Transmission specialist..help me?

[2000Ranger3.slo]

Alright, my wifes car... 2002 Mercury Mountaineer 4.0L V6 4x2

I have posted this concern before but have ruled out a few things and narrowed down a little as well. I just need other folks opinions. So, apparently the transmission in this ride is not the most favorite thing among people as i have heard many horror stories.

My problem is this: When you go from Park to Drive to Reverse to Park and so forth there is this annoying "unhealthy" noise. Almost like a clunk, seems to hesitate a second then clunk into gear. Yesterday i got out underneath it and checked: Trans mount is good, U-joints seem ok, differnetial is full and clean fluid, transmission may have been a little over full but is good now. Anyway, got the wife outside to go through the gears Park/Reverse/Neutral/Drive just random while the engine was running and i was underneath watching/listening.

Going from Park/Reverse vice versa there is a loud click/pop noise at the gear change area on the side of the trans. Not sure of the technical name, but where its all connected on the side of the trans to change the gear. Its almost like something is binding up but its seems to be inside the trans, behind the black module/gear selector. And the clunk noise, which usually happens going to and from Reverse and Drive, seems to be coming from somewhere in the area/maybe inside of where the driveshaft leaves the transmission.

I know this is not the best description of things but I hope that someone reads this and has an idea/thought or something of what could be going on. Let me also say, the transmission shifts smooth with no problems while your driving. Its just the intial putting it in gear that is concerning me with noises. Hope this is in the right place, its like an explorer. Thanks in advance to anyone that reads this. Let me know anymore info I may can give.

 

[PetesPonies]

U-joints are truly difficult to diagnose by looking or grabbing and trying to move them. They can have such pressure on them that a loose joint an seem tight.

 

[adsm08]

Well, this probably would do better in the Trans section, but we'll still try to help you.

There is a "notched" rod on the other side of the gear selector arm, some noise from it can be normal when the shifter is moved, so as long as trans performance seems ok the the shifter isn't binding I wouldn't worry about that noise too much.

As for the noise from farther back, while it's hard to say without being right there, it sounds to me like it's coming from the Park pawl, clunking against its toothed wheel on the output shaft.

Does your wife leave if in park, on hills, without the brake set? That can put extra strain, and sometimes extra wear, on those pawls making them clunk when they engage/disengage.

The 5R55 is a truly frustrating transmission. It will make noises that sound like its about to die, but then perform as if its perfectly healthy, rebuilding them takes more precision than any other AT I've worked on, and if you put the smallest thing back together wrong you may need a whole new trans (information and funny story courtesy of my freshman/sophomore roommate).

How many miles are on this thing?

 

[budro]

Slip Yoke

Could also be the slip yoke on the rear drive shaft. Just put new u-joints on my 92 this weekend and took the slip yoke apart and it was bone dry. I believe that was my problem. I could hear a clink or clunk like a bad u-joint but they looked fine taken out. But looks can be deceiving on these. Just be sure to mark the slip yoke boot and driveshaft so you can get it all aligned like it was. To keep from having any vibrations from out of balance.

Now no noise when going from park to reverse or reverse to drive.

 

[adsm08]

+1

That is also a good possibility.