mostly your-a-pee-in cars, british layland was some funny shit, a's, b's migiets.but as far as I can remember I never worked on a vw, I even rebuilt a mazda rotery ,it was all in peices afu in a box when I started worken there.And it ran great when I was done. the head tech left after I was there about 6 months I was fixing all his afu stuff&chewing on his ass for it.(he should of been a gas station attendent, and that is what he did after he left) come to think of it I liked working on everything my hole life execpt for a pair of detroit 4-71 deisels I did for a ferind,too nasty&too heavy. & I dont like worken on my bug...thus the build it right the first time,go have fun and forget about it.( I do like building the motors&machining them for my self)

Sat Dec 01, 2012 12:01 am

Well Mark, I did as you said and sure as shit, the old stuff was nasty and now the car shifts like champ, thank you, sir!

Sat Dec 01, 2012 6:30 am

While we are on the topic of transmissions....

My 2001 Tacoma is nearing 265,000. I have changed the fluid twice in the life of the truck, and it's getting ready for #3. Anything special I should consider? I have been using nicer (whatever that means) fluid, knowing that I am aiming for 500k for this truck.

Suggestions on what to do at the 300k service?

Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:09 am

FYI - There are some really good Ranger/Explorer forums that I have used in the past for our Ranger.

Sat Dec 01, 2012 9:09 pm

I stoped worken on auto trans about (execpt for my race car)when all the electronic stuff started going through&shifting them (execpt for the elec trans brake for race cars) and back then the toys were a borg warrner trans, so about the only thing I can say is if you havent done so yet add a cooler to it and keep changing the fluid, heat is the major killer, then comes dead fluid/cloged filter,then abuse(you know the fish hooks in the road, from a 40 mph in reverse then straight to 1st with the throttell wfo) I dont know who makes the best trans fluid these days, I do know that BG products have very good products,I dont know what they have for atf, but it should be good. Ive got to do my wifes honda again& it takes a special fluid, why I dont know,I even talked to the lucas guys at the races and they said to use the honda fluid for that trans and not to add any of thier product that says for all auto's, honda has a few different typs of fluid& cant be mixed.Ive got to do my moms too in her honda van(it's about burnt from all the trips to the mountains).

gladd it worked out for you, change it again next year.

Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:49 pm

I work for ford but I don't work on trans :( . but If you need diagrams, or trouble shooting guides, shoot me a pm.