4r70w problem.

PearlBird

Registered User
Today I was driving my car around, had driven home from beaumont, which is about 20 miles, and was going through town to the car wash. I stop at a redlight and pull the tranny down to first.....just cuz I like to shift it like that sometimes. Then the light turns green and I accelerate to around 2.5-3k and pull it up to second. the rpms stay hung at around 1.5-3k like I didint do anything, after 2 or so seconds then its finally shifts real hard. Then when I get the the next light, when I get going some, it almost feels like the car is in overdrive......although the rpms are at around 1k-1.5k you can press the gas pedal and it doesnt down shift and is really sluggish.

Anyone ever had this problem?


ohh and I jumped in it to go test it again, and it Thunks real loud going into reverse, everytime. So I left it setting as not to hurt it. it doenst thunk going into drive.
 
I tried shifting my 94 like that once, and it did the same thing. I don't think its meant to me manually shifted, although, in theory, it seems like you could.

I usually just let it deicde when to shift itself, and i dont have any trouble

-Nick
 
Well its definatley something internal. The fluid smells burnt/is burnt. first and second work fine its just not going out of second. looks like direct clutches.

So now onto options,


A) I rebuild the one thats in it. Its been rebuilt before, but we did re-use whichever parts didint come in the rebuild kit. Since Ive taken out to the track and ran it before my dads feels like I broke it. I dont quite believe that but I do floor the car now and then because why have a fast car if you dont enjoy it? So since he thinks I broke it, he isnt going to rebuild it again and said I can have his friend, the tranny guy at the ford dealership do it for a little bit of a discounted price. estimated 700$ with parts.

B) Buy a 1900$ tranny at this link http://www.ford-aode.com/#Level 3
I can prolly get it for around 1700 seeing as I already have a new torque converter and wont need another one from them.

Now I really only have the money for option (A) but what would you guys do?
Keep in mind my dad is a senior master ford mechanic, so the first rebuild was put together right, I think one of the old parts we reused failed and caused something to burn up.
 
Would manually shifting a 4r70w alot hurt it? any time I floor my car I always did it manually becuase when you do it manually it gives a bit more grunt/faster shift into second.

Could that have been harmful to it?
 
Check your fluid level , color and smell it. Dose it smell burnt? Next it might be your MLPS sensor on the side of the trans. If you have the original trans you might need new accumulaters. Look over at tccoa under shift improver.
Seems like when someone with this problem takes it to a trans shop they tell you, rebuilt trans time. I never had any problems shifting mine that way.
 
Oh man sorry to hear that. If you do rebuild the next one read about jerry`s ~~~~ improver as this mod make the trans last longer and gets rid of some of those gremlens the early 4R70W`s had. Like I said I always shifted mine 1-3 and with the j mod she would bark 2-3 only on manul shifts but once you understand how the valve body works you can realy improve all shifts in a good way. I think one of the best setups for a stock or slightly modified was the use of a 99+ valve body in one of these transmissions. Im no pro rebuilder but I have had good luck with this trans.
 
I had the same issues with my transmission, initially it was just a hard 1-2 shift and i always just it was the cars natural power(laff). Later on it became a delayed shift into third and slipping into 4th on the highway.Somehow or another I ended up ruining my torque converter/valve body. I found this out after I went to change the tranny fluid and saw metal chunks(1-2" in length) in the pan. I had apprx 83xxx on my car when this happened.
I had the transmission rebuilt, torque conveter/valve body replaced and did a jmod at the same time(you're essentially enlarging holes in the valve body for more fluid to travel through which keeps the tranny cooler and prolongs the life of the transmission along with better springs/accumulator pistons). also added a deeper pan,large tranny cooler & braided lines.
I dont drive my car a lot anymore, but have put apprx 4500 miles on it since the rebuild and the trans shifts fine. However i have a leak that i can't seem to track down now, I believe it's an o-ring on one of the sensors.

there are a lot of good resources on tccoa regarding the 4R70W and the Jmod
 
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Well we took a look at it today, the fluid is burnt a lil and smells burnt, but there was no metal or friction materials in the fluid.....odd to say the least. My dad checked all he could being it was obd I. everthing checked out, the pistons, and evertything. Put the old valve body back in, the one that was in it was from supercoupe performance. and it still does the same thing, holds first great, shifts second great, but wont go any higher.

Its definatley a direct clutch problem im guessing, but why is the fluid just burnt looking without any friction material in it? and since the valve body and other parts are working good what caused the direct clutches to perish?
Its really weird.
 
Make sure the bottlecap is in properly if it fell or got sideways the 2-3 piston could go too far and vent all direct pressure.
Alan
 
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