5R55W/E/A4LD comparison coming

[Glacier991]

I finally scored a 5R55W! So now I can do a side by side component comparison with the 5R55W and a 5R55E and the A4LD. This might be interesting.... a super frankentranny? or a new design that leaves the 5R/A4 in the dust? Stay tuned, once it arrives I will be taking it apart and making the comparisons.


Glacier

ps.
Oh and it may beget a 5R55W rebuild diary along the way.

 

[BrooklynBay]

This might be the Frankentranny II project.

 

[Bent Bolt]

I think the guts of a W would fit into a A4LD case but the 1st to 2nd gear ratio would be a concern of mine. The W has a 1st gear ratio of about 3.25 while the E is more like 2.75. 2nd gears are the same so I would think the engine RPM drop would be alot.

 

[Glacier991]

I will appreciate your valued input along the way here Bent Bolt....I am also interested in component versus component upgrades into the W/S/N series, if any.

As an example, in my A4LD Frankentrannies I will use A4LD welded Planetaries.... I do not need the reluctor ring, and so far I do not see aftermarket welded 5R planetaries....

I want to think the W/S/N series had some enginerring upgrades to component parts....

Keep kicking in your thoughts. I value them.

 

[Glacier991]

Glacier screws up

Well my W arrived today. It was from a private seller and the guy was very frank and honest about the tranny and his problems with it. He had shipped the TC separately, and so it was the first thing I unwrapped.

Nice and clean, but I was curious about end play. So out with the tools and I checked end play in the converter. .087in.

The manual says: For a new or rebuild .017in
For used .031in

I think this TC is going to be used as a core. I can't help but wonder if this played into any of his problems.

I'll post a couple pics here later this weekend, and maybe, if I get time delve a little more into this tranny.

ps. I often find that rebuilt TC's fail this end play test. Beware when buying a rebuilt to make sure yours does not.

EDIT: I was troubled by such a HUGE disparity in readings versus spec. I went back and did a little research and realized I was using the wrong testing tool. I was using the tool for an AOD/4R70W and A4LD (yes they share the same tool) and with the 5R55 series FORD changed the torque converters and also provided a new tool to use to measure end play in them. Luckily I have the requisite new tool (OTC 307-360) and when I went back and rechecked, voila the reading NOW ? .019. WELL within spec. This is a good TC end-play wise.

I guess the moral is never assume when building trannies, and when something seems wrong, STOP and think. I'll try and get some pictures up on this thread this weekend.

 

[Glacier991]

Well... I've been exploring the FORD 3ring binder and the ACTUAL 5r55w Tranny and I have to say that the 5R55W is no close cousin of the 5R55E, nor the A4LD.

In fact the 5R55N has things in it more reminiscent of the 4R70W.

One reservation? The OD planetary... it kinda looks too similar. I'll explore that in more detail once I gut this pretty thing.

Obvious external changes (besides the unitary case)? Wow!! the servo sizes!

The OD servo is notably larger.... and the intermediate is HUGE!!!!!!!

(Causing me to want to investigate how to modify the accumulator circuits to make the intermediate servo on the A4LD and 5R accomodate that larger ZC servo!)

I took a bunch of pics... I have to download them into one puter, adjust and clean them up there, then burn them onto a CD to upload them... be patient

 

[BrooklynBay]

So are both of them the ZC on the 5R55W?

 

[Glacier991]

the ZC is much smaller than the "W" OD cover and PUNY compared to the Intermediate.

 

[BrooklynBay]

So what would this new size be called? Are both servos the same size or is one larger than the other?

 

[Glacier991]

I'll post pics but the covers do not bear any numbers. The OD is largerthen the ZC by a little (probably he cover is 2.75") the intermdeiate is huge... at least 3.5 inches maybe larger. Again no numbers cast into the cover.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I did a search on WWW.TransmissionPartsUSA.Com, and found 2 sizes for the OD, and 1 for the intermediate: http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=5r55w

 

[C5Shark]

I hate to bump a nearly 4 your old thread, but I very much enjoyed reading through your previous diaries that I was hoping to find one for the 5R55W as well. Has any further progress been made?