Tranny Problem When Cold
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Tranny Problem When Cold
I have a 93 Explorer Limited. Bought it two months ago, and it has a strange problem. Took it to a tranny shop and they found metal in the pan. AAMCO had supposedly rebuilt the tranny less than a year ago (according to previous owner). Tranny was removed and damage in tranny to all hard parts, so I had a rebuilt Ford Tranny installed. Prior to this, I had the vacuum modulator replaced. Problem still remained.
OK, here's the problem that started it all.
When engine and tranny are cold, it doesn't want to shift out of first. I can manually shift into first and second, but free spins when I upshift into drive. Sometimes, it starts out in second, bypassing first. After you drive it for maybe 3-5 minutes, it's fine. Works great as long as it's warm.
Thus, that leads to the remote possibility that I have a second bad tranny.
More likely, it's some kind of sensor or control module problem.
Other symptoms that may or may not be related:
1. 4X4 switches don't engage transfer case. No light on dash buttons when pushed.
2. Engine idle is very low when cold. Have to manually press gas pedal until warm enough to idle at 700 RPM.
Has anyone gone though this and figured out the cause. I found one post about the same thing, so I'm not alone. Unfortunately, it only got one response that I've already tried.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ed
OK, here's the problem that started it all.
When engine and tranny are cold, it doesn't want to shift out of first. I can manually shift into first and second, but free spins when I upshift into drive. Sometimes, it starts out in second, bypassing first. After you drive it for maybe 3-5 minutes, it's fine. Works great as long as it's warm.
Thus, that leads to the remote possibility that I have a second bad tranny.
More likely, it's some kind of sensor or control module problem.
Other symptoms that may or may not be related:
1. 4X4 switches don't engage transfer case. No light on dash buttons when pushed.
2. Engine idle is very low when cold. Have to manually press gas pedal until warm enough to idle at 700 RPM.
Has anyone gone though this and figured out the cause. I found one post about the same thing, so I'm not alone. Unfortunately, it only got one response that I've already tried.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ed
Last edited by Edtrak; Jan 22, 2006 at 03:51 AM.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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I'd work on this systematically, with the cold idle problem first. It is possible that you also have low tranny oil pressure and the cold idle problem is making it worse. That MIGHT explain the tranny problem.
Just by logical reasoning, if you change the tranny & still have the problem, then the tranny itself wasn't the problem (although I realise it was shot & needed replacing; your current big issue is to make sure that doesn't happen again to this tranny!). The same reasoning says fix the idle first because you definitely need the engine running right to properly diagnose the tranny.
So, from what I've heard the idle problem when cold is a common issue; vacuum leak in the intake/iac system, most likely IAC valve or gasket and/or intake minifold gaskets.
If the vac. leak is real bad you should be able to hear it; if you can't then, with the engine warm & idling, carefully spray a short squirt of throttle body cleaner on every hose joint and gasket face starting at the airbox and working your way to the intake manifolds. When you get to the leak the idle will rise significantly. Careful though,TB cleaner is flammable stuff; keep it away from the electrics!
Once you've fixed the idle, take the truck to a GOOD transmission shop; if you don't know any, ask around for somebody who has had good work done someplace and go there. You might be right about the sensor or electronics, or it could be a valve body or hydraulic issue. That's why you need a GOOD shop; the money you pay is worth it ten times over against having somebody who isn't properly trained just swapping parts with no real idea of what, how or why.
Then, when all that's done, if you stll have issues with the 4x4, get the trans shop to look at that and give you a price for fixing it too. It could be related (don't know if the powertain control module runs the t/case too) and come out good when your trans is fixed, or not.
Good luck.
Just by logical reasoning, if you change the tranny & still have the problem, then the tranny itself wasn't the problem (although I realise it was shot & needed replacing; your current big issue is to make sure that doesn't happen again to this tranny!). The same reasoning says fix the idle first because you definitely need the engine running right to properly diagnose the tranny.
So, from what I've heard the idle problem when cold is a common issue; vacuum leak in the intake/iac system, most likely IAC valve or gasket and/or intake minifold gaskets.
If the vac. leak is real bad you should be able to hear it; if you can't then, with the engine warm & idling, carefully spray a short squirt of throttle body cleaner on every hose joint and gasket face starting at the airbox and working your way to the intake manifolds. When you get to the leak the idle will rise significantly. Careful though,TB cleaner is flammable stuff; keep it away from the electrics!
Once you've fixed the idle, take the truck to a GOOD transmission shop; if you don't know any, ask around for somebody who has had good work done someplace and go there. You might be right about the sensor or electronics, or it could be a valve body or hydraulic issue. That's why you need a GOOD shop; the money you pay is worth it ten times over against having somebody who isn't properly trained just swapping parts with no real idea of what, how or why.
Then, when all that's done, if you stll have issues with the 4x4, get the trans shop to look at that and give you a price for fixing it too. It could be related (don't know if the powertain control module runs the t/case too) and come out good when your trans is fixed, or not.
Good luck.
