1998 Explorer - need some technical advice for Transmission

[bobf100]

Guys - I'm pretty sure I know what your answer is going to be but I'm going to ask the question anyway......

1998 Explorer - 160,000 miles - 4.0 V6 with OD trans. Had the transmission fluid changed at the Ford dealer maybe 3 months ago. Traveling down the highway today crusing about 70 MPH when the "Overdrive" lockout light flashed on the dash. Transmission shifted from od back to third and on occasion would shift back to overdrive. Finished driving home maybe 100 miles. (While driving we checked the manual which states the truck can be driven but needs service work so we thought it was alright to drive it home).

Got off the highway and driving thru city traffic to my house and the trans was wildly shifting from 2nd to 3rd. At a couple traffic lights it would not engage until the engine rpm came up then would engage.

Got home checked the fluid level. Right where it is supposed to be. Unfortunately the fluid is dark gray almost black and stinks to high heaven.

What's your diagnosis? Toast? Any suggestions? The wife is going to try to take it in on Monday.

 

[Bob Ayers]

Guys - I'm pretty sure I know what your answer is going to be but I'm going to ask the question anyway......

1998 Explorer - 160,000 miles - 4.0 V6 with OD trans. Had the transmission fluid changed at the Ford dealer maybe 3 months ago. Traveling down the highway today crusing about 70 MPH when the "Overdrive" lockout light flashed on the dash. Transmission shifted from od back to third and on occasion would shift back to overdrive. Finished driving home maybe 100 miles. (While driving we checked the manual which states the truck can be driven but needs service work so we thought it was alright to drive it home).

Got off the highway and driving thru city traffic to my house and the trans was wildly shifting from 2nd to 3rd. At a couple traffic lights it would not engage until the engine rpm came up then would engage.

Got home checked the fluid level. Right where it is supposed to be. Unfortunately the fluid is dark gray almost black and stinks to high heaven.

What's your diagnosis? Toast? Any suggestions? The wife is going to try to take it in on Monday.

Doesn't sound good.....do you know if the ATF had been changed prior to 3 months ago?

 

[bobf100]

Yes sir - we followed the suggested Ford maintence plan since I bought it new. Don't have it in front of me but what ever the suggested mileage was we had it changed....by the dealer no less.

 

[Brian_B]

I suspect it is time for a rebuild. 160,000 miles is pretty good for a small ford automatic. Burnt smelly fluid is almost a sure sign.

I am not familair at all with the electronic side (flashing lights), but a few years ago...the rest of those were the signs.

You can rebuild it yourself. They are not that hard (other than whatever electronic mess is in the newer ones).

 

[d-kuzmen]

When the od light starts to flash usually it doesn't go off on it's own, but while it's flashing it goes into "safe mode" and will usually start out in second gear, and doesn't use OD, that may explain the funky stuff it was doing. I can't remember if 98 used MERC V or not but it'll say on the stick, whom ever serviced it may not have used the proper fluid is one possiblity. Kind of hard to diag a trans without driving it, need to know what gears it has and ones it slips or misses. If you PM your vin# to me I can run it to see if there are any tsb's. But it does sound like it will need to come apart also any dtc's will help if you know someone with a scan tool.