I have a 2004 STX, with 78k miles on it.

Lately I have heard an ever increasing whining noise from it, after looking it up here, most have said it is the alternator bearing. After seeing no difference in the quality of driving, and due to a tight financial budget, I have opted to drive it less and try to keep away from doing damage until I could afford to have it repaired.

Today I was driving and it sputtered. Seemed like it didn't go into gear. I tried to manually shift (it's an automatic), into "1st", and it just wouldn't respond. It has transmission fluid. This is the first time I have had a problem with it. Any ideas?

 

Have you had the transmission flushed lately? If it sounds like a supercharger is under the hood when accelerating then its probably the tranny

 

Sounds like bad news...unfortunately...sorry.... I have a post currently up about my tranny problems. I had a bad whine come about(that I never heard before) right before the tranny went out...completely. In the shop now, and they say its a bad clutch. 71,700 miles....

 

After looking at it more I would say it is the transmission filter being clogged. I am going to flush and change the filter and get back to this thread.

 

So I finally got around to the filter. I dropped the pan, put the filter in, cleaned the magnet, and closed everything up, dumped new fluid in and started it up.

It drove beautifully. Until it started to slip. I got out, and saw tranny fluid was leaking. I didn't bolt the pan in properly. Took it all back out, rebolted the pan in properly, and made sure there was no leak. Started it back up and it wouldn't go into gear. I revved a few times and eventually it went into gear, drove it for about 15 minutes. Parked it and after that it wouldn't go into gear anymore.

The whine went away, it sounded great and it drove perfect, until it wouldn't go into gear anymore.

Looks like I am up for a rebuild.

 

Some of these transmission go forever, some go 70k and dump. Mine blew up at 72k. Both 3rd gear and OD bearings shot. The rebuild seems a hell of a lot better and shifts much smoother, no hiccup. I think I had a lemon, seems you may too...

 

Drop the pan again and make sure the filter didn't come loose.

 

I guess I did, sadly.

I did. When I first put it in, it drove perfect. After I dropped the pan and tried again, it didn't. I did get it to drive for a few minutes but not for long. I guess I can try to drop it again to check just in case, but I am pretty certain it isn't loose.

 

Just had to replace my trans at 103K on an '04 2WD. Luckily I found a used one for $500...The guy who worked on my truck said trans fluid flushes are a waste of money. He said to do this maintenance once or twice a year, or before a long trip:
-drop the pan (gasket is almost always reusable, don't over-tighten)
-clean the magnet
-change the filter
-replace the 5 or 6 q of oil you lost and be on your way!

 

Out of desperation I checked again, it was perfect and the same results. Although reverse still works.

 

The guy who gave you this advice is wrong, don't go back to him. A tranny flush is the only way to get 100% fresh clean fluid through the entire tranny. All the work to put that nice new filter in just to have it clog up again because of the 6-7 quarts of old nasty fluid still in there is alot of work for nothing.

 

When was the last time you saw a Ford tranny filter clog? It's only a screen.

 

Then there's really no need to replace it is there?

My point was that dumping 5-6 quarts of clean fluid into 6-8 quarts of dirty fluid defeats the purpose of a fluid change.

 

...that is the question...this guy's logic seemed sound to me...that a trans is a closed system, unlike engine oil that breaks down and gets tainted by gas/diesel.

Is this way off base? The idea that the trans fluid shouldn't really get "dirty" unless there is a problem with your trans? That the trans won't suffer from cycling in 5-6 q of new oil periodically and reaping the benefits of saving the $100+ for a flush? I'm sure there have been a few "auto treatments" that have been created more for the purposes of making money than for practicality...

 

well when you flush the entire system all contaminants are removed and if you just drop the pan and change the filter you still have same old crap in the fluid just diluted a little . just my thoughts