I recently replaced my tranny with a rebuilt from the local parts store. 2002 Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD. I have since driven it around 5 or 6 hundred miles with no problem. Yesterday we started it up in the morning and pulled out of the driveway. About 100 yds. down the road it quit moving. Upon inspection there was tranny fluid down the road from where it was parked to where it sits. I pushed it back into my garage and upon inspection found the problem. On the right side of the tranny there are two round protrusions above the oil pan about half way up. The front one is blown partially out and this is where all the fluid came from. Does anybody have any idea what could have happened? I don't know if I did something wrong or if the tranny is defective. Any input would be appreciated on my part since I don't know enough about automatic trannys to know. Thanks ahead of time for the help, I need it.

 

Sounds like it is the outgoing and return line hook ups for tranny lines that carry fluid to the radiator/cooler and back to tranny. Maybe one of them wasn't threaded up all the way. Maybe you could check that and fill the transmission back up. There is a fill plug on that right side also toward the back. No dipstick on this model most likely.

 

Actually the problem is behind the lines. There are two almost coffee can sized covers on the side of the tranny and one of these, the front one is busted and it looks like something from the inside tried to push it out. I think the cover is held on with a large snap ring, but it is definitly broken and if I put fluid in it would come right back out.

 

Those are the covers for the Overdrive and Intermediate solenoid pistons (the front one is the smaller one, the Overdrive servo, which is 2nd & 5th gear). If is just a matter of a snap ring giving way, you might be OK, but you have some work to do for now!

Here is a great document that has a complete break-down of the 5R55:

http://www.ratiotek.com/5r55w-complete.pdf

 

I'm afraid after closer review it's the back one, and something pushed out so hard it actually broke a piece off the case that holds the snap ring in. What would cause this? thanks.

 

Well, your back one is the intermediate servo which is third gear. I'm not a transmission expert, but maybe the band was not adjusted properly and the piston got forced out. If part of the case is damaged and you cannot hold the snap ring in, then you are probably going to need a new case (which means a rebuild). If it bled a lot of fluid out and any of the internals seized up, then you may have many more problems.

If it was a recent install, then hopefully the transmission is under warranty and you can get another, especially if there is a defect in your current box. Hope it works out OK, keep us posted!

 

Well after making a couple of phone calls to Advances warranty line they transferred me to the rebuilder in Georgia. I explained my problem and they wanted a couple of pictures which I sent them. They are shipping me out another unit after reviewing. They don't cover the labor (by me) or the fluid but I guess that's better than the alternative. They come with a three year warranty which is the best I could find. Just an update in case anyone was interested.

 

Way cool!!!

 

Hi
it sound like one of the servo pistons has broke, to fix this you will need to pull the transmission and have the servo bores sleeved, and before rebuilding the transmission.