2002 Transmission

[harddrive747]

I have 2002 Ford Explorer and I have begun to watch the shift patterns of the transmission. As you know it is a 5 speed and the transmission is 5r55w. I thought I read on another form that some of the 5-speed transmission actually have like 6 gears, but only uses five most of the time depending on the temperature.

 

I started to count the number of shifts in it and I have been noticing, at times, that there are 5 shifts, which means that there is six gears in there. Has anyone else seen this?

 

Thanks for letting me know.

[FastTaurusSHO]

hmm, hadn't paid much attention, and since mine is a second vehicle, I haven't driven it in a few weeks.

 

I'll try and count the shifts next time I take her out for some exercise.

[YT90SC]

I have 2002 Ford Explorer and I have begun to watch the shift patterns of the transmission. As you know it is a 5 speed and the transmission is 5r55w. I thought I read on another form that some of the 5-speed transmission actually have like 6 gears, but only uses five most of the time depending on the temperature.

 

I started to count the number of shifts in it and I have been noticing, at times, that there are 5 shifts, which means that there is six gears in there. Has anyone else seen this?

 

Thanks for letting me know.

First a little history. The 5r55 family started out as the C3/C4. It then became the C5. All were 3 speed automatics. IT then became the A4LD, when they put a center support where the pump used to be and forward of that, an overdrive assembly. A4LD originally had mechanical controls with electronic control of the overdrive and torque convertor clutch. It then got full electronic control with the conversion to the 4R44E. But it was still a 4 speed. It became the 5R when someone figured out that you can use the overdrive portion to overdrive the 4R's first gear to 'split' the ratios. The 5R's control strategy has not always been the same. In some applications it skips second under light load. In others, it shifts through all 5 each time. There are slight differences between the E/W/S/N models.

 

The 5r55 family only has 5 forward ratios. The sixth 'shift' you are feeling is the torque convertor locking up. The trans you are thinking of is the Torqshift, which has 6 forward ratios, but only 5 are usedat any given time depending on temp. 4th is not used unless it is cold and then it skips 5th, iirc.

Edited July 29, 2009 by YT90SC