tranny

hey guys. recently i have noticed when i shift into reverse, it doesnt really shift i guess. what it does is it revs the engine, after few seconds of shifting back and forth throughout gears, example: drive-reverse-park-reverse-etc, it shifts into reverse and moves. It doesnt happen all the time, but is becoming more frequent with days. I have a 98 SOHC 4.0 4wd exporer with 5 speed auto tranny. Car has 138K and I have never done tranny fluid change and i dont know if it was done by previous owner. Any suggestions/comments are very helpfull.

[Car has 138K and I have never done tranny fluid change and i dont know if it was done by previous owner. Any suggestions/comments are very helpfull.]

Have the filter and fluid changed. Drive it and see how it does. Later you might have the fluid flushed at a Jiffy Lube.

flushing it now might kill it. you can go ahead and do it and use mercon V and get away with it. sounds like a hardened seal tho. you might try dumping some conditioner in there and not flushing it. the conditioner should soften up the seals and youll get some more life out of the trans. on a side note, how does the fluid look and smell? if it looks pretty clean and doesnt smell burnt then the previous owner might have kept up with it and you can flush it then use conditioner. id still recommend using mercon v.

I second that opinion to not flush it, at that high mileage it usually wipes out the trans.

Dr98

i would not flush, but i would remove the pan and change the oil and filter. your problem is sticking of the solenoid valves due to crud in the oil. install new oil and hopefully shifting a few times will cleanout the ports.

it could be a hard seal on the clutches and not just something in the valve body. not changing atf can do that.

flushing it now might kill it. you can go ahead and do it and use mercon V and get away with it. sounds like a hardened seal tho. you might try dumping some conditioner in there and not flushing it. the conditioner should soften up the seals and youll get some more life out of the trans. on a side note, how does the fluid look and smell? if it looks pretty clean and doesnt smell burnt then the previous owner might have kept up with it and you can flush it then use conditioner. id still recommend using mercon v.

I heard that adding additives to transmition will help it for few month but then just kill it. How true is that? What do you all think about this?

I heard that adding additives to transmition will help it for few month but then just kill it. How true is that? What do you all think about this?

Yes additives are short lived. Most additives modify the ATF. I am currently using a metal cleaner from Auto-rx.net in my AT. It worked on my engine so I will see what happens with the tranny.

I had the excact same problem with mine. I had only 90,000 miles on it and had the transmission flushed about 6 months pryer to the problems at a local ford dealership. When I took it in they told told me I had a bad solenoid and a couple other parts. So the did the work than did a pressure check and it wouldn't hold pressure so they told me it was dead and would only replace it with a rebuilt from ford and not rebuild it for me (Most likely because they had no one experienced enough to rebuild trannies). I really had no choice but to replace it. But check around at different tranny shops and dealership to see what it would cost to rebuild yours.