Quick help with my 46RE

[Falkkon]

SO! New member, don't crucify for not searching (I did), but would like some general thoughts about the 46RE I just finished "fixing".

Back story:
Was slip shifting shortly after putting some gas station fluid in (leak in the cooler). Change the cooler. CES came on with a code for the TCC solenoid. Look it all up, looks like a common problem with the valvebody. No worries. Get some ramps, get my parts and pulled the valvebody out today. Pan had like one or two pieces of metal. Good thing I bought that boost spring retainer! Oil was black.

Drop the valve body. Clean it up as best I can, clean the pan out, replace the TCC Solenoid, Governor Pressure Solenoid (with the heavy duty BW one), boost retainer, new gaskets. Spray clean with sensor cleaner.

Adjusted the rear and front brake bands (and MAN were they loose). Get it all back in.

Now, it's kind of slip shifting but smoothly, if that makes sense. It will ride in the 2500-3000 range, if I goose it and let go, it'll shift for 2-3. On the way back from getting gas (got it up to 60mph decently), the OD Off light came on and wouldn't let me put it in OD. So, the ATF+4 is overheating, I guess. No codes came back.

Am I correct in thinking it's probably still just some crap in the valvebody that needs time to push through, and the overheat issue was some of the oil being a little thin from the cleaner? That's what I'm hoping it is.

Thanks for the help in advance,
JP

 

[dapepper9]

Does the converter go into lockup at all?

 

[Falkkon]

Yeah, it shifts, TC stalls, engages yada yada. It's just.... funny. So, let me describe it this way:

I put it in drive, step on the gas a little, it moves. Gets up to about 40-50kph (sorry, no freedom units) where a gentle acceleration would normally shift into second gear. Sometimes it does. Other times, I have to step hard on the gas, bringing the RPM to about 3500-4000 before it shifts. And, not every time. The first time around the block, it shifted all over the spectrum - to the point where if I let off the gas it felt like it was dragging, if that makes sense. Bring it back home, shut off, grab a coffee, take it to get gas. Shifts smoothly, when it shifts. When it doesn't, I have to gas it to get it to change gears. THEN, on the way back up the highway, O/D Off light came on and wouldn't allow me to put it in OD (which sounds to me like I got an air bubble in the cooler lines when I drained it.

Also? I put in like 6-7 quarts. I drained a LOT of fluid, as much as I could, but no matter how much I put in it didn't seem to register on the stick until then. To fill, I started with 4 litres (approx 4 quarts). I figured this would be enough to fill the pan. Neutral, park brake on, rev to 2000 for 15 seconds, check stick. Add more. Repeat.

 

[dapepper9]

40-50kph is a bit high for a 1-2 shift under "gentle" acceleration. That's more like a 2-3.

Still have the cooler line check valve?

 

[Falkkon]

Only did the one line when I pulled it, and it didn't have one. The other side did, but didn't want to wreck the line when it didn't want to spin so I left it alone.

 

[dapepper9]

Pull this one and clean it out if it's there

It's possible it's clogged up which can cause a lot of these issues

 

[Falkkon]

Heading out now, will report back in about half an hour.

 

[Falkkon]

OK, I'm back. Took less than half an hour. Cold fluid yields this: 1-2 @ 30kph, NICE, 2-3 @ 50kph, REAL NICE, OD engages, plenty of smooth power. Get home after going around the block 4 or 5 times, start to back into my space, and the reverse gear doesn't want to engage. It does, but with gas I'm basically idling back. It crawled into my spot.

 

[dapepper9]

OK, I'm back. Took less than half an hour. Cold fluid yields this: 1-2 @ 30kph, NICE, 2-3 @ 50kph, REAL NICE, OD engages, plenty of smooth power. Get home after going around the block 4 or 5 times, start to back into my space, and the reverse gear doesn't want to engage. It does, but with gas I'm basically idling back. It crawled into my spot.

So it's really only slipping in reverse now?

 

[Falkkon]

Yes, and by slipping I mean hardly engaging. I think a driveway would have given me more momentum. Hell, if I hung my ass off the front of the truck and farted it would have moved faster.

I didn't get to test 4th gear, but that's the situation now.

 

[dapepper9]

How's fluid level now?

Also, when you adjusted the rear band what did you adjust it to?

 

[Falkkon]

So, as you know, the 2002's are weird - they don't have the t40 torx and a 3/4" locknut, they have a square adjuster screw and 11/16" locknut. For it, I used a 8mm wrench and a torx on the other end of the wrench to set it to the spec as though I had the adapter. 48 inch pounds I think? Much tighter than it previously was, then backed it out two full turns, counting each point as I went. I pulled it back a little more than 2 turns so that when I locked the locknut down to 25 ft lbs it was in the right spot.

*edited to change to 8mm wrench*

*also edit*

Fluid when parked and off now is a smidge above max.

 

[dapepper9]

The built trans in my 01 is the same way. It should be 72in/lbs. I use in/lbs a lot for work and the force difference isn't all that much. However it would be a good place to start assuming fluid level is currently good

 

[Falkkon]

Thanks, I thought you were going to tell me I need to replace my entire rear band. I'd have said **** on it and park it in the back yard until I can pull and rebuild the whole thing. I've got the steels frictions and soft parts, just not a jack that will go high enough.

I should be OK to drive it around though, just not back up, ya think? I've got 3 weeks left until I'm off for the summer.

 

[dapepper9]

Yeah it should be fine if you can pull forward through everything and you don't use manual 1st gear. Reverse and manual 1st are the only times the rear band is applied

 

[dapepper9]

Also if you haven't already, you should download the factory service manual here in the diy (i think) section. Goldmine. Ive actually been using it the entire time ive been replying. Has a decent troubleshooting tree, not perfect, but decent. Gotta read through it a bit

 

[Falkkon]

Hah, I will. Last time I thought I had a manual, I ended up printing a 300 page parts diagram list. I never thought to try putting it in manual 1st. If it drives fine in man 1, it would be the frictions? If it does the same thing, the band?

 

[dapepper9]

I didn't think about that. Manual first should be a bit ****** if its the band yeah

 

[dapepper9]

The service manual is like 2500 pages or something stupid like that. Massive. But it has everything for ther V6s, V8s, V10s, Diesels. Autos, manuals. All there lol

 

[Falkkon]

Nevermind, I couldn't wait. Went out, popped it into man 1, moved forward just fine. Reverse? FINE. I think some crap was still floating in the VB. I'll drive it Monday, and come back crying if it craps out. My truck's an *******.

*edit* I never said thank you. I never would have guessed that a check valve on a line I touched maybe once last year would have been the problem.