Transmission upgrade problems

[RMorse]

Transmission upgrade problems 4r55e to 5r55e

1)the year of your truck?
1996

2)What engine?
4.0 OHV

3)Which transmission.
It was the 4r55e, for a year it has been 5r55e

4)2wd or 4x4?
2wd

On to my problem(s). I removed this 5r55e from a 1999 4.0 explorer a year ago. Then I realized I needed the wiring harness and PCM. This will get the truck down the road, however I have problems.

Problem 1:
An extra connection on the wire harness that would connect (I am guessing) to a speed sensor that is located on the output shaft housing. This 5r55e has one speed sensor (guessing again) located on top of the trans next to the output shaft housing. It is connected. Still have the standard connector that would have worked on the 4r55e perfectly. This may be related to problem 2.

Problem 2:
My speedometer was working fine with the 4r55e, now nothing.

Problem 3:
Again these all maybe related. 1st 2nd 4th and 5th shift awesomely, I may be confused if it is 2nd or 3rd that has the problem. When I accelerate 2nd or 3rd takes a moment to shift, not like a slip just consistently hesitant. Also, down shifting is a problem when going down hill and slowing in speed. Takes a sec to get in the proper gear.

Now I do have a solution I think might work. I feel that the PCM out of the explorer might be the problem because of the computer being a Ranger. If I am correct, what PCM should I be using? Also, if I am wrong does anyone that has tried this before have any help they can give to guide me in the right direction?

 

[RMorse]

Anyone, I need some help.

 

[RonD]

1998 to 2000 5R55E doesn't have a speed sensor, the sensor on the top was for OD shifting which was never used, the wires for it were never used as far as I know.

In 2001 and up the 5R55E got the output shaft speed sensor(OSS), which would work with your 1997 wiring, I think speedo should be accurate but never tried it.

So not much you can do about no speedo
And yes, computer also needs speed signal to know best time to shift, your shifting is strictly engine RPM based now

The 1997 Ranger should have rear ABS so a rear axle VSS(vehicle speed sensor), Ford did use that sensor from 1998 to 2000 for the speedometer in the Rangers, BUT(big but) the signal needs to be adjusted to match correct speed for the speedometers.
1997 Speedometer worked with driveshaft speed
1998-00 was rear axle speed
So if rear axle was 3.73:1 ratio then drive shaft does 3.73 revolution for every 1 revolution of the axle, so the pulse counts would be different.
1998 and up used the GEM module to adjust speed signal for tire size.

OSS and VSS are both Variable Reluctance(VR) sensors, so 2 wires, and use/generate same AC voltage/frequency so are interchangeable as signals but not as pulse per minute speed accuracy

EDIT: Dakota Digital makes the SGI 5E speed interface, $85
It could be used with rear axle VSS to adjust pulses to match what '97 speedo and 5R computer need.
It would serve the same purpose as GEM module but cheaper and less hassle to program


FYI, the 4R and 5R are pretty much the same transmission, 55E means for a 4.0l engine, 44E was for 3.0l or 2.3l/2.5l engine.

4R was a 4-speed, and so is the 5R, no new "gear" was added

What Ford did was to add a shift to OD(5th) while still in 1st gear, that gave them the faux "2nd" gear, so this was strictly a software update for the computer shifting program.
4R gear ratios 2.47 /........../ 1.47 / 1.00 / 0.75
5R gear ratios 2.47 / 1.87 / 1.47 / 1.00 / 0.75

2.47 combined with 0.75 = 1.87

So when 1st gear RPMs are high enough computer turns on OD and that is 2nd gear, when RPMs get high enough in "2nd" then computer turns off OD and shifts to 3rd(2nd on 4R)
Very inventive, these Americans

So yes you do need to run a 4.0l computer with the 5R software to get that faux 2nd gear.
But it reads like yours may not be shifting into faux 2nd, probably because of no speed sensor

 

[RMorse]

So I need a 5r comp, a rear axle sensor and the 85 dollar part for the speed sensor adjustment. And my ranger has no abs on the rear axle. So this would probably mean buying a used rear axle with speed sensor in it.

This is note worthy as well, my wiring harness is from a 4.0l 2000 Explorer. Same vehicle that the PCM and Trans was removed from.

 

[tab a]

RMorse, I'm trying to do almost exactly the same thing.

What happened--or didn't happen--before you replaced the PCM and wiring harness?

Did you need to replace the wiring harness BECAUSE you replaced the PCM, or....?

The PCM and GEM are different, yes?

Thanks.

 

[RMorse]

Before I swapped the it wouldn't shift into 3rd gear. It was good going into 1st and 2nd but no 3rd or 4th.

 

[GATMSPORT]

So I M in the process of doing the same swap. I found a thread off of this site that dating back to dec 2008. According to that post the 5r should replace the 4r fine. It just will shift from 1st to 3rd and skip the 2nd that is produced by the over drive in 1st gear thing. A common problem with these transmissions is the input turbine shaft sensor located at the top driverside of tranny. Did you try replacing that by chance? OK