Another possiblity would be excessive crankshaft endplay.  Got bit by
that one on an old Dart, and didn't figure it out until it ate the
second trans (I paid someone to replace it the first time.)  This was
a supposedly "fresh rebuilt" engine, well guess what, wasn't rebuilt
too well now was it!

nate

======
======
On Jul 27, 10:03?am, Steve <n...@spam.thanks> asks and
comments about misalignment on install with:

OK... but how the hell do you DO that?

I guess the block or transmission
case could actually have a casting face out of alignment, but I can't
imagine an error that gross getting past QC at Kia, let alone Ford.-
Hide quoted text -

========
========

You need to extract the information given in the original
post, use knowledge based on hands on experience, and
formulate a good, solid, found, GUESS as to what "most
likely" has occured with this customers vehicle.

The truck was 8...EIGHT......8.......years OLD when his
brother bought it 3 years ago.

The "DEALER"........"replaced" it under warranty 2 times.

The transmission is "ONE" year out of warranty.

The customer has owned the vehicle 3 years.

The first TWO...2...units were warrantied 2 years ago.

The the owner had the truck for ONE...year, and it was
under warranty, now he's had it for 3 years, and it's ONE
year out of warranty.

HYPOTHESIS....BASED ON THE INFO...AND ......
hands on experience....

The truck was purchased from a non-OEM used car lot.
The OP never stated the EIGHT year old truck came from
an OEM Dealership.

Used car lots hardly ever GIVE extended warranties,
and most don't even offer them on a contract basis,
there in lies the reason for only a one year warranty.
And.....he's fk'n lucky they give him that.  My GUESS
would be that he still owed a chunk of change at a
"Buy Here Pay Here" used car lot.....or they wouldn't
have fixed it the first 2 times.

Used car lots tend to take the trannies out themselves to
save money, then install a USED unit or get some low-ball
shade tree butcher shop to "overhaul" (lmao) it for around
$300 or $400.  (patch it)

The entire transmission job was "most likely" performed
by inferior techs......which has led to the current failure.

AND YES......it IS entirely possible, and MOST probable
that the current failure is directly the result of not pay'n
attention to detail on the INSTALLATION...of the unit.

....................

now......to answer YOUR QUESTION........

The transmission can be misaligned on reinstall by several
factors, namely not checking that the flywheel spacer is in
good shape.  They are WELL KNOWN for cracking and going
bad.  The convertor hub on the exterior, front, uses this to
center the convertor and keep it from wobbl'n about.
(tearing up front seals and stator bushings, and pumps)
 The convertor pilot is intended to fit snug into the spacer...
absolute minimal clearance.

 The transmission can be misaligned if the yard bird that yanked
it out....yanked out the alignment pins in the back of the engine
along
with the tranny.
Because they were cankered into the aluminum case, and when
the OTHER unit was reinstalled, the alignment pins were gone,
he didn't notice it because he didn't know what to look for, and
after all......he's a yardbird....and he's gonna be at another
used car lot in 6 months working under a lean to.......so why
does he care.

The crankshaft may have longitudinal play in it.
(was kinds wonder'n why none of thunk'd of that one)
This is gonna act like a comode plunger on the front pump
section of the tranny you know.

Someone "may have" installed a rear main seal in this thing
AFTER the yard bird did his thing........and the crank bolts]
may have been overtightened.......which WILL cause the flywheel
to crack......Not to mention the fact that if they used a freek'n
prybar to pop it off the crank cuz it wuz stuck on there from
the years of baked on enamel.....i mean oil......they cudda
wopped that sucker make'n it out of balance.  Again, a yard bird
reinstall failure.
Keep in mind......the OP ......NOT ONCE...stated that ANY
repairs have been made to the vehicle since the first tranny
episode.......and he has YET to do a repost to address ANY
of you guys questions and concerns.  so fk him

any whooo.......

I have SEVERAL more ways to misalign a transmission......

but my fangers get'n a bit tired, and i'm kinda antsy to gits
on over to the Dodge Truck NG and see if I've started any
fights since yesterday......

~~
oo
L
O

~:~
MarshMonster
~sips his crownroyal.....and wonders how many of you know
there are TWO bolts on that unit that help align it to the case~
~:~
===========
===========

I"m not sure about the 96 models but in the earlier models the pilot
bearing in the end of the crank (that the transmission main shaft
pilots into) is machined at the factory on the vehicle to ensure
proper alignment.  If the pilot bearing gets worn out and is replaced
in the field it can be difficult to get it "centered" with the
accuracy the factory is able to.  That can also lead to premature
failures of the transmission from what I have read in the past.