A4LD swap

[Bobber64]

Looking to take the A4LD out of a 86 2.9 ranger and convert my 85 2.8 Mitsubishi 5 speed to an automatic. I converted the 2.8 to duraspark ignition and deleted all of the emission stuff to include the egr. Somewhere I read that the A4LD won’t shift without the EGR. Is this true?

 

[RobbieD]

Not the EGR; the engine computer operates the A4LD's shift solenoid(s). Not sure if the '86 had one or two shift solenoids.

 

[ford4wd08]

The A4LD has two versions. A 2 wire (one solenoid) that was available until mid '87 I believe and a 3 wire (two solenoid) after mid '87 until it was discontinued. The plug is located on the driver's side front lip of the pans if I recall correctly.

You can operate a 2 wire without a computer (like I am on my '85 B2) but you will loose converter lock up (what the one solenoid controls) unless you have a speed or pressure sensor to control the lock up. You can research my threads and see how I am controlling it. Mine locks at 47 mph and won't unlock until it goes below 47 or I am at more than 3/4 throttle.

For a 3 wire you'll need a computer as the in addition to controlling converter lock up with a solenoid it controls OD with a solenoid as well.

 

[Bobber64]

The A4LD has two versions. A 2 wire (one solenoid) that was available until mid '87 I believe and a 3 wire (two solenoid) after mid '87 until it was discontinued. The plug is located on the driver's side front lip of the pans if I recall correctly.

You can operate a 2 wire without a computer (like I am on my '85 B2) but you will loose converter lock up (what the one solenoid controls) unless you have a speed or pressure sensor to control the lock up. You can research my threads and see how I am controlling it. Mine locks at 47 mph and won't unlock until it goes below 47 or I am at more than 3/4 throttle.

For a 3 wire you'll need a computer as the in addition to controlling converter lock up with a solenoid it controls OD with a solenoid as well.

Well the transmission is in a 86 Ranger so if it’s a 2 wire couldn’t I just use a switch to lock up the converter with those 2 wires?

 

[ford4wd08]

Well the transmission is in a 86 Ranger so if it’s a 2 wire couldn’t I just use a switch to lock up the converter with those 2 wires?

Yes you can manually do it by a switch. I did it for a bit, gets old, but it does work. I still have a switch in series in mine so I can deactivate it if need be.