Alan Peters
Well-Known Member
I read this some where online and gave a friend some adviceon his Explorer. The claim was the computer resets so trans relearns things all over again. Is this true?
Does disconnecting the battery cable correct harsh shifting????
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FlipTrac_511
Well-Known Member
Yes.
Alan Peters
Well-Known Member
Ok. I thought I gave bad advice, really bad advice.
mike oyler
Member
If there is a problem with the tranny, it wont fix that. But it will cause the tranny to relearn your driving style and make shifts accordingly.
FlipTrac_511
Well-Known Member
Big Al, I was answering the question in your message but I forgot what your message title said. Fitter is right, it won't make a real tranny problem go away, but from my experience, disconnecting the battery, flashing the highbeams (to purge remaining power, so I've read), and letting it sit for about half an hour has always resulted in seemingly torquier performance. *edit* At least, for a while, until the computer "relearns".
I also think that the Trac's adaptive computer (or whatever you call it) doesn't like switching from agressive driving to a light-footed one. From my experience it induces the flair. But I also wonder if this is XCal tune related. This was happening to me again just recently, using an old XCal performance tune. So I flashed back to stock, disconnected the batt., activated the high-beams, and let it sit for about an hour. Ever since, the minor flair has disappeared and the Trac's been driving great (aside from a pulley rattling, another story).
At about 28K miles (10K miles ago), I started noticing a flair while using the XCal tune. I flashed back to stock without using the ritual above and afterwards the flair was still there and with a vengeance. Took it to the purchasing dealer right away and it was diagnosed as "erratic" so they put in a reman. tranny and put in a new cooler up front.
Going back to about 8K miles, again I noticed the flair after going from heavy to light-footed driving. Flashed back to stock and took it to the dealer. After a solenoid replacement and tranny flush it disappeared.
So, take my experience for what it's worth. Resetting the Trac's computer may or may not make a tranny flair disappear. Maybe I just need a replacement XCal tune?
P.S. Forgot to mention, a few months ago I also decided to up the EPC pressure.
I also think that the Trac's adaptive computer (or whatever you call it) doesn't like switching from agressive driving to a light-footed one. From my experience it induces the flair. But I also wonder if this is XCal tune related. This was happening to me again just recently, using an old XCal performance tune. So I flashed back to stock, disconnected the batt., activated the high-beams, and let it sit for about an hour. Ever since, the minor flair has disappeared and the Trac's been driving great (aside from a pulley rattling, another story).
At about 28K miles (10K miles ago), I started noticing a flair while using the XCal tune. I flashed back to stock without using the ritual above and afterwards the flair was still there and with a vengeance. Took it to the purchasing dealer right away and it was diagnosed as "erratic" so they put in a reman. tranny and put in a new cooler up front.
Going back to about 8K miles, again I noticed the flair after going from heavy to light-footed driving. Flashed back to stock and took it to the dealer. After a solenoid replacement and tranny flush it disappeared.
So, take my experience for what it's worth. Resetting the Trac's computer may or may not make a tranny flair disappear. Maybe I just need a replacement XCal tune?
P.S. Forgot to mention, a few months ago I also decided to up the EPC pressure.
Last edited by a moderator:
Chris Kulbaba
Well-Known Member
An Xcal2 corrects it better than disconnecting the battery 
Chris Whitman
Active Member
When you call it a Flair? What does this refer to?
Cheers
Whit
Cheers
Whit
FlipTrac_511
Well-Known Member
Flair = Slipping
Disconnecting the battery erases the computer's memory. The computer now has to relearn how you drive your vehicle and make adjustments accordingly. This happens very quickly since the computer just keeps averaging the last few adjusments until it zeros in on the best compromise settings, which is probably very close to where it was gefore you disconnected the battery.
Does this cure a sick transmission...No! It may temporarily improve the shifting, but if the problem is the 2-3 flare it will return very soon.
...Rich
Does this cure a sick transmission...No! It may temporarily improve the shifting, but if the problem is the 2-3 flare it will return very soon.
...Rich
Chris Whitman
Active Member
If there is a Flare at 2 and 3 what is the issue?? Does this mean the Tranny is going??
If the flare is else where what might be the issue?
So you say "This happens very quickly since the computer just keeps averaging the last few adjusments until it zeros in on the best compromise settings, which is probably very close to where it was gefore you disconnected the battery."
Does this mean its not worth disconnecting the battery because it will just go back to the way it was before quickly?
Cheers
Whit
If the flare is else where what might be the issue?
So you say "This happens very quickly since the computer just keeps averaging the last few adjusments until it zeros in on the best compromise settings, which is probably very close to where it was gefore you disconnected the battery."
Does this mean its not worth disconnecting the battery because it will just go back to the way it was before quickly?
Cheers
Whit
Spencer Hammond
Member
I've had my 07 in a couple of times for the harsh shifting between gears 1 and 2. Both times there was a new program for the computer so obviously ford is trying to fix this issue. I believe for me the problem is sometimes I pull a boat. It seems like a more intuitive transmition would be one that had a setting for towing and one without since obviously you apply way more gas accelerating while towing heavy objects.
Yes, I am saying that disconnecting the battery to clear the computer will not resolve the 2-3 shift flare for more than an hour or two of operation maybe even less. It doesn't hurt anything to try it, but 99.99% of the time it will have little or no effect, and if there is any reduction in the 2-3 shift flare, it will return very soon.
The flare is caused by sticking solenoid valves in the transmission valvebody. This causes the slow sloppy shifts because the transmission will not shift into the next gear until the previous gear is released. This has been a problem with the earlier 4 speed design and ithe same designe was used for the 5E55R 5 speed transmissions used in the Sport Trac. Ford even added sensor to detect when the gears were slow shifting but that did not solve the problem...I think it made it worse.
Tuners like the Xcal-2 are usually programmed to increase the line pressure in the transmission which overcomes the sticking shift valves. Anything that increases the transmission line pressure can reduce or eliminate the shift flare.
A good preventetive measure is to change/flush your transmission fluid a little sooner than the 30K mile recommended interval. I had my fluid flushed in my 2001 Sport Trac at 30K miles and notice a major improvement in the performance even though there was never a shift flare problem. In my 2003 Sport Trac I changed the fluid at 21K miles. I never had any problems before the flush and never noticed any difference after the flush. That indicates to me that the fluid probably did not need changing on the 2003, but was probably needed on the 2001 Sport Trac.
I would recommend changin fluid at about 25K miles for most Sport Trac, and at 20K miles if you do a lot of towing.
If you have the shift flare when shifting to other gears, your fluid is probably past due for changing and you should have the transmission fluid flushed ASAP. It sounds like all the solenoid valves are sticking and you may be causing excessive wear on the clutches and bands. That will require a full rebuilt to replace clutches, etc.
...Rich
The flare is caused by sticking solenoid valves in the transmission valvebody. This causes the slow sloppy shifts because the transmission will not shift into the next gear until the previous gear is released. This has been a problem with the earlier 4 speed design and ithe same designe was used for the 5E55R 5 speed transmissions used in the Sport Trac. Ford even added sensor to detect when the gears were slow shifting but that did not solve the problem...I think it made it worse.
Tuners like the Xcal-2 are usually programmed to increase the line pressure in the transmission which overcomes the sticking shift valves. Anything that increases the transmission line pressure can reduce or eliminate the shift flare.
A good preventetive measure is to change/flush your transmission fluid a little sooner than the 30K mile recommended interval. I had my fluid flushed in my 2001 Sport Trac at 30K miles and notice a major improvement in the performance even though there was never a shift flare problem. In my 2003 Sport Trac I changed the fluid at 21K miles. I never had any problems before the flush and never noticed any difference after the flush. That indicates to me that the fluid probably did not need changing on the 2003, but was probably needed on the 2001 Sport Trac.
I would recommend changin fluid at about 25K miles for most Sport Trac, and at 20K miles if you do a lot of towing.
If you have the shift flare when shifting to other gears, your fluid is probably past due for changing and you should have the transmission fluid flushed ASAP. It sounds like all the solenoid valves are sticking and you may be causing excessive wear on the clutches and bands. That will require a full rebuilt to replace clutches, etc.
...Rich
