Official A4LD Problem Thread!

[Viper Command]

Damn, im sorry to have to tell you...
your forward clutch pack is fried, when rebuilding the trans it will be the last pack of clutches & steelies.

Same damn thing went out on my 93 a4ld.
Sorry dude
but get a second opp.

 

[85_redranger]

ok thanks would lucas stop slip help that at all cause i put it in and it didnt do any different

 

[Viper Command]

I put lucas in the a4ld as well, I noticed a very marginal improvment for the first day or two. After I tore it apart I then realized that lucas wouldn't put clutch material back on the disc's. Lucas' main fix is for the valve body's or gasket sealing surfaces, or for hard shifting. If you would like I can give you the phone number for my trans parts supplier and he could break it down to you over the phone on what you will really need. He works the parts counter and he also rebuilds a4ld's. He was the one that told me my foward clutch pack was gone and he was dead on the money.

I guess this is pretty common with a4ld's.

 

[85_redranger]

o ok my uncle said that he would help rebuild it with me if i could buy the parts so not to keep dragging this out or anything but i've never done work like this so where could i buy the parts? thanks so much for all your help

 

[Viper Command]

I got all my parts from G&G in san bernadino CA. (909)884-9575
Sence your not close i recomend e-bay, type these # in the search on e-bay.
Item number: 350265268671 super master kit
Item number: 380169106084 shift kit
Item number: 270468549935 torque converter

tools needed:

torque wrenches- inch, and foot lbs.
long pick kit
long reach snapring pliers
assortment of flat head screw drivers
sockets- deep and shallow
allen sockets
feeler gauges
pickup magnet
neddle nose pliers
rubber mallet
parts cleaner
lent less rags
clean work bench
solven safe cups- for all the bolts
digital camra- for reassembly reffencing

That is What i used to do mine
hope it helps also go to the tech library under auto trans there is the service guide for the A4LD.
Good Luck

 

[85_redranger]

thanks so much for all your help dude

 

[WcRanger88]

Hey guys Im new to the ranger station and I am here because I am having a few problems with my a4ld.

I have an 88 ranger xlt 4x4

a) my tranny cannot decide if it wants to stay in gear , like when Im cruising it hiccups back and forth like it cannot decide to stay in the higher gear. Like it blips back down a gear and then back up to the gear it was at. only when I try and keep a constant speed

b) it leaks a lot of tranny fluid from in front of the tranny where the bellhousing meets the motor.

c) the leak got so bad that one day I tried to drive the truck and it got to the point the tranny wouldnt move the truck in any gear. Im gussing its because there wasnt any fluid.

I dont want to keep just filling the truck , Id like to do an overhaul as these transmissions seem to be an issue for everyone. thanks in advance.

 

[Sheolraver]

Holiday killer A4LD! - big $!

Hi all. My '87 Supercab 2.9 A4LD finally hates me. After having the all too common fluid leak, which was caused by the retainer clip holding the 2 cooler lines up against the housing sawing through the line, it has finally hiccuped final. I've had the same hiccupping in upper gears & recently a loud grinding sound a few seconds long. Since that event it makes horibble diesel like sounds when in idle & droning sounds in gear. Took to local tranny shop. Metal & brass(?) filings evident in pan. Rebuild to cost ~$1700- $2500. Ow!! Does that sound unrealistic?? Is a replacement tranny cheaper & available?? Any advice or info greatly appreciated.

By the way, the leak I fixed by cutting out the broken line & replacing with rubber high pressure trans. coolant line. Ditched the clip. Was a bonafide bitch trying to find that 1.

Happy Turkey Day all!

 

[Viper Command]

If you get a clicking sound which is consistent with your RPM's then your torque converter is bad. If it’s leaking from inside the bell housing, one of two things can be the cause, the torque converter seal, or bell housing bolts. Please note if your replacing the torque converter seal you need to hammer in place, glue it in and lock it down. Since you found metal debris in the pan, then you have hard parts damage (gears, drums, and bearings). If there was also a nice thick black film, your clutch bands and discs are toast. Either thing requires a rebuild. An average rebuild for the A4LD here in Cali is about $700-$900 which includes torque converter.

 

[CraKel]

Had my first problem 3 months after owning the truck I bought from a Heritage Ford dealership..Blew the cervo cover out and leaked tranny fluid everywhere on the road after I stopped and got it towed to the shop.. after getting a new one installed from AAMCO for oh about $1500CAN (thank god it was under warranty!!) It was good as new.. minus the small yet constant leak from the front cover and bolts..Have since put a new oil pan in and while the engine was out, I tightnened everything up under there and she still leaks.. Horrible tranny and cant wait to get the c4 put in..

 

[85_redranger]

Hate to keep buggin ya

i changed my filter in the a4ld and didn't see any black film in the old fluid i completely drained and refilled the tranny waited a day now it's engaging fine and taking off good but for some reason it feels like it's lacking power(like 2.8's had any to start with lol) i was considering buying a shift kit for the tranny what do you think?

 

[Slipknotyk]

Hey I've been through all 6 pages and still havent found a problem like mine.

I've owned my Ranger just inside of 35K miles. I bought it at 196K and she's just over 229K today.

Anyways, I'm hoping that this is just an issue of the severe cold in Colorado this time of year, but it's acting up in the strangest way, it's confusing me beyond belief.

Park- normal at startup, then when shifting back from another gear, it tries to go forward (have to hold brake to keep it from doing so)
Reverse - nothing
Neutral - it tries to go forward, again I have to hold the brake
O/D - tries to go forward (normal I guess)
Second - tries to go forward (normal)
First - Nothing

my fluid level is slightly high and has been ever since I nailed the hell out of a problem with the front seal leaking with 3 bottles of transmission stop leak. After I did that, I had it flushed and filled with a new filter, and a bottle of Lucas added to the fill.

the problem started when it was about 5 below outside, idk if the temperature is relevent but the problem continues when it's 25 and allowed to warm up 5-10 minutes.

 

[MikeWild]

Well here's an addition to my previous post. I picked up a junk yard tranny after over heating my tranny in the summer. That tranny lost overdrive, but still shifted normally other than that. I've since bought another exploder because I just love the a4ld sooo much! The new truck needed a tranny when I bought it. When you'd give it gas, the rpms would continue to rise without shifting, but when I'd let go of the gas it would shift. I replaced the vacuum modulator and same thing. So I dropped the tranny and threw the junk yard one in. Now the problem I'm seeing is a hard shift from 1 -2 (shifts at around 3500 - 4000 RPM) If I'm aggressive on the throttle it shifts normally, but going easy on it gives me the hard shift. Also, on cold mornings I really need to let it warm up or the tranny won't engage. Once it's warmed up it's fine other than the hard shift. I do notice it's leaking fluid from somewhere, but haven't had a chance to crawl under and find out where. I'm getting tired of dropping these tranny's and am hoping that maybe I can get away with swapping the govenor or doing the modulator? Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? On the plus side, I rebuilt the tranny that I swapped out of this truck and put it into my first exploder. Turns out the clamp on the OD band had snapped right off so I put 2 new bands in it, all clutches & planetaries looked fine. She shifts like a dream now.

 

[Viper Command]

85 redranger shift kit should be the first and formost mod. you should do.

slip knot sounds like one of your a or b shift solenoids. if you shift it by the coloum and it does what you want. replace your solenoids and do a shift kit when its out, but its not mandatory. it would extend the life of your soft parts.

 

[94RangerMike]

The number one problem with these trannies seems to be the electronic pressure regulator (available over the internet for $50 to $100) where it no longer controls properly, and can become really apparant after services.

What is this thing and where is a link to buy one? I am almost positive that I need one.