5R55S: She's Dead Jim. Or Maybe Not?

[don_w]

I agree with Paul. Generally speaking, you'd want a higher stall for an N/A car, since the peak torque is higher up the rpm band. I think guys like spyder are running 3800 or more. But, if you plan on going FI some day, I'd say keep it in the 3000-3500 range.

Oh, and take it from me... you only want to do this once. Like Paul, my first TC was a POS, so I ended up buying two. The PI triple disc isn't cheap (almost $1000), but it's been proven to be very durable on boosted cars.

 

[Charlie Sheen]

Ford just called. They can't find a leak and said the car isn't making any noise. I must have imagined this...

View attachment 1285

My car is possessed. The TCI 5R55S will not be available until the end of August. I could wait for that or try to get the car down to Adam and let him and Tony at Larry's do a tag team on it. I know Adam's pretty busy so there's probably a good chance that would take just as long. Maybe a third choice - take the tranny out here and ship (or drive 6 hrs each way) that to Larry's. Too much drama and it's almost beer-thirty.

 

[delurker]

Did you do a dna test to make sure the "sample" is yours?

 

[Charlie Sheen]

I watched it drip.

 

[Screamn03]

When third gear started doing the "slip-n-slide" and then would go back to shifting did it shift correctly? Would it slap the gears WOT? If it did go back to normal then it makes me wonder about the shift solenoid(s).

The fluid thing is weird, what happens if you overfill one of these transmissions (not the Ford would ever do that)?

 

[Charlie Sheen]

3rd slipped when I drove it like a normal person. At WOT it would shift hard.

 

[silverpoison]

Ford just called. They can't find a leak and said the car isn't making any noise. I must have imagined this...

View attachment 1285

My car is possessed. The TCI 5R55S will not be available until the end of August. I could wait for that or try to get the car down to Adam and let him and Tony at Larry's do a tag team on it. I know Adam's pretty busy so there's probably a good chance that would take just as long. Maybe a third choice - take the tranny out here and ship (or drive 6 hrs each way) that to Larry's. Too much drama and it's almost beer-thirty.

Time for a 4r70w or a AOD...my 2cents...

 

[Slofoot]

I can't speak for Bret but mine would not shift into third at all under any kind of heavy load. I had to lift for it to shift. If I put the tranny in third gear manually and floored it mine hit the rev limiter almost immediately. The blown servo seal was the culprit allowing the drum band to not clamp properly in third gear thus destroying the band ,drum, and clutches. Also if the tanny is overfilled it will vent fluid out of the top and smoke like a big dog at the big end of the track (tranny fluid on hot exhaust). The track peeps thought I blew my engine! After three passes or so the smoking and fluid blow out stopped.

 

[Charlie Sheen]

Just got back from Ford. As they pulled the car up it sounded like it had gravel where the tranny fluid was supposed to be. The service writer dude then proceeded to rip another guy a new one. I looked at him and said "Now you know I'm not making this shit up". On the bright side, I didn't get arrested.

 

[ChevyKiller]

I can't speak for Bret but mine would not shift into third at all under any kind of heavy load. I had to lift for it to shift. If I put the tranny in third gear manually and floored it mine hit the rev limiter almost immediately. The blown servo seal was the culprit allowing the drum band to not clamp properly in third gear thus destroying the band ,drum, and clutches. Also if the tanny is overfilled it will vent fluid out of the top and smoke like a big dog at the big end of the track (tranny fluid on hot exhaust). The track peeps thought I blew my engine! After three passes or so the smoking and fluid blow out stopped.

This is similiar to what happened to me last week. Turns out Art Carr uses a cheap plastic $3.00 clip to hold their crap together!!

Naturally, the clip broke, the servo seal blew and the tranny was left high and dry which naturally shredded EVERYTHING in it. Tony at Larry's Transmissions has the trans just about finished and props to him for doing a damn near complete rebuild in three days...

Anyhoo, he ended up fabbing up his own clip to withstand my abuse and barring the arrival of the new TC, I'll be back in action next week. Running dry, I had a similiar reaction Kev, any gas at all in any gear, and the car would just instantly bump the rev limiter.

I think Im going to go ahead and use the PI multidisc as well even though with my no lock-up, I don't think the TC is that big of an issue with me cause it's not getting the abuse you lock-up guys are giving it but I'm not in a hurry togo through this shit again so might was well try to build it the best the first time I suppose.

Once again, it's all about building the shit bigger, strongr, faster.... you get the idea...lol

 

[thump_rrr]

Glad they finally figured out that you're not imagining things.

BTW Is there any way to buy shares in Larry's Transmission shop?

 

[ChevyKiller]

If adam gets more customers, I just may have to buy a stake in that place. 6 transmisions he's done in the last 2 weeks of ST customers.

Good news is I don't know of anyone who has had to make a repeat visit to him after he's worked on it...

If we coud just have tranny's that don't need to go to him in the first place we'd be in business. Nah, I think S197's will be paying his bills for quite some time...

 

[lostsoul]

I hope they can test your car out right and find the issues. IF the Tranny needs to get rebuilt I say we tow it to your place and rip it out and send it south. Or if you want to wait for that new model to come out. I'm trying to fight for some vacation time they owe me so lets hope the stars algin right

 

[silverbull1tt]

6 transmisions he's done in the last 2 weeks of ST customers.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? eek.

 

[cekim]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? eek.

Seems the stock slush... er automatic transmission (for Don), is showing its limits with the power hungry ST crowd... Better than not knowing, but now added to the "what's gonna break when I hit xHP list"....

 

[psfracer]

Yeah, it looks like FI cars at 12psi + is hard on the trans, especially when you consider the daily driven miles on top of the racing. When my trans started acting weird, it had 61K miles, about 170 nitrous passes, and a few passes on the new whipple set up. So, I figured I was due anyway.

So far the trans that Tony built at Larry's Transmission is holding up good, but honestly its just to early to tell. After I get 40 more passes on the car and about 3,000 commuter miles on the car (10 weeks) I think I will be able to give an honest review on the performance.

 

[Charlie Sheen]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? eek.

Good thing. Adam knows these S197s pretty well.

 

[TheBOSS]

Here's a pic of my 5R55S after I twisted the input shaft into pieces.......Happened on the 3-4 upshift and scarred the crap out of me, I thought the motor blew!!

 

[don_w]

but now added to the "what's gonna break when I hit xHP list"....

Yeah, it looks like FI cars at 12psi + is hard on the trans

But there have also been a few N/A cars have problems (including Roper).

 

[don_w]

6 transmisions he's done in the last 2 weeks of ST customers

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? eek.

Most (if not all) of those started off as Art Carr trannies (or at least Art Carr converters). I know I went through two Art Carr TCs, which were bad and damaged my trans both times.