[relicsncoins]

2005 Focus ZX4 transmission problems. Photos added.

Hi Folks, looking for some advice on a trasmission problem my daughter is having with her focus. She was driving about 30 miles an hour when she lost power. she pulled into a parking lot and called me.

I arrived and tried to put the car in gear. I would not go into reverse and felt like it was in park. I put in in neutral and rolled it out of the parking space. I then put it in drive and it felt like it was in 3rd or 4th gear. I drove it around the parking lot and it felt like it was trying to shift down but wouldn't engage and the RPM's would go up. Also, the OD off light started flashing.

I towed the car home and started researching what could be the problem. The fluid was full but smelt burnt. I dropped the pan and there was some metal around the magnet. I replaced all of the shift solenoids and filter. Still the same problem. I pulled the end of the transmission off to gain access to the intermediate band. The band came right out without having to loosen the retaining screw. The band has lots of striation on it. Is it possible the band slipped off the two retaining screws and this caused the problem?

I'm going to replace the band and will keep this thread updated. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[amc49]

One end of band is held by a servo piston above the valve body, sometimes they break loose the pin that engages the band. Common on that trans. Band should not be able to come out without pulling at least the outside bolt on case.

Valve body comes off then pull the 3 bolt triangular/round cover to get to piston. May have to pull a manual linkage shaft somewhat to get the piston out. 2 small seals between VB and case, don't lose them.

The drum the band goes around must be dead smooth or further issues coming. If you had metal-to-metal there needs fixing.

 

[relicsncoins]

One end of band is held by a servo piston above the valve body, sometimes they break loose the pin that engages the band. Common on that trans. Band should not be able to come out without pulling at least the outside bolt on case.

Valve body comes off then pull the 3 bolt triangular/round cover to get to piston. May have to pull a manual linkage shaft somewhat to get the piston out. 2 small seals between VB and case, don't lose them.

The drum the band goes around must be dead smooth or further issues coming. If you had metal-to-metal there needs fixing.

Thanks for the info. When I took the end plate off, I put a jack under the motor and and removed the lower transmission mount and the upper motor
mount on the driver's side. I lowered the jack slowly, but the transmission/motor did not drop enough for me to pull the drum out. It hits the firewall, and I need it to come down about 1/2 inch more. Is there a trick to get this drum out?

 

[amc49]

Depends on what hitting firewall. Think of engine/trans mounting as a child's swingset. Engine and trans are the two ends of the set. Remove the lower trans mount and engine/trans can be swung easily backwards and forwards like a kid's swing on end of chain. Meaning you can create more space at back by swinging trans forward although its' weight will play games with you.

With end cover off and band removed, direct/reverse drum simply slides off, it may well do it when you pull cover and fall on floor depending on angle you got there.

Look close at end cover stub shaft sticking out and the seal ring grooves, a common high wear area there.

 

[relicsncoins]

Depends on what hitting firewall. Think of engine/trans mounting as a child's swingset. Engine and trans are the two ends of the set. Remove the lower trans mount and engine/trans can be swung easily backwards and forwards like a kid's swing on end of chain. Meaning you can create more space at back by swinging trans forward although its' weight will play games with you.

With end cover off and band removed, direct/reverse drum simply slides off, it may well do it when you pull cover and fall on floor depending on angle you got there.

Look close at end cover stub shaft sticking out and the seal ring grooves, a common high wear area there.

Thanks, I can't pull the drum straight out because I don't have enough room between it and the firewall. The top of the drum hits the bottom of the firewall right before it's ready to come out. I was thinking about putting a healthy dose of WD40 on the upper engine mount posts and jacking it back up and dropping it again to see if it will drop the half inch needed to clear the firewall. How hard is it to find a replacement band and the OD piston? It sounds like the OD piston failed because I was able to pull the band out easily without having to loosen the bolt that goes through the top of the case.

 

[sailor]

I'm confused.

Why remove the rear lower mount & the engine mount, leaving the transmission mount attached? When the purpose is to drop the transmission side? I'm missing something here.

 

[amc49]

'...lower transmission mount and the upper motor
mount on the DRIVER'S side.'

Caps mine. I almost missed that too, he calls the driver side a motor mount when it's actually trans. I'm hoping anyway...............

'The top of the drum hits the bottom of the firewall...'

OP, you mean driver side inner fenderwell of course, not firewall.............trans drops down on driver side to allow access behind where tire normally is. Driver axle may need to be out for room and to avoid axle limiting the drop there. Can even break axle CV joint if pulled out of plane enough. I'm curious as to how end cover came off if drum hits 'firewall', drum is smaller in OD than the end cover. Pic would be nice if possible.

Piston and band are available............band bolt on other end of band is select fit as to length and how you adjust band clearance FYI. Ford makes more than one length bolt for that.

 

[relicsncoins]

'...lower transmission mount and the upper motor
mount on the DRIVER'S side.'

Caps mine. I almost missed that too, he calls the driver side a motor mount when it's actually trans. I'm hoping anyway...............

'The top of the drum hits the bottom of the firewall...'

OP, you mean driver side inner fenderwell of course, not firewall.............trans drops down on driver side to allow access behind where tire normally is. Driver axle may need to be out for room and to avoid axle limiting the drop there. Can even break axle CV joint if pulled out of plane enough. I'm curious as to how end cover came off if drum hits 'firewall', drum is smaller in OD than the end cover. Pic would be nice if possible.



Piston and band are available............band bolt on other end of band is select fit as to length and how you adjust band clearance FYI. Ford makes more than one length bolt for that.

I removed the single horizontal bolt on the back/bottom of the transmission (toward the rear of the vehicle). I then put a jack under the motor and removed the 5 nuts on the motor mount under the batter tray. I then lowered the Jack slowly and it came down about 1 inch. Enough to access all of the bolts on the end cover with a socket except the two top bolts that I had to get with a box wrench because the space between the fender wall (sorry, not firewall) and the top 2 bolts was two narrow to get with a socket. The cover came right off. The drum seems to have a shaft and gear attached to the back of it that extends into the transmission and it won't clear the housing before the front of the drum (closest to me) makes contact with the fender wall. Thanks. BTW, I can see the drum when it's partially out and it has a fair amount of striation on it.

 

[amc49]

Pull other lower back trans mount bolt and remove the entire 'dogbone' as they call it here. Gives you more room. The 'motor' mount is a trans mount under battery tray, you'll drive parts guys crazy calling it a motor mount. Only one of those, on passenger side. One motor mount and two trans mounts. You should be able to get more than just one inch drop driver side there, people do it all the time.

When/if drum comes out see if you can simply reach in and handle the servo piston rod tip that pins other end of band, if it rattles loose it is broken.

 

[amc49]

When I say 'people do it all the time' I may be full of crap. I know they have pulled and changed band but no mention of yanking direct/reverse clutch drum. I know what is in the trans and do all my own ATX repair but I have not had to go where you are yet. Not that I couldn't but at this time it appears you are the test guinea pig there.

Just thought it might be good to be clear on things.

If drum is scarred up the important thing is the HIGHSPOTS that will chew up a new band, if you get drum out and sand the OD where band rides to smooth again, it may well be OK. Small lows may work fine as long as not really scarred bad. The band MUST spin easily with no drag though so the highs need to be gone.

 

[amc49]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8hMnLdRF7U

Shows what to look for on the end cover as far as wear issues. Mazda and Ford trans almost the same, the end cover on Ford is more durable but the wear issue the same.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...u-xR54I0Y2JZ-XOG9-2k0tw&bvm=bv.85970519,d.eXY

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...4OXxRNfK6xh2HvXAGP3UtAw&bvm=bv.85970519,d.eXY

More there about broken servo pin and end cover wear..............

 

[relicsncoins]

When I say 'people do it all the time' I may be full of crap. I know they have pulled and changed band but no mention of yanking direct/reverse clutch drum. I know what is in the trans and do all my own ATX repair but I have not had to go where you are yet. Not that I couldn't but at this time it appears you are the test guinea pig there.

Just thought it might be good to be clear on things.

If drum is scarred up the important thing is the HIGHSPOTS that will chew up a new band, if you get drum out and sand the OD where band rides to smooth again, it may well be OK. Small lows may work fine as long as not really scarred bad. The band MUST spin easily with no drag though so the highs need to be gone.

Is the shaft on the back the reverse drum suppose to separate from the drum? The lower transmission mount is free, and with that shaft on the back of the drum it will not clear the fenderwall unless I get the tranny to come down another half inch or so. I can reach the piston and it's tight, no play at all. Since it's a piston should it move in and out? It has no movement at all. I would really like to get that drum out to inspect behind it.

As a recap, the intermediate band pulled out without loosening that adjustment bolt it appeared to come off the piston somehow.

 

[relicsncoins]

Here are some photos.

First is the drum against the fenderwall. I can't tilt it enough to clear the fenderwall with the shaft on the back.

Here is the Piston.

Shot of the band with the excessive wear.

Here is the end cover. Never tore into one of these, so not sure if this is excessive wear or not.

 

[relicsncoins]

Another quick update. I was finally able to get that drum off by putting a fair amount of weight on the transmission to drop it down enough to get it out. Unfortunately, I didn't like what I found behind it. There was snap ring that was partially off that holds a gear in place. The reason if came off is because there are tabs on it that hold it in place and several were broken off. Here is a photo of the tabs I'm talking about. What do you think is the transmission shot, or can I repair this back end?

 

[sailor]

amc's the expert on these, I haven't been in one yet on a Focus.

Last picture caught my eye though, might just be the pic, but I'm seeing one planetary gear where I'd expect it - one that looks out of place - and one that looks stripped (or maybe I'm not seeing it at all).

 

[relicsncoins]

amc's the expert on these, I haven't been in one yet on a Focus.

Last picture caught my eye though, might just be the pic, but I'm seeing one planetary gear where I'd expect it - one that looks out of place - and one that looks stripped (or maybe I'm not seeing it at all).

You're not seeing things. The planetary gears are shot. Do you know how this planetary gear assembly comes out? I thought it would just pull straight out, but it won't budge.