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Transmission Solenoid Replacement

90K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  mrcllusb 
#1 ·
Story time. Listen up. I don't have any in-real-life friends to talk to so I'm talking to you guys (and girls).

So the issue my car [2008 Milan, 2.3, 5ATX] had been having was that after driving more than 40 minutes or so, I'd experience a rather rough shift between third and fourth gear, right around 45mph. No check engine light, no powertrain light, no codes, nothing. I had tried a transmission fluid/filter change by my dealership at 75,000 miles, didn't help. I later found my motor mounts to be destroyed. Replacing them didn't help. Eventually my favorite dealership was bought out by one of those big dealers that take up ten square miles. Took my car there, and the quote was $7,300. They don't investigate, they just replace the transmission.

Later on, I'm using my ELM327 bluetooth adapter on a coworker's car, monitoring the temperature after bypassing her heater core. Just for shits and giggles, I put it in my car and I get back
P0841 Trans Fluid Press Sensor/Switch A. So I started checking on eBay, and spoke to the seller of this FNR5 solenoid kit. He mentioned that this transmission is a relative of the 4F27E transmission, and that 90% of the time an entire valve body replacement isn't necessary, just the solenoids -- he even went one step further and said that if I bought the solenoids and ended up needing a valve body, he'd discount the price of the solenoids from the price of the valve body for me. Ten minutes later, I purchased the solenoid kit.

Once they came in, I looked for whoever could install them for a reasonable price, since my experience with transmissions was limited to frying the paper-and-glass Dodge 46RE [Dodge truck transmissions weren't really known for their durability in the 90s], so I was gonna leave it to the professionals. Unfortunantly, everyone pulled up their labor sheets and saw
Transmission: Removal/Replacement: 10.5 hours
Add Valve Body Service: 1.4 hours
Add Torque Converter Service: 2 hours

So they'd all say "12 hours, $1200." Even though removal of the transmission is entirely unnecessary, even by the guide. They just weren't gonna put the valve body service on its own sheet, they just tacked it on the bottom of the generic Transmission sheet. Talked to the local custom shop who did my tint. He normally doesn't do transmissions but this was relatively simple and I had all the instructions, so he said "Drop it off Saturday before noon, I should have it done by 5". He ends up not being able to work on my car, putting priority on the building remodel.
Take it back home, buy a new oil pan and some ultra black RTV silicone, and set to work to do it myself. The job was even easier than I expected.

First off, I jacked the car as high as I could. The rear tires were tucked like nobody's business. I drained the transmission fluid into the brand new pan so it couldn't be contaminated (That stuff is $12 a quart!). I started loosening the pan bolts, but ran into a couple that I just couldn't quite reach with any of my combination of nut drivers, wrenches, sockets, etc... so I disconnected the lower "dogbone" torque strut mount and the single 21mm bolt on the passenger side engine mount, then jacked up the engine oil pan until it just about reached the A/C lines on top. This tipped the powertrain enough to get my socket wrench in there. Dropped the pan and surprise, I don't even need to remove the valve body! The two smaller solenoids and the pressure control switch each have a single bolt holding them in. The three larger shift solenoids have a bracket that is held in by four bolts. It takes a little strength to remove the solenoids, so be careful not to hit your knuckles when they pop free.

Put in the new solenoids, sealed the pan with the silicone, and bolted everything up!

At this moment, I do not know if it fixed my problem. I drove it for half an hour in hilly roads and it stayed smooth, but that's not the same conditions as normal. I won't truly know until Tuesday, and I will be shitting bricks the second I get on Grandview Road and reach 45mph to feel that shift. Will I have pissed away $200? Will I be happy* with the change? Won't know until then.

Pictures!

Donk-tastic way of hogging his only lift.


My car, jacked up. Once both sides are lifted it has a strange 4x4 stance


The pan. Damn siderail getting in the way


For clearance, remove the lower torque strut mount and this 21mm bolt on the passenger side, then raise the engine...


...giving you just enough clearance to fit a socket wrench. It worked perfectly for me using a 10mm 1/4" drive with a 3/8" adapter.


The solenoids are all readily accessible. Three on the right have a 4-bolt bracket, three on the left are individually bolted.


Pan was pretty good. No severe metal particles.


My overall workstation.





*relatively speaking. overall happiness has been near zero since the 7th. again, nobody IRL to talk to, whining like an emo bitch to you guys.
 
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#2 ·
Looks like a job well done, hopefully that takes care of your issue. Post back with your results. I for one would never tackle a trans problem so I think its pretty cool to see someone tackle a job like this on their own.

Good luck.
 
#3 ·
Problem's still there. (Dammit).

My guide makes a reference to two other parts, located under a different cover -- Shift Solenoid F and Pressure Control Solenoid B.
PCSB is identified as controlling the pressure of each clutch.

Another part of the guide also shows a Transmission Fluid Pressure Switch, but gives no part number or location.

Talking to the guy I bought the solenoid kit from again, seeing if he can supply any of those.
 
#5 ·
[quote author=blackfusion06 link=topic=209716.msg4224570#msg4224570 date=1335902444]
glad i have a v6 the trans pan is easy peasy to remove. good luck with tracking down problem.
[/quote]

at least my valve body isn't priced in the quad-digits ;)
 
#7 ·
My 2007 Fusion i4 auto, (FNR5) has this exact same problem since about 80K miles, now have 125K on it and refuse to pay for a new trans until this one falls out. Anyway, I had a local trans shop change the solenoids as well and when I picked up the car they said it was fixed. So I drove it about 15 miles and the problem was still there. Took it back and they offered to rebuild the trans for $3,500. I wasn't so much mad that it wasn't fixed because I actually had my doubts it would be... but that they told me it was. It only happens when the trans is at full operating temperature, until then it shifts silky smooth. So, I was thinking about putting on an external transmission cooler in line to add some cooling and also an extra quart of fluid. I don't know if it will work, but $30 is better than $3,500 right now. Since I drive almost all highway miles it's not really an issue until I'm driving in the city, and then it really bangs into 4th unless I let off the gas right before it shifts. I have considered getting a used trans for about 1K at the bone yard and changing it myself, but just don't have time to put into it. Also, I'm not entirely sure that it is not the torque converter, so I would be pissed if I replaced or repaired the trans only to find out the torque converter was shot.
 
#9 ·
After reading reviews of people saying their transmissions shifted smoother with a cooler, I purchased a Hayden 403... I'll try to install it next weekend when it arrives.
 
#10 ·
Research update, since I know my old solenoids were fine I'll reuse them on the uppers I hadn't replaced. Curiously the three identical solenoids actually had a different part number for the first shift (ssa) compared to the other two. Did i put the right one in by dumb luck or did it not matter...? Do you know if your shop did SSF and PCSB under the battery tray?
 
#14 ·
[quote author=ahanix1989 link=topic=209716.msg4224367#msg4224367 date=1335879296]
Problem's still there. (Dammit).

My guide makes a reference to two other parts, located under a different cover -- Shift Solenoid F and Pressure Control Solenoid B.
PCSB is identified as controlling the pressure of each clutch.

Another part of the guide also shows a Transmission Fluid Pressure Switch, but gives no part number or location.

Talking to the guy I bought the solenoid kit from again, seeing if he can supply any of those.
[/quote]

There is a product on the market that been around since the late 1960s called Trans-X. I have used it in many automatic transmissions & power steering with great luck. Before I rip a transmission down, I would try it. I have never had bad luck using this product. It has a cleaning effect on the valve body and also softens the hard seals. Run it for a while and drain and replace the fluid.

The Best of Luck to You.
 
#15 ·
MIne is 07 Fusion SE 74k Fnr5 autoTransmission.
I have exactly same problem. I am thinking what to do, but have no Idea.
I added sort of transmission treatment, but still it jerks or hard shifting between 3rd and 4th gear.
I've read all of your posts, however I still don't see the solution.
So did you or you guys fix your transmission problem? IF so, guys please let me know how you did.
I am totally frustrated. :x
 
#19 ·
I recently got the code P0772 shift solenoid e stuck on. I was near 100,000 kms so it was time to change the tranny fluid anyways. Did that, cleared the code and was good for a week. Wrench light came on, hard downshifting when coming to a stop. Went to a tranny place, they checked/cleared codes and it was good for another week. Wrench light back on. So im taking it to Ford next week. Of course now the wrench light is off and the car runs fine, its intermittent. I just hope i dont waste a bunch of money having them check a problem that doesnt happen when its in the shop. The offered a kind of goodwill repair since its just out of powertrian warranty. 5 years/100k in Canada.

This car is only worth maybe 9k cdn, id be pissed if the tranny had to be replaced.
 
#22 ·
My solution now is to sell the car to my sister, who doesn't drive far enough to cause the problem anyway (and upgrading from a 96 Neon 3-speed, she won't feel a difference if it DOES happen)
 
#24 ·
So...I don't share this problem with you guys since I have a brand spanking new 2013, but what I can offer you is some advice from lessons I learned on my 2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible.

First, a couple of questions:

1. Do your cars have a TCM (Tranny Control Module)? Its similar to the ECM (Engine Control Module) that most cars have these days. Not being familiar with Ford's approach to electronic controls, I have to ask.

2. If they do have this module, have any of you tried swapping it out?

3. If you have tried swapping it out, did it make a difference? (I am willing to bet that it did for a little while before the problem came back.)



If one or more of you can answer these questions, I may be able to offer some help.
 
#28 ·
Well...if you had the TCM reprogrammed and/or replaced, then there is really only one thing left...the wiring.

In my Sebring, the TCM would sense a tranny error and throw the code. Once it did that, it would immediately kick into something called "limp home" mode.

When troubleshooting computer codes, always remember to verify the wire harness is not the issue. This may require routing a temp jumper wire to see id you can clear the code, but that is much less expensive than the solenoid or TCM.

Good luck. I hope you find a solution soon.
 
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