5R44E Overhaul Kit 1997, new and ready to install. Fits the 5R44E. Ships fast from the USA.
This overhaul kit is the 1997-and-later sealing set for the 5R44E, the light-duty five-speed automatic behind the 2.3L, 2.5L and 3.0L engines in Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series pickups. The same kit is built for the 4R44E, 4R55E and 5R55E, because the 1997 redesign gave the whole family a common set of seals and gaskets. Ranger owners find it when the truck leaks at the bellhousing, slips into third or fourth when hot, or gets a weak reverse, and the transmission is coming out for a reseal. It covers the gaskets and seals of a rebuild. Frictions, steel plates and bands are sold separately.
The 5R44E uses the same case and gear train as the 5R55E but with lighter-duty internals for the small four-cylinder and Vulcan V6. The Ranger Station rates the 44 series at 440 lb-ft after converter multiplication. Gear ratios are 2.47, 1.86, 1.47, 1.00 and 0.75, with 2.10 reverse. Second gear is what the 1997 change added: it is first gear with the front servo applied to overdrive it, so on a 5R44E the overdrive and intermediate servos work through more of the shift pattern than they did in the four-speed. Every one of those servo pistons, plus the clutch piston seals and sealing rings, comes from this kit. Once they harden, apply oil bleeds away, the band or clutch slips, and the lining burns.
Not every soft shift in a 5R44E is a seal problem. Sonnax describes low EPC with slipping in third as a leak in the EPC circuit, and says EPC should not drop more than 15 psi when the converter clutch applies. A sticking TCC modulator valve can cap EPC at about 65 psi, and that fault burns new parts quickly. Run a line pressure test and the checks in our 5R55 harsh or delayed shifts walkthrough before you tear the unit down. If pressure holds and the fluid shows leaks rather than burnt material, this kit with a filter is usually enough.
The kit's application chart lists 1997-up 4R44E, 4R55E, 5R44E and 5R55E units. It includes 1997-2011 Rangers with the 2.3L, 3.0L and 4.0L, Mazda B-Series pickups from 1997, Explorer and Sport Trac 4.0L models that carry the 5R55E, and the 1997 Aerostar 4.0L. It is for 1997 and newer units only; 1995-1996 four-speeds take a different kit. The 5R44E is coded D on the door label, like the 5R55E. Sonnax warns that a 5R separator plate in a 4R case, or the reverse, causes a lost overdrive servo release, so confirm which unit you have. You can tell a 5R44E by its bellhousing, which matches the 2.3L or 3.0L engine rather than the 4.0L Cologne pattern. Send your year and VIN if you are unsure, and see all parts on the 5R55 family parts page. This kit does not fit the 5R55W or 5R55S used in later Explorers; our identification guide explains the difference.
| Fits | 5R44E 1997 |
| Part type | Overhaul Kit |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | OEM |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
Yes. The 3.0L Ranger five-speed automatic is the 5R44E, and the kit lists 1997-2011 Rangers with the 2.3L and 3.0L. Confirm code D on the door label before ordering.
No. This kit is for 1997 and newer units. The 1995-1996 4R44E and 4R55E use a different overhaul kit.
Yes. The same kit is listed for the 5R55E, 4R55E and 4R44E from 1997 up, since they share seals and gaskets.
No. This is the gasket and seal overhaul kit. Frictions, steels and bands are sold separately, and so is the filter.
Mercon V. After the rebuild, set the level with the engine running at operating temperature.
