What is a crack in the case on a transmission?

[JenCel]

I have posted about the crazy bad things my rebuilt transmission was doing. Well shop said yesterday that after fixing scraped wire, replacing sensor, replacing TPS sensor problem remains and not enough pressure he says. So he now tells me that when they first got our van the transmission had something cracked (I am not so aggressive at getting details at this point I am so fed up, lol) I couldn't understand him very well, and that they did their thing but his ford mechanic said that it probably has a crack in the case that just went and therefore we have all these problems now. So he is going to put in another rebuilt transmission and I am still waiting for my van back. Problems and all I miss it. So anyone have some insight as to what this crack refers to and also what transmission does my van have -98 3.8L? Any other years share this transmission? Thanks.

Jennifer

[Mikebox]

Your transaxle (transmission --all gears, clutches, ring/pinion bearings etc.) are enclosed in a "case" made of aluminum. It is bolted to the back of the engine and subframe. Sometimes these cases can develop a hairline crack in the aluminum due to poor casting during manufacturing, stresses and/or heat. It doesnt happen very often especially compared to all the other failures that ocurr on the Windstar transmission. It is possible but much more likely that there is another problem causing this internally. In any event, if it is the case or some other internal part, a new/remfg transmission would be called for. Is your last replacement not covered under a warranty or has that long since expired?

Best of luck

[JenCel]

Thanks for responding. Actually the shop put in another rebuilt transmission and the same problems are occuring. It is not going into gears when my RPMs hit their marks, I get no speed when the RPMs are revving up high (sticks to around 30 mph even downhill and very very slowly gets faster then it booms into gear). The light starts flashing then it drives much better. So I drove home after my brakes suddenly went caput when I picked up my "oh you're gonna love how it shifts" van yesterday afternoon after another 7 days there, lol, in regular drive and it was laboring into the first gear which is 1-2 or 2-3 not sure, and then it would drive alright but I needed to keep on the gas. Then the light started flashing last night after driving. The transmission shop is now frustrated with not knowing what is happening they said they aren't going to deal with it anymore. They don't know what is causing all these problems now. They replaced a wire in the rear of the tranny and the TPS, and still after he test drove it and nothing I get it and no acceleration until the gears shift and when I need the power it won't give it to me until it shifts up and it won't then it will shift back down again. And it will shift when I go from a complete stop forward with my foot on the gas, but if I am driving and I have to slow down for a turn or a car slows ahead of me and then I push the gas to get back up it just revs and won't go any faster for a while. There must be some confusion between the computer and the tranny, but what I have no idea. I want to know why it was working OK, nothing like before it went out where I had power to take off at the lights, and no problem accelerating on steep grades and such and now forget about it. It doesn't stay in the right gear then when it is I have to keep the gas on it and that is not gonna go for me. SO the guy who we paid for the job (who sent it to this other shop) is going to take it and see if he can figure it out, and if not then I am stuck with a refund of less than what we paid and a van that is messing up real bad when driving. Any thoughts on what is going on? I didn't have any issues other than the rough idle and stalling that were caused by high carbon buildup in engine and IAC valve. Now I have this van that has nothing to it. No oomph. Is this all from the transmission not going into the gears quickly? Please help for my sanity sake.

[Mikebox]

Jennifer,
It sure sounds like a hydraulic problem in the transmission where the clutches are not engaging (slipping) for a period of time before it builds enough pressure to engage them and off you go. The shifts are ECU controlled though so not sure if mechanical or hydraulic.
Has the tranny shop pulled your error codes? If not, someone should certainly do that as a next step.
You might post them here and see if anyone can help from there.

[JenCel]

Thanks again for responding. Well noone has told me what the error codes are. I had a heck of a time getting any info out of that place. The problem appears to be computer. It works okay then it gets confused and the more I drive it the more confused it gets and more it malfunctions and the more it doesn't shift right. I had a problem yesterday with it getting stuck in neutral with me going 10 mph as it wouldn't engage and shift up for the extra speed up the grade. I had to pull all the way over and right before I came to a complete stop it bumped into gear so I pushed on that gas and tried to get in the gate to come home. It then wasn't going past 25 mph and then it started clunking around and I thought it was going to fall out. It Finally coded and then it shifted a little tight but normal. What I mean by tight is that it isn't smooth in and out and I need to give it more gas. Along with that I have been burning gas really fast as I have to push a lot more on the pedal to keep it shifting properly when it starts malfunctioning. Then it works at low speeds, until a little bit of driving then it malfunctions at those speeds too. It is getting really confused so it is sending all different kinds of messages that is all I have gathered. Now I was told by a different mechanic that when a transmission such as this being electrical is rebuilt some wiring needs to be updated? Another one told me the chips in the computer have to be reprogrammed is that correct? So maybe it is trying to work on a primative level but something in that computer isn't working right so it keeps getting worse. Every time I turn off the van the light stops blinking and it has to go through all the BS all over again to shoot out the code. And also why would it have worked OK, now not like it used to shift all smooth and easy but more tight after the first rebuild for about 1 1/2 weeks before slowly taking longer and longer to shift into 2nd or 3rd not sure which one it is the bigger shift if that makes sense when just accelerating? Could it be that the chip in the computer was sending messages but it wasn't working precisely so after that time it burned up? Then the others are doing the same? Why is it that it drove ok for him for 45 minutes, then I get it and it doesn't go past 30 mph? These are mysteries to me and apparently the actual transmission shop for them to wash their hands of this whole thing. I noticed that now the door sensor is starting to mess up now too. Manny, the guy taking it tomorrow to fix as he is pretty sure he knows what it is doing and can fix it electronically speaking, says that this van needs everything precise to function properly, so it is burning all this gas and causing straight gas fumes to burn off the engine when driving which made me sick yesterday, and the door ajar sensor is all messing up because the transmission not working and is making other things go out of whack. Is that possible from your experiences? The door light up on the panel wasn't messing up for the day and a half. The light came on with a door open and turned off when I closed the door for all of them. The tranny messes up worse and worse and suddenly the door ajar light is always on. Any hints, clues, thoughts on my transmission are very welcomed!

Jennifer