5R55 Repairs

I'm also having a hard shift.

Is this the correct info for the solenoid? Part #1L2Z7G391AG - SOLENOID ASY- listed for $366?
 
sooooo..... went to the repair shop today

Just like everyone has stated before i need a rebuild on the trans but im thinking of a performance kit....it has to come down anyway so might as well right? Anyone have any suggestions....i have a v6 3.0 lincoln ls
 
Transgo has, I'm pretty sure, the only kit. It has some impact, but not much. It's much more effective to get a PCM tune to alter the tranny.
 
nelliott500 said:
Hmm... that's not too bad. I may have to do that. I've only got a little bit of a hesitation from P to D. Other than that, nothing noticeable.
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You have pre2005 Mercon V; which means your solenoid will be shot. Replace the solenoid THEN get the flash.

HighRule said:
I'm also having a hard shift.

Is this the correct info for the solenoid? Part #1L2Z7G391AG - SOLENOID ASY- listed for $366?
Click to expand...

Check with Max. He'll get you everything you need.

Dewanjd said:
Just like everyone has stated before i need a rebuild on the trans but im thinking of a performance kit....it has to come down anyway so might as well right? Anyone have any suggestions....i have a v6 3.0 lincoln ls
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Why? That's a good amount of work for nothing really.
 
R: Why? That's a good amount of work for nothing really

mikeyswood said:
You have pre2005 Mercon V; which means your solenoid will be shot. Replace the solenoid THEN get the flash.



Check with Max. He'll get you everything you need.



Why? That's a good amount of work for nothing really.
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@ mikeyswood....well i plan on doing some mods to the engine for more hp and i plan on adding a turbo charger as well....along with redoing the exhaust with flowmaster so i figured i would need a performance kit for the increased hp.....If it wont change much then ill leave it alone....This is my first ls so im still learning..............
 
This tranny can take upwards of 400+ hp....
 
R: This would be ~$2000ish; and few dealers know about Andy's fix

mikeyswood said:
This would be ~$2000ish; and few dealers know about Andy's fix. :confused:
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You were right on the ball with the price the shop told me about $1850 for the rebuild.....He did show me the updated parts for the trans....just like in the post everything ford skipped on...so i trust this will be a good investment....i plan on keeping my ls for a while......even with the trans issue it still has awsome performance...........
 
Dewanjd said:
@ mikeyswood....well i plan on doing some mods to the engine for more hp and i plan on adding a turbo charger as well....along with redoing the exhaust with flowmaster so i figured i would need a performance kit for the increased hp.....If it wont change much then ill leave it alone....This is my first ls so im still learning..............
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The 5R55's are rated at 550 foot pounds of torque. Will you be exceeding that?
 
Excellent work on this thread and nice pics. After reading several threads, I have noticed many others have the same issues I am having with my LSE. I do have some questions concerning this topic:

1: I don't have very many specialty tools in my collection and from what I hear about automatics, they are required. So what kind of tools are needed for this job?

2: How do I find out exactly what model trans I have in my LS for purposes of ordering the correct parts, fluid capacities, etc..? It's a 2004 LSE 3.9L/V8. I don't know if they just fit one specific model in these or not.

3: I plan on doing this myself and since there is no dipstick, how would one go about measuring the amount of fluid to fill AFTER the trans is installed back in the vehicle and ready to fill? I wouldn't want to overfill, and certainly wouldn't want to UNDERfill.

4: I see in one of the pics that you have the finished trans hooked up to some tubing? leading to a pump? and what would this be for? Pumping new fluid through to push the old fluid out? Just wondered because I don't have any setup like that and not sure if I would be able to get my hands on one either.

I've never dipped my hand in a transmission before but I have some years of mechanical experience from working on Caterpillar machinery, so I'm not new to this field but I still ask questions on topics on don't know much about before diving in "blind". I'm sure more questions will come up the more I think about this task, but that is all for now. Thanks

Edit: ....and exactly what extra precautions would have to be taken to perform this repair while the trans in still installed in the vehicle? I saw that you mentioned removing pieces slowly to avoid losing small components, and trying to perform this work upside-down would seem nearly impossible, even though I have access to a lift that can lift the vehicle above my head. Thanks again
 
1: So what kind of tools are needed for this job?

Basic mechanic tools. If you can change your oil you can do this.


2: How do I find out exactly what model trans I have in my LS for purposes of ordering the correct parts...?

5R55S - Plan to have 16 quarts of Mercon V on hand

3: I plan on doing this myself and since there is no dipstick, how would one go about measuring the amount of fluid to fill AFTER the trans is installed back in the vehicle and ready to fill?

Read the directions. They are on here. They are all over the internet. And they are stamped on your transmission.

4: I see in one of the pics that you have the finished trans hooked up to some tubing? leading to a pump? and what would this be for?

The pump attached to the fluid is a fluid pump. It's how you pump fluid into things. It's $20 at a parts store and a really easy way to get fluid into the trans.

I'm sure more questions will come up the more I think about this task, but that is all for now.

We're here to help.

...and exactly what extra precautions would have to be taken to perform this repair while the trans in still installed in the vehicle? I saw that you mentioned removing pieces slowly to avoid losing small components, and trying to perform this work upside-down would seem nearly impossible, even though I have access to a lift that can lift the vehicle above my head. Thanks again

You'll lose the clutch spring and possible a few of the balls. To do the servos you will have to have an extremely advanced mechanical mindset to drill around the tunnel without getting shavings into your trans.

It is well worth the time to pull the trans. You will be faster in the long-run.


LS4me said:
Hmmmmmmm...... $75 and all I have to do is drill a hole? Might just be worth it.
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Or $20, no drill, and your garage will have a fluid pump. A fool and his money are easily parted.
 
mikeyswood said:
Or $20, no drill, and your garage will have a fluid pump. A fool and his money are easily parted.
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I replaced the solenoid pack on my old 2000 a few years ago (I then had access to a lift and still needed to visit the dealer to get the fluid level correct). I don't ever plan on going through the shenanigans need to check/replace the fluid ever again. There is also the necessity to have the car level; something I'm sure my garage floor isn't. I'm also not in my 30's (or 40's for that matter) anymore....

This reminds me......I think it's time again for a trans flush.
 
These 2 items in the link below will give you the ability to refill trans. Just did my flush, worked perfectly.

Amazon.com: Advanced Tool Design Model ATD-5004 Suction Gun with 12' Hose: Automotive

Amazon.com: OTC 6604 Transmission Fluid Fill Adapter: Automotive







LS4me said:
I replaced the solenoid pack on my old 2000 a few years ago (I then had access to a lift and still needed to visit the dealer to get the fluid level correct). I don't ever plan on going through the shenanigans need to check/replace the fluid ever again. There is also the necessity to have the car level; something I'm sure my garage floor isn't. I'm also not in my 30's (or 40's for that matter) anymore....

This reminds me......I think it's time again for a trans flush.
Click to expand...
 
NickT88LSC said:
These 2 items in the link below will give you the ability to refill trans. Just did my flush, worked perfectly.

Amazon.com: Advanced Tool Design Model ATD-5004 Suction Gun with 12' Hose: Automotive

Amazon.com: OTC 6604 Transmission Fluid Fill Adapter: Automotive
Click to expand...

No thanks. I don't mind paying for a flush that will replace all the fluid. Shift work for 35 years has caught up with me and I no longer have the motivation nor energy to do this type of job. I still do the oil, brakes and for now shocks. The shock job is one I will probably give up after my next change.
 
Nice Trans. work!

We used to replace the transmission cases at the dealer when worn at the servo. Nice fix.

We also changed a bucket load of solenoid packs. In 2003 they had some fluid that caused coagulation of chunks that restricted passages in the solenoid pack.

Nice job.

MR. H
 
There is another fix for the servo issue if you have the entire case out and apart. It uses brass or bronze sleeves to be pressed into drilled out servo passages.
 
Which was mentioned already and no one in their right mind would ever need to go that far.
 
If I went through the trouble to pull this thing out and take the VB/Solenoids off of it, I would probably just make a weekend out of it and overhaul the whole thing. Pull the converter and drain it, pull the pump, rebuild the drums, and new front/rear main seals. $400 or less will get you a master overhaul kit including frictions, steels, intermediate bands, and gaskets. Just make a weekend out of it. One day to pull, teardown, and clean. The second day to reassemble, reinstall, and cuss at Ford for not putting a dipstick in it.

If you planned ahead you could also install some other known mods/fixes like the line pressure spring (another $5 sonnax part), TCC valve/plunger ($40 or so), and the Cold-Start/Pressure-Relief valve ($45).

So in theory you spend $1500 and end up with an essentially "new" transmission. Usually need a few specialty tools though. Most notably being a hyrdaulic press and some pipe to compress the drum preload springs, a parts cleaner with pump and brushes (used to have an old stainless restaurant sink that made an awesome one), and an air compressor. I also like to make good use of cheapo fishing tackle organizers for all the small parts. Put masking tape on the top and just write what/where the part in the compartment came from! It's indispensable for working with the jesus parts in a VB. Gallon size freezer bags are also good for keeping track of what parts came out of what drum too.

Ohh yeah, some pretty good mechanical inclination and/or knowledge is needed. If the thought of pulling a trans scares you then you DEFINITELY do not want to crack it open. A transmission can be a riddle wrapped in mystery shrouded by an enigma if you aren't careful and very detail oriented.
 
mikeyswood said:
Except the friction line doesn't need attention in these.
Click to expand...

Unless it was a low mileage transmission, I would replace them. My whole reason for pulling the tranny would be because I never wanted to go back into it. I couldn't do that with frictions that already had 100K-mi on it. I would also take the torque converter to a local shop and have it reman'd for $100 too.

But that is just me. If I had to do a head job on my LS I would probably just rebuild the engine.
 
Thanks, All, for the answers, and even answering some I hadn't thought of yet.
Kumba, I am semi-sorta the same way about repairing something. If I'm gonna pull it out completely I would probably just go ahead and do all that I could before throwing it back in the vehicle since it's a bigger job, and since the vehicle has 115k miles. But then again, it would depend on how much time I had because freeing up a whole weekend is hard to do, especially "Bogart-ing" my buddies lift for that long.
Thanks, mikeyswood, for the detailed info. I'll definitely be pulling the trans out when I get around to doing this.
 
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