Well, just like many before me, I've joined because of a very similar problem that others have spoken of here.
My family has owned a trusty 1990 4.0L 4x2 that we've used mostly as a utility vehicle. The ODO has turned over, but I think it has about 108K miles. Anyway, my Dad and sister had a load of furniture and stuff they were transporting about 200 miles. About 180 miles into the trip (from what I've been told), they started seeing smoke and pulled off the road. They didn't find anything major, so they resumed after the smoke subsided, hoping to make the last few miles. Eventually, the smoke resumed, so they pulled off and got towed home.
From what they told me, the truck was overheating as the smoke got worse. When they finally called it quits on the second pull-over, they could see a noticeable trail of trans fluid, which I assume is the so-called "puking" of the fluid at high temps. They also indicated that the A/C capability was diminished when it was smoking, etc.
So, the truck has been sitting at my sister's house for a week now. My parents just sold their land and have no major use for the truck anymore. My Dad called me yesterday and said he's done with the truck and I could have it if I wanted to try to fix it, or he's going to sell it for parts and get rid of it ASAP.
I'm not the most mechanically-inclined person, but I've had a ton of fun working on my 4Runner, so I had to take him up on the offer to try to fix the Ranger. This thing has been an awesome truck for us -- I couldn't just see it go for a few hundred bucks for scrap when I could possibly get it up and running for the same.
After reading this entire thread (yes, all 26 pages) and seeing that others have had almost the exact same thing happen, my guess would be that it's either:
1. the front pump seal
2. the torque converter
3. the bellhousing bolts
Does this seem correct to others here?
I'm going to refill it with fluid and see what she does. If it continues to leak/puke after I refill it, I guess I'll get it towed to a shop and see what their diagnosis is and what the damage would be to fix it.
I've pretty much learned everything I know about cars from working on my 1998 4Runner, which I recently put a new engine in. I've rebuilt a 4L60E with a buddy of mine, so I'm sure I could probably rebuild this thing, but I'm trying to move in the next couple of weeks and I really don't have the time or space to tear apart the A4LD right now.
Anyway, any suggestions or comments are welcome, and I'll update when I have some results.
BTW, Robert_1967, I enjoyed reading your fake signature lines throughout this whole thread. Some are pretty hilarious.