Official A4LD Problem Thread!

[Robert_1967]

Valve body Check balls , or seperator plate leaking.

would that mean that there is gunk making the balls stick, and also if the plate is leaking, then does the bolts holding it in need tighten???

I know this isn't my problem, it's joeschmoe problem, but i'm just curious about what could fix something like this..



Robert

 

[Viper Command]

Dirt, or the check balls melted. the seprator plates are known for warping and or blowing out the gaskets.

 

[timstone]

I just had the front pump seal (assuming) go out on my truck last night while pulling a small boat...I had to drive it a good 1/4 mile to get off the road. There is pretty much no tranny fluid left in it at all now and I was told it was pretty hard to change that seal...can anyone confirm this? Would it be worth my time fixing it or should I just try to find a junk yard tranny?

Oh..almost forgot...this is a 91 4x4 Ranger, A4LD

 

[Robert_1967]

A friend of mine just bought a 93 Explorer, and it had the same problem, the one behind the torq conv, was leaking, the hardest part of the whole job was getting the transmission out of the vehicle because of all the stuff in the way.

I also took the blue bolts out and pulled the front part off and changed the gasket that was right there.

He bought the Explorer for 440.00 and 40.00 dollors later we where driving it around in the mud.


Robert

 

[kastoo]

It depends on whether you can do it yourself or not, if you can do it yourself and you think a seal is all it needs then I'd do that. If you can't do it yourself and you have some money I'd let them check it over when they put a seal in. I bought a junk yard tranny a couple of months ago. It works great so far. You have to be careful what you pull it from..mine was pulled from a tboned truck so they knew tbone is why it was there..you see?

 

[hidesertrat]

Didn't see this thread ealier, so will repost problem here in hopes of getting some good advice:

Got in truck this morning to go to work and shifted into reverse. Heard a pop and the truck just sat there. Put it in drive and it would move forward. Got out and checked fluid, it was a little low, so added some (about 2 pints). Still no reverse. Pushed truck (87 Ranger 4 X4) out of driveway and drove to work. All forward gears, including OD, work just fine. Went through them manually and auto without any problems. No fluid leaks. Parked on hill so could make an easy escape after work.
From what I can "figure" the pop was the reverse band breaking or comeing loose, therefore disabling reverse. Haven't done anythig else to tranny, so this is all I know now.
Having read 10+ pages of this thread and hearing all the problems with this tranny, I am wondering if I should replace it with something else, rebuild it or what?????
I can turn wrenches and all that, but don't want to be throwing good money after bad.
Suggestions?!?!?!


The one thing that keeps puzzling me is this: ALL forward gears work!!!

 

[Larry's shee]

Considering the number of trans built don't think it's above average breakage. Hide, you probably broke reverse band. Myself, I'm dealing with broke intermediate band and I don't see where there is any thing more durable offered. Sucks , $10 part costs hundreds to install. BTW, go to any forum, and see how many threads there are for auto trans. Or I wish there was a stand alone computer to use newer than 94 trans from bone yard.

 

[NEVERbuyAVan]

will go in R wont go in drive no more

ok i got this 1991 aerstar for 200.00, oD was out drove in D someitmes it go right in.. then it just stop workin, Gos in R real easy... so i been doing some reading n i seem to find to try a system flush n new filter.. ( dont think it ever had it dune ) then change some mod thangy.. bouth parts under 25.00s... so should i do this? or is there another way around this bush... it has the a4ld its the 3.0... she runs fine just wont Drive just go backwords... HELP ME ASAP!!

 

[kastoo]

A4ld

This is my advice my friend. 1st nobody can buy a car for 200 and expect it to work..it is possible however. I just sold my Ranger for 200 bucks to the junk yard. I was on my second A4LD. However the 2nd tranny was a junkyard pick and it lasted for 2 months. Every time I fixed something on the truck something would break. NO MORE A4LD...the best thing you can do in my opinion if you can afford it to is to have a pro rebuild the transmission and tell him to make it as strong as possible. OR, if possible find a way to adapt another tranny in. Best of luck!

 

[Dave99]

just wanted to confirm a fix i read on this thread...reverse engages but when you put any gas behind it the trans pops out of reverse, figured reverse servo gasket was failing when the atf pressure increases causing the servo to lose pressure. put the ranger up in the air and dropped the pan and guess what, found one servo cover bolt in the pan and 2 of the remaining 3 were finger tight. just for the hell of it i got a quote from the dealersh!t for around 3000 to fix. spent 15 bucks including shipping on servo o rings and gaskets
http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/C3_A4LD_transmission_reverse_servo_cover_gasket_p/230-000023128.htm

 

[NEVERbuyAVan]

Its cool thanks for help. they giveing my money back. wish ford new how make trannys haha

 

[jgriessen]

1993 Ranger supercab 3.0l automatic trans fix

I have been driving my 1993 Ranger supercab 3.0l w/ auto for 150K miles, then heard some gear whine in reverse, then on the road, then as I pulled away from stop, some slip and grinding noise, so I limped home, having difficulty using reverse to park well for a repair. Now I am removing the transmission and will post again as I take a look at it. I am working from the Ford factory manual, but don't have the emissions controls manual referred to in parts, just the mechanical rebuild sections. The transmission was still barely functioning in first and reverse, and functioning well in 2,3 and OD, so the diagnostics are all a pass.

 

[mazdab40004x4]

Cold shift problem

Hi all --

I have a 1994 Mazda B4000 (essentially a Ranger 4.0 with A4LD) with a problem shifting when cold. It drops into gear (forward and reverse) just fine when first started. But it will not shift from first to second gear when cold unless I manually start in 1 and shift up to 2. Once I shift manually once or twice through the gears and the engine warms up a bit, things will work OK if I drop it into D. Any ideas?

I just bought this truck and don't know any history on it. It's got at least 240,000 on it but the odometer is buster so I don't know exactly. Looks like it's had 'some' work done on the tranny and 4WD before -- it has a relatively new pan on there and some interesting wiring on the transfer case motor. But both seem to work OK when things warm up.

Thanks for your help -- Jeff

 

[rangertroy]

ok heres my problem....its a 87 with a 2.9 and auto tranny.it runs and drives fine...in forward...no reverse.but then the other day while idling in park something made a bang sound and the truck took off.now it is in drive...no matter where the shifter is located.it starts in drive.anybody have any ideas here.....valve body....

 

[Viper Command]

Hi all --

I have a 1994 Mazda B4000 (essentially a Ranger 4.0 with A4LD) with a problem shifting when cold. It drops into gear (forward and reverse) just fine when first started. But it will not shift from first to second gear when cold unless I manually start in 1 and shift up to 2. Once I shift manually once or twice through the gears and the engine warms up a bit, things will work OK if I drop it into D. Any ideas?

Thanks for your help -- Jeff

you should always start with fresh fluid and filter, cold thick fluid doesent flow through cloged filters very well.

ok heres my problem....its a 87 with a 2.9 and auto tranny.it runs and drives fine...in forward...no reverse.but then the other day while idling in park something made a bang sound and the truck took off.now it is in drive...no matter where the shifter is located.it starts in drive.anybody have any ideas here.....valve body....

Im sorry, that bang was your internals shattering, drop your pan and look for broken hard parts and bands.