transmission swap im lost

[TobyU]

I had a similar problem, but mine wouldn't go into 3rd at all. I was driving along and it just dropped down to 2nd and wouldn't shift any more. It's an 05 with 105K on it now, 99K at the time (last August). I had towed a camper about 150 miles to the beach and been there a week -- the night before we were coming home the trans acted up! Stored camper and drove it home in 2nd gear, just didn't run over 3000 rpm (right at 50 mph) all the way home. Turned a 2 hour trip into 3, but got home safely. Turned out to be a snap ring inside the trans that let go, a common occurrence according to the shop I took it to. They installed a lot of upgraded parts, including a spiral stainless ring in place of the iron snap ring. Seems like it was about $3500 total for the rebuilt trans, dropped truck off and picked it up three days later. They didn't rebuild mine, but installed one they already had rebuilt... saves time, and it's a common enough trans to keep a couple on hand and rebuild when shop is slow. Gets customers out faster.

Sounds like the 2-3 accumulator.
It was a common recommendation anytime you had the pan off even for a fluid and filter change to replace it with the improve cat which was another accumulator and probably the better improve snap ring. Why didn't you just have yours fixed instead of rebuilding the whole thing? That sounds high for a rebuild too but depending on the area prices to vary in different parts of the country.
It's just hard to find an ethical or honest transmission shop. A lot of them don't even really know how to fix them inside anymore or there's only one guy there that does so all they want to do is swap them out with the units they have already purchased rebuilt. They often don't know from the symptoms what the problems actually are they just take them out and tear them apart and then find it. At that point there's so much money involved you're between a rock and a hard place.
A broken accumulator spring and a good handful of other problems can be fixed by just removing the pan or the valve body is the next step. Neither one requires the entire transmission to be removed from the vehicle or a complete rebuild. But the biggest problem is they don't want to do a minor repair that's just a minor repair for a couple hundred bucks. They want to get the big money and rebuild them every time.

 

[creecer]

Are you sure you had/have a 4R70w? AFAIK, they didn't use the r470w in 05. It was replaced by the 4r75 in early 2004. Electrical sensors are different. If you have a 3v 5.4L, you should have a 4r75w.

 

[TobyU]

Are you sure you had/have a 4R70w? AFAIK, they didn't use the r470w in 05. It was replaced by the 4r75 in early 2004. Electrical sensors are different. If you have a 3v 5.4L, you should have a 4r75w.

That is what I have read also but even 2003 had the 4 r75. The 2005 went with a 3 valve engine and then 2006 got the ZF 6-speed transmission.

 

[creecer]

That is what I have read also but even 2003 had the 4 r75. The 2005 went with a 3 valve engine and then 2006 got the ZF 6-speed transmission.

My 2003 has a 4r70w. The only ones that should have had the 75 would be the 5.43v motors, so late '03 production could have them. The 4.6 motor would have been the 4r70e.

 

[TobyU]

My 2003 has a 4r70w. The only ones that should have had the 75 would be the 5.43v motors, so late '03 production could have them. The 4.6 motor would have been the 4r70e.

I have an 03 Navigator and I'm almost certain it has the 75.

 

[creecer]

I have an 03 Navigator and I'm almost certain it has the 75.

Yup, the Navigator got the extra HP and the 4r75 or the ZF

 

[TobyU]

Yup, the Navigator got the extra HP and the 4r75 or the ZF

I guess that makes sense since the Navigator has the 32 Val and more horsepower. I wish they would have put the 4r100 in it as it's a better transmission. And some of the first-gen Expeditions had them.
The Navigator didn't get the ZF until 06. I specifically would not buy an 05 because of the three valve even though it had the same trans as 03 and would not buy an 06 because it had the ZF 6-speed transmission.

 

[tossen12]

Are you sure you had/have a 4R70w? AFAIK, they didn't use the r470w in 05. It was replaced by the 4r75 in early 2004. Electrical sensors are different. If you have a 3v 5.4L, you should have a 4r75w.

 

[tossen12]

The tranny that failed and locked up on my daughter was a wreaking yard tranny . It had the used parts painted numbers on it . Pulled the tag off tranny R4w70

 

[tossen12]

I got a chance to look at the gear position sensor today . Was out of adjustment . Readjusred sensor . Manual shift now drive is second gear , 2nd is low gear . I'm going to order a new sensor , thinking I screwed up the sensor by improper install on my part.

 

[Wal92tt]

Sounds like you paid to swap out a bad trans for another bad trans. Good luck when swapping junkyard transmissions. They are in the junk yard due to being wrecked, bad engine or bad trans.

Does it shift into 4th, OD and reverse manually?

I'm in the same boat. My 99 5.4 4x4 needs a new transmission but it make no financial sense to have it rebuilt. I've considered the junkyard option but I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for. So it sits until I either sell it, rebuild it myself, or get lucky and find something that'll swap in...

 

[TobyU]

I'm in the same boat. My 99 5.4 4x4 needs a new transmission but it make no financial sense to have it rebuilt. I've considered the junkyard option but I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for. So it sits until I either sell it, rebuild it myself, or get lucky and find something that'll swap in...

That idea doesn't hold much truth to junkyard parts. Most Parts on a vehicle and the salvage yard are perfectly good. There is an occasion where a vehicle is junk because of the engine or the transmission but a vast majority are junk because they are in an accident.
If the junkyard does not note the mileage it is hard to tell that even Because unless you take a battery and have the key in the ignition you can't see the odometer reading. Some are more willing to work with you than others and others know the mileage when the vehicles are brought in. I would have no problems purchasing a transmission for my vehicle if it looked to be in decent shape without excessive wear inside on the seat and the pedals Etc and was hit in the side or the rear or even a front-end or Fender Collision. The odds are greatly in your favor that the transmission will be just fine.
They warranty them anyways but of course who wants to install one that's bad and have to reinstall the next one. BUT for the price difference involved that would still even be a good deal having to install one twice. I will take my chances with used.
Another decent option is to pull the transmission and go find you a transmission shop or someone that's willing to rebuild it for you.
Have it in the back of your truck and go by a transmission shop close to closing or right after or on the weekend and pull around to the shop area and start talking to someone. You'd be surprised what kind of deals you you can get that way.
Or just stop by and go to the shop area and look for the guy who's building them on the table and ask him if he has any time to build one on the side.
Many of these guys will hook you up for a very good price and they make a pretty penny to but you save a ton.