Transmission Opinion

4

425LS

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Jun 26, 2011
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Everett
I've had my LS for about 4 months now. I love the car!
But she failed me a few days ago and I don't know what to do.
I was driving home from work, and the car had been driving fine till i got up to about 70 mph. Then the it started to shake, I Flipped it in sst to see what gear was shaking and it was 5th. Got off the freeway and took the back roads home cause the shacking and low (humming?) sound was making me nervous. First stop light drove fine. Second one, my second gear starts to slip to the point where i have to change gears, then the "e" and "check transmission" Came on. I knew this wasn't good just from reading posts on LVC. The next morning I took it to the nearest Lincoln stealership cause I wanted to know the codes. The results were P0735 and P0732 according to the technician. I asked them to preform Electrical, Line pressure, and EPC test. All passed. The technicians conclusion was a "worn case" ( is that the transmission case where everything is housed?) and a Burnt overdrive band.

He suggested refurbed tranny (3675.00 plus tax for them to fix it)

I took it to a different transmission shop they said they could rebuild it, with new brass fittings and fix the issue for 2,500$.

My Question is should I get it rebuilt, try to find a used transmission, or is there another way of going about my problem!?

Excuse my ignorance, and my huge block of text:mad:
 
I feel your pain...

425LS said:
my second gear starts to slip to the point where i have to change gears, then the "e" and "check transmission" Came on. I wanted to know the codes. The results were P0735 and P0732 The technicians conclusion was a "worn case" and a Burnt overdrive band.
My Question is should I get it rebuilt, try to find a used transmission, or is there another way of going about my problem!?
:mad:
Click to expand...

The worn case thing is the servo bore which is a hole bored in the case that is machined to provide a very tight, .001" clearance. This is not an uncommon problem with the 5R55 tranny in the LS (and other Fords.) See http://www.servobore.com/kits/5rw.html
When that bore wears the hydraulic fluid leaks past the OD servo pin and doesn't apply enough force to hold the band. The application of that servo and band allows the tranny to go into 2nd and 5th gears. The workshop manual also supports this same diagnosis since 0735 is "no 5th gear" error and 0732 is "no 2nd gear" error.
I have had the same issue for a year or so. I took it to a shop who misdiagnosed the issue and threw a solenoid block at it, which of course did nothing. Don't make the same mistake.
You can buy a used tranny (5R55N for 1st gen and 5R55S for 2nd gen (03-06) and do the R&R but there are risks with the condition of that tranny. You can pull the tranny and have the work done and save over $500, or you can find a shop and pay the piper. Up to you.
When I get my 3rd car running I will yank and do mine in the garage with the help of a veteran tranny guy buddy.
 
I have the 2004 Ls Sport. Yeah, either way I'm gonna be in the hole about 2,500. I don't know how to install a transmission, nor do I have the tools. Any Idea what could have caused this all the sudden? It was literally perfect the day before
 
Wear...

425LS said:
I have the 2004 Ls Sport. Yeah, either way I'm gonna be in the hole about 2,500. I don't know how to install a transmission, nor do I have the tools. Any Idea what could have caused this all the sudden? It was literally perfect the day before
Click to expand...

I'm being told it's a wear item. Lots haven't had the problem but more than a few (you and I are in the unlucky group) have had the bore wear and leak. Like anything else mechanical, it can fail.
Happy day - bore isn't leaking enough to be a problem
Crappy day - wear reaches critical mass and trans E time
 
425LS said:
I have the 2004 Ls Sport. Yeah, either way I'm gonna be in the hole about 2,500. I don't know how to install a transmission, nor do I have the tools. Any Idea what could have caused this all the sudden? It was literally perfect the day before
Click to expand...

Actually, you transmission was having a problem for a while. It's just that up till the end it was able to compensate enough that you couldn't tell.
 
RCodePaul said:
I'm being told it's a wear item. Lots haven't had the problem but more than a few (you and I are in the unlucky group) have had the bore wear and leak. Like anything else mechanical, it can fail.
Happy day - bore isn't leaking enough to be a problem
Crappy day - wear reaches critical mass and trans E time
Click to expand...

Apparently so, I've had to look at my LS in the driveway for a week now :mad: Driving around my crappy honda. Should have the money for the rebuild this week though.
 
Drive it

425LS said:
Apparently so, I've had to look at my LS in the driveway for a week now :mad: Driving around my crappy honda. Should have the money for the rebuild this week though.
Click to expand...

You can drive it without triggering the E trans message by starting in SST 2nd and shifting to 3rd and 4th with the SST. As long as you don't start in 1st or in D4 or D5 the error message won't occur.
 
Do you guys know of a website, That sells new or close to new Transmissions for the LS?
 
Get it rebuilt, make sure you have the rebuilder sleeve the servo bores and have a custom valve body built, if needed, and make sure you get the best TqC you can.

As an aside, I am having a trans built for my powerstroke and its gonna be 6k for it and a cooler, installing it myself! 2500 is a minor annoyance...
 
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