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86' 2.9 tranny issues


Lkorecky11

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So i bought the truck which was sitting for half a year. Put a new starter and battery fired right up. Changed out the tranny fluid, filter, and vacuum modulator. Now my issue is that its not shifting. It goes into all the gears P N OD D 1 2 R but jumps into them pretty hard. I can drive it and it wont shift half the time past first and only once into 3rd when going up a hill. I have no clue what the issue could be. When i changed the filter the pan wasnt half bad no chunks of metal or anything like that just normal wear and tear. Anything helps
 


IIBRONCOS

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One thing to replace is the vacuum modulator on the trans. That could be causing your hard engagements and extended shift points.
 

wildbill23c

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Time for a rebuild or valve body. Take it to a tranny shop and have them go through it. Those A4LD's are notorious for failures and about $2400 to have rebuilt, so you may just want to send it to a scrapper at that point...wish I wouldn't have sunk money into my 88...rather not have bought it.
 

rusty ol ranger

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Dont scrap it. A 5 speed swap isnt hard.
 

Will

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Those early A4LDs are pretty good the first time around, but once they need overhauled, they are crap. Some of the bushings are reamed in place, which means they really aren't built with interchangeable parts. Attempts to overhaul leads to quick failure. There was a company with a fix--you had to send in your converter housing I think. I don't know if anyone is bothering anymore.

5 speed swap would work, but you need the pedals, which means you need a donor truck, which means a Ranger still has to go to the junkyard. I like the C5 swap, though you lose overdrive. Pretty much means you can't drive on the Interstate, but you can build a tranny that could survive behind a 460.
 

AzLizard

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Time for a rebuild or valve body. Take it to a tranny shop and have them go through it. Those A4LD's are notorious for failures and about $2400 to have rebuilt, so you may just want to send it to a scrapper at that point...wish I wouldn't have sunk money into my 88...rather not have bought it.
I have been quoted 850.00 and 1400.00.
 

AzLizard

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1985
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Time for a rebuild or valve body. Take it to a tranny shop and have them go through it. Those A4LD's are notorious for failures and about $2400 to have rebuilt, so you may just want to send it to a scrapper at that point...wish I wouldn't have sunk money into my 88...rather not have bought it.
I have been quoted 850.00 and 1400.00.
Me pullin trans of course.
 

rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
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Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
Those early A4LDs are pretty good the first time around, but once they need overhauled, they are crap. Some of the bushings are reamed in place, which means they really aren't built with interchangeable parts. Attempts to overhaul leads to quick failure. There was a company with a fix--you had to send in your converter housing I think. I don't know if anyone is bothering anymore.

5 speed swap would work, but you need the pedals, which means you need a donor truck, which means a Ranger still has to go to the junkyard. I like the C5 swap, though you lose overdrive. Pretty much means you can't drive on the Interstate, but you can build a tranny that could survive behind a 460.
Stupid question...but would a gear vendors add on O/D work with a C5? Theg have them for C4s/C6s.
 

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