94 explorer transmission modulator question

As I recall from what I read the main things are..

- it's hard to get to

- there is a pin/pintle/rod inside it that you want to make sure you don't let fall out as you take it out. I'm not sure if it will come out as you take the mod out or if it sticks in the bore of the tranny but just be careful that you are ready to catch anything that comes loose.

I had mine done at a garage so I'm not speaking from experience but other then being hard to get to (you'll have to remove the heat shield assuming someone didn't already remove it and throw it out like my shop did. I made them pay for a new one.) and it's still pretty tight looking between the tranny and the exhaust system.

I also have not done it personally but someone here posted how they did it perhaps a couple of years ago. They removed the seats to reveal an access panel. Remove the panel and the modulator is easily accessible. As Ashton pointed out there is a pin in the middle (so I've read) that you must be very careful not to lose or damage.

I thought I had it bookmarked but I can't seem to find the post right now. Perhaps a Google search will reveal it.

Thanks to everyone for posting replies. I am still trying to gather information that will help me to be precise as I can when I perform the modulator replacement this week or next. Please if anyone has any input on this with experience or strong ideas please post a reply.

I really appreciate the groups help over the years.

Sam Cederas 94 EB 4x4 160k and still go>

I put in "explorer vacuum modulator seats" in Google and this was the first hit:

1. Fordman93 Oct 8 2004, 5:09 am show options

Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.ford.explorer From: "Fordman93" - Find messages by this author Date: Fri, 08 Oct 2004 09:09:38 -0400 Local: Fri, Oct 8 2004 5:09 am Subject: Easiest way to replace Vacuum Modulator Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Well i found the easiest way to replace the modulator instead of dropping the cats. it took me 45 mins to do the whole job.. all you have to do is,

- Remove both pasenger and driver seats - Remove Center console (if you have it) - Pull back the carpet so that the Transmission tunnel (hump) in the floor is completely exposed - You will then see a silver access panel in the center of the "hump" - remove the access cover, and look down and to the right, there it is - Remove the Heatshield (10mm bolt) - Disconnect the vacuum line - Remove the modulator bracket (also 10mm bolt) - Then the modulator just pulls out of the tranny ****** DONT LOSE THE SILVER PIN IN THE CENTER OF THE MODULATOR!! REPLACEMENTS DO NOT INCLUDE THIS AND IT IS CRUCIAL TO TRANNY OPERATION****** - After transferring the pin to the new mod. simply push it into the tranny until it clicks in place, then install the bracket, heat shield, access panel, carpet and seats , and you are all set.. much easier than dropping the exhaust system (ive done it that way too)

Have fun.

Dude thanks for the info!! It is amazing how a word or two can change the results one gets via google.

Thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sam >I put in "explorer vacuum modulator seats" in Google and this was the first >hit:

I went ahead today and replaced the transmission modulator on my 1994 EB 4x4 Explorer. Thanks to help her I was made aware of a service panel on the floor above the transmission.

I removed both front seats and the center console. I then pulled back the carpet on the passenger side starting from the passenger foot area until I had enough back to expose the center area where the service panel is. The service panel is merely a metal plate about the size of a 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.

I was then able to reach down to the transmission on the right side to address the modulator replacement. There is not a lot room. Just enough room to get a small 10mm wrench in to remove the 2 nuts. Once the first nut was removed I was then able to push back the heat shield. The second nut removed the stud from the transmission and the hold down flange that secures the modulator in place. I then was able to merely pull the old modulator out....but very very carefully paying close attention to the small metal pin approx. 1inch long that acts as some type of push rod.

I cleaned the pin and put it in the new modulator and then carefully installed the new modulator paying close attention to the pin thus kind of holding the modulator up until the very last second before being inserted into the transmission. The new modulator popped in and was obvious when it was in position because of the popping/click noise it made when inserted all the way in the hole.

Reconnect the vacuum line, screw in the stud down by the nut with the retainer flange and then push the heat shield onto the stud and put the final nut on.

Now place the service panel cover back in place and screw it down with the 4 screws. Please note that when you are removing the panel be careful not to pull up one side more than the other as you will bend the panel making it not seal properly when reinstalled.

I performed the replacement and did not reset the computer. Maybe I should have but I did not. I test drove the vehicle and noticed a big difference for the amount of gas pedal that is required before the transmission will downshift ..even when going up hill slowly the transmission shifted effortlessly without having to give more pedal pressure to cause the downshift.

The symptom I was having that caused me to replace the modulator is this. The transmission will not go into overdrive until a lot of time has passed or I put the transmission in neutral while driving down the interstate and revving up the engine and then putting it back in D and after a second or two the transmission will go into overdrive. I have noticed that my explorer tachs real high which I attribute to the lack of overdrive. Even driving around town I am experiencing the high rpm even though the transmission is in D.

I will take the vehicle out on Sunday and see if the modulator solved the overdrive problem or not.

Thanks everyone.... I will post an update about the overdrive.

Sam Cederas Raleigh, N.C.

Well like I said in the previous post I had a chance to test drive the explorer after replacing the modulator valve on the transmission.

I noticed a difference with the overdrive but something kept on telling me that the overdrive was not working like it should and even though the overdrive is coming on...I felt like something still was not quite right.

Well today I decided to replace the transmission fluid and filter because after thinking about it...the last time the fluid was serviced was by a jiffy lube type place that pumped in new until what came out was clean looking. This did not replace the filter and I forgot about it.

Well what a bitch to get the pan to drop off the tranny. The catalytic heat shield was a pain in the rear to deal with but I eventually got the pan off being extremely careful not to mess with the integrity of the pans mating surface, etc.

The bottom of the pan was not very dirty at all in fact only had a slight residue on it. I cleaned the pan until spotless and cleaned the mating surface on the tranny and the pan.

I removed the old filter and was utterly shocked to see what was left inside for a screen..virtually nothing. There was a trace of the screen left with the rest being a gaping hole. The filter was definitely damaged and probably clogged inside.

The old filter had a spout type assembly that hangs on the bottom of the pickup acting like an extension of the pickup hole on filter. I was not able to remove that and the new filter did not come with the one. I had no choice but to install the new filter without any extension coming down from the pickup hole. Just a slight 1/4 inch spout comes down from the pickup hold on the new filter.

At this point I had been working on this for 1 hour. I was making sure I took my time and walked away several times frustrated to take breaks.

In order to keep the gasket in place during installation I put the gasket on and screwed the screws through the holes in the gasket which were slightly smaller than the holes in the pan. The gasket hole sizes were perfect thus allowing enough tension with the screw being screwed in to allow me to turn the pan around and put it up to the mating surface without any screws moving. I was then able to hand screw each screw gently with using the torque pattern (criss crossing inside outside, etc.) until I felt a tiny bit resistance. I then proceeded to torque each one down in sequence to specified torque.

I then tried to get the heat shield to snap back onto the pan however I was unable to negotiate that. I ended up leaving the heat shield in place without it snapping around the pan. I will do it at some other point but for now no vibration noise and it is working like it is supposed to.

I then added fluid ran the engine..added fluid, etc until complete.

A drive home from the location I performed this maintenance provided me with extreme pleasure. The transmission now functions like it did years ago. I consider my transmission endeavor to be complete now. I can now focus my attention on replacing the A/C hose and/or installing manual hubs.

Anyway I thought I would post my results here as others have done.

Thanks to all who replied to my posts and ones in which I stumbled across via google search.

Sam Cederas Raleigh, N.C.

Congrats, Sam. A job well done is worth the aggrivation.

-Steve