96 4.0 Explorer XLT 4x4 Getting it back on the road

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Swapping springs out is not hard. Maybe time consuming.
I would look at moving the collar down then jacking up on the bumper to separate the leaves. Use a 4.5" grinder with a cutoff wheel and shorten the one leaf. Solution might be overkill. Of course this is advice given without actually being there. It might be fine as is.
Edit; the collar probably won't slid down, I recall it being riveted in place. In that case open it up so the leaves can separate. In the pic it looks like this has been done before which is a clue to the springs being replaced. Also the thickness is different than the main leaf.

 

[Josh B]

Seems they have two gaskets for the IAC, a rubber O-ring gasket @ $13 or a paper gasket @ $1.99-2.99.
Apparently the new store brands come with the paper one, and probly Motorcraft has the O-ring type.
I'd go pull a few @Pull-n-pay if it wasn't so long till I can get there
I'd like to get out there and look at some springs too, maybe start looking for a good bet for a tranny as well, cause if worse comes to worse I could at least attempt rebuilding one to some degree

 

[Josh B]

I got the AZ Dura-something IAC, and after getting home looked it over well. With Extreme ADHD I'm unable to thoroughly contemplate matters on the fly. It's actually a 2 piece, crimped together in the middle, and @ $48 I'm thinking about just returning that and visiting the pull-n-pay Monday. I can probly get 3 or 4 there for that, but even the 1st one has a 360 day warranty, and it'll be a MC.

They actually have a decent turnover of vehicles, and I'm fairly certain to find one with a good O-ring gasket, as opposed to the paper replacements.

I also think I'd better be looking for a good gamble on a transmission if I can find one. Mine is doing more rumbling now, still it's only in a steady "cruise" mode, but not so much in an accelerate or coast one.

Seems it could be headed for that "trainwreck" I was cautioned about earlier in this thread :/
Hoping I can find a replacement to either rebuild, or to replace mine while I try to rebuild it

 

[Josh B]

Swapping springs out is not hard. Maybe time consuming.
I would look at moving the collar down then jacking up on the bumper to separate the leaves. Use a 4.5" grinder with a cutoff wheel and shorten the one leaf. Solution might be overkill. Of course this is advice given without actually being there. It might be fine as is.
Edit; the collar probably won't slid down, I recall it being riveted in place. In that case open it up so the leaves can separate. In the pic it looks like this has been done before which is a clue to the springs being replaced. Also the thickness is different than the main leaf.

Darn! I was over there today and those springs completely escaped my mind :/
I'll likely go back in a few days though and will remember to check what they've got

 

[Josh B]

Sooo, I haven't got the air sound and miss completely resolved, the miss not at all :/
I have narrowed the sound down to here though, after replacing the IAC a couple times today with different gaskets, bodies and such. I removed the accessory drive belt and hooked everything else back where it goes so the turning fan, alternator, water and power steering pump would be silent, and used this hose to listen closely

The rushing air sound is almost entirely in this area, down deep, strongest beneath the intake, inside those little pockets there

and from the driver side, under the intake below the IAC plug, inside that little pocket there

Suppose I'll need to come up with an intake manifold gasket set and get that done soon, the weather here is fixing to turn bad now, not sure exactly how long

 

[4.0blue98]

Not sure if you covered this. Are the intake manifold bolts tight?

 

[Josh B]

Thanks Blue, I'll check that tomorrow

 

[Josh B]

At the pull-n-pay I had mostly a Motorcraft IAC and a possible transmission on my mind, hence my forgetting about the springs, but I did notice a few other things.
Thinking about grabbing this 98 grill to go on my 96(mine's done a lot of sun fading)

Also come across another tool, a USA Snap-on 10 or 12" screwdriver

Someone had left it propping up a hood. Think I have about as many cool tool finds as parts!

 

[bobbywalter]

looking at the old valve body...trans is toast.


did you adjust the bands? i might be tempted to adjust/shim the servo on reverse. but its only a matter of time.


the evap lines were all secure? definitely an issue with the intake. but i would have to watch the injectors strobe and pattern as well

 

[Josh B]

Thanks Bobby, that's a lot of helpful information, I've been studying into it all evening(excepting the times I was napping.
One thing is listed in 7 problems
5) Slips on the 2 – 3 shift: There are two different issues that can cause this problem. Either the bore in which the intermediate servo pin rides in is worn out, or the spring on the intermediate servo piston is too strong.

Seven Common Problems With The Ford 4R55E Transmission - The Ranger Station

About This Transmission: 4R44E / 4R55E – The name 4R44E means 4 forward gears, rear-drive platform (or 4WD, with a different tailshaft housing), rated for 440 ft/lb torque (after torque converter multiplication) and electronic shifting. 4R55E is the same but … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

I could still do this, and also think a cooler backflush could be some help
I've looked half the evening for some photos I took of the old valve body after removing it, but haven't been able to find them. It had a couple 1/2" or so, blobs, of some gunky stuff on top, wish there was some way to flush the whole transmission, or is that just where they put the cooler/radiator lines into a 5 gallon bucket?
Are the bands adjusted internally? I've been looking thru the manuals and it isn't listed in any of the indexes

I'm hoping to have some intake gaskets in the morning and should have 2 good days of weather to go through there
Thanks again Bobby, it's good to see you back

 

[bobbywalter]

did you get a atsg manual?


i usually release the jam nuts and run the anchor screw in to 110 INCH POUNDS...then backoff 2 turns...then run in to 120 inch pounds and out 1 and 3/4 turns. pull the jam nut tight while holding pin in place and test. there is allot of things i am doing/noting to myself in this process..the feel and actual turn/s to get to the initial 110 inch# can tell you some things if you have done it enough times.....

this is overlooked and likely a reason these burn up so much. should do it at every fluid change...and change fluid every 50 k for normal use...which is just my three brain cells forming an opinion. every time you go over 220 degrees as well...but most people wont ever gauge it...so its not worth talking about.


but...pretty sure you have radical bore wear...and in need of service. if the bands have already been maxed it wont do anything...but it might be just what ya need to get by a bit.

 

[Josh B]

Yes I did get the manual, funny thing it's for a 96 but was printed in 93, haha
It has a brief index in the front and nothing in the back, seems to be a complete teardown and rebuild. I went through it page by page and put a marker in the ones I felt most pertinent, but then I don't know a lot about it
Also I've got a 96-99 Ford dealership CD on computer, plus a Chiltons and a Haynes

I pulled one servo w/ the valve body but I think reverse, is the intermediate on the side? can it be addressed in the vehicle? I haven't really studied that since the vacuum leak has been such an issue.

where are the band adjusters at?

Can I bleed the fuel pressure without a pressure tester?

 

[Josh B]

the evap lines were all secure? definitely an issue with the intake. but i would have to watch the injectors strobe and pattern as well

Are the Evap and Vapor return lines the same? Where do I check them?
What do I check the strobe and pattern with, will a code reader help any with that? Actron 9660

 

[bobbywalter]

i mean physically remove the injectors and see what they are doing. that can be extremely dangerous to the uninitiated....manually grounding injectors and combusting gas vapors is a recipe for disaster.........

the band adjustment is in the manual. or used to be anyway.

did you check the trs tech page??? i would think band adjustment should be in there....along with evap system.

 

[Josh B]

Thanks Bobby, I hadn't realized all that was over there. I've been there a number of times but guess not in the engine section. Saw there's reverse torx bolts in there and I don't have any reverse torx sockets that I'm aware of so I'll go till I get to those, and that's as I can go this trip

This is the gasket set I have

I have to prepare in advance everything I'll need(or ask someone to pick things up for me, or take me there) so that's as far as I can get this time, and it'll even be limited to the point where I hit those reverse torx bolts.

I'll study into the injectors also. I just don't know where to check the evap lines but try and figure that out too.
Really hoping the intake gaskets will correct the vacuum leak problems, that will help a lot, at least for the motor