AXODE Transmission 1996 Taurus

[trandude]

I rebuilt my son's Ford Taurus AXODE transmission. right away it shifted hard in 1 -2 , was slow in 1st gear power, (not like my 1999 model) got the code P1744 "Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid Circuit performance"
then at times it blows transmission fluid out the front seal (engine to tranmission seal, where the torqe converter rides) also noticed it doesn't downshift like it should to a stop. My son kept driving down the highway smoke and all until it blew 5 quarts of transmission fluid out and stopped. after it sat a couple of days I put 5 quarts in and drove it to my house, it didn't leak any on the way home. I'm going to pull that pain in the butt transmission back out and go over it again. fluid smells O.K. I think I read it might be one of the solenoids may be stuck open. I checked for continuity before I installed it back in. also re did the valve body gasgets and check balls and screens. saw the Sonnax reconditioning kit @ sonnax.com maybe this is what is needed?

what do you think it might be. anyone have a similar fix or problem.
Thanks

[trandude]

oh also we put like 4,000 miles on it before it started blowing the fluid out the front seal, drove pretty well until then.