Official A4LD Problem Thread!

[Aerostar65]

Hi I have a 1990 Aerostar van, 3.0 V-6, 2wd with the A4LD trans. First a little history... This van has approx 150k miles on it and the trans was replaced by the previous owner, from a junkyard. [Supposedly had 107k on it from the junkyard...] When the last owner installed the trans, he forgot to hook up the kickdown cable, and decided to pull a pop up camper with it.

Well, when I bought it, the trans groaned a bit when you dropped it in gear. I discovered the kick down cable problem and hooked it up, the way it's supposed to be and it seemed to work fine. Even the groaning has slowly been going away. When I drove it to the store it, shifted just fine on the way there. BUT, when I went to leave it briefly worked across the parking lot, then completely died. It was like you stuck it up in neutral. No response from any shifter position, not even a shudder or a try from the trans to engage. I pulled the dipstick and looked to check the fluid/condition. In the light from the headlight, I could see some foamy bubbles, very tiny, but the fluid did not smell burnt and was reasonably red. I could see no signs of leaks anywhere and the trans has been fine before this happened. It is like someone pulled the power plug to it... I even checked to see if the shifter cable popped off or something, but it was all there, including the kick down cable to the TB. So I had to drift it into a parking spot and walk home.

Any and all suggestions are welcome as I am at a loss, as I have never really had to fool much with these types of Ford transmissions. I read thru the A4LD trans problem section and found nothing like this mess. Please help!

 

[Viper Command]

aerostar65 Was the fluid level good? and there was no fluid on the ground?
you may want to drop the pan and see if there is any hard part damnage, (metal shavings and or chunks).

 

[Aerostar65]

I pulled the pan off this evening and things don't look good. There were no big pieces, but there was a lot of tiny flakes.. stuff like you see in metal flake paint, a fine glittery powder. The local trans guru's theory was the torque converter came apart...[ this was apparently the "front pump" noise I was hearing earlier. It was the converter slowly grinding itself to teeny pieces.] .. and flushed the fine gunk thorough out the trans. Now he'll rebuild it for 11 or 12 hundred... of course. I guess I'm going to remove it tomm. with a friend of mine and get it ready for whatever trans I can find to replace it with. It seems the window of donors is only from 88 to 91, so that puts the kibosh on an easily found part. It will be fun in the junkyard which has turned into a sea of deep mud and all vehicles sitting on the axles. Oh the joy... I'll keep you posted. M.

 

[jdt18]

I bought a 92 ranger, drove it 300 miles home, overdrive worked great till the last 20 miles. it was kicking in and out, and if i lifted completely off the throttle and got back into it hard it would slip, like it was in neutral.
Anyways, i got it home checked the fluid and it was half ways up the stick, i check it like 10 times in a row and it was constantly very high on the stick.
I drained it out to the proper level, and now i have no O.D. at all.

Could the overfill of fluid damage certain parts of the O.D.?
Which would be the parts that would be damaged?
overdrive servo? 3-4 valve, 3-4 solenoid.

I know for sure that the tc locks up, and i put the 3-4 solenoid wire on a switch and got nothing. Not sure where to go next. Any help would be appreciated. thanks

 

[jdt18]

I bought a 92 ranger, drove it 300 miles home, overdrive worked great till the last 20 miles. it was kicking in and out, and if i lifted completely off the throttle and got back into it hard it would slip, like it was in neutral.
Anyways, i got it home checked the fluid and it was half ways up the stick, i check it like 10 times in a row and it was constantly very high on the stick.
I drained it out to the proper level, and now i have no O.D. at all.

Could the overfill of fluid damage certain parts of the O.D.?
Which would be the parts that would be damaged?
overdrive servo? 3-4 valve, 3-4 solenoid.

I know for sure that the tc locks up, and i put the 3-4 solenoid wire on a switch and got nothing. Not sure where to go next. Any help would be appreciated. thanks

O.K., well i changed the oil in the truck today. And since i was under there i got to looking around. I saw fluid leaking around the overdrive servo. not sure what to replace on the servo.....? would a leaking servo cause o.d. not to work?

 

[Viper Command]

jdt18, There is two way for the servo to leak. 1. servo cover "o" ring, result in pressure drop and slipping o.d.
2. leak at the servo (blow by) and that would be a good reason why you dont have o.d.
if it was sliping for awile you will need to ajust and or replace the o.d. band.

 

[Damein]

I have an a4ld in my 92 ranger it stalls the truck when pulled into gear how do i fix this is it fixable?

Damein

 

[Viper Command]

Damein, be shure its the trans, first I would check the vacuum modulator, the hose could be disconnected its on the passenger side just above the pan, timing, vacuum leaks at the t.b. and manafold, also week fuel pump. all of thies can be the problem.

 

[Viper Command]

jdt18 just wondering when you start the truck when its cold, does is sound almost like your power sterring pump is empty but with smooth clicking or rattle???

If it is, ist your torque converter over heating the fluid and boiling and blowing it out the breather vent and squirting it towards the bell housing.

 

[jdt18]

jdt18 just wondering when you start the truck when its cold, does is sound almost like your power sterring pump is empty but with smooth clicking or rattle???

If it is, ist your torque converter over heating the fluid and boiling and blowing it out the breather vent and squirting it towards the bell housing.

It always sounds like the power steering pump is whining! Cause it is a little bit.
I have no clicking and rattling, i have a fluid leak at the block and bell housing. I just thought it was oil(rear main). I'll have to take a better look.
Pretty sure the fluid is not boiling, my cooler works great!

The trans overall works great, shifts great! Way better since i adjusted the bands. There's just no 3-4 shift.

 

[redneckfordranger1986]

hello i got an 86 ranger super cab 4x4 auto ... i got the lovey a4ld tranny i was driving back frm gettin food and i lost my forward gears i got reverse and when i shift it in to 1st it goes backward still have had the time to look any pointers well be great . i did look at the linkage, when i looked at it the linkage frm the shifter move the the one on the tranny didnt move could it be stuck ?

 

[Viper Command]

simply put, it needs a rebuild. it could be the oneway roller pack and or clutch packs.

its very easy to rebuild if you have tools and know how to use them. the tech library even has the rebuild guide.

 

[redneckfordranger1986]

thanks

 

[Dave_A]

I just went through this thread and didn't see this issue posted.

My truck is pretty rusty underneath and one of the tranny lines has developed a tiny hole and is leaking trans fluid pretty good. I can't seem to find anywhere that sells the prebent lines and a local mechanic shop wants $350 to bend up new lines. No thanks...

Does anyone know what fittings are on the end of the lines and what the size of the factory lines are? I'm thinking they're 3/8", and how hard is it going to be to bend up some new line?

Lines are ridiculously easy... You can get a line-benter for a few bucks from your local auto parts store, as well as the sections of line (3' each) and compression fittings that you need to do the job....

Either a tubing cutter or hacksaw will work for cutting.

I had the lines give out on a 91 E-350 box van (pre-AOD 3spd... C6, IIRC. Fortunately, they 'gave out' just as I was pulling in, and the tranny was still in the process of emptying it's fluid out onto the concrete) & ended up 'doing this' in a gas-station parking lot....

 

[xentris02]

my truck has 182,000 and never changed the trans fluid or filter. runs and drives good i m a teen so i hit it hard and have fun. i want to change the fluid and filter but my machanic told me not to cuz when he did his at 172,000 he went through 3 more trannys in that same year he told me the fluid was so thick thats what kept it from slipping. so im scared to. and i dont have the money to replace. but i would love to buy another trany and rebuild it but dont know how to do that either is it some thing you can easily walk me throu?