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A4LD transmission not engaging


ranzerbinz

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1985
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Transmission
Automatic
Was wondering if anyone could help me with a tranny issue? My 1985 ranger 2.3L with the automatic A4LD transmission is not engaging into gear. The last time I drove it, it all of a sudden “slipped” out of gear, the temp dummy light came on and the truck shut off. After some time, the truck restarted but it would not engage into any gear. No forward gears or reverse. The fluid is full. Very weird, well not for the history of the A4LD I guess. Any thoughts?


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RonD

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A4LD was used from 1985 to 2012, almost 30 years, so not a bad transmissions as automatics go

It was renamed 4R44E(1995) and then 5R44E(2001), but mechanically it never changed, the valve body was changed to use solenoids.
And the A4LD was itself a C3 automatic with OD added, C3 was first used in 1974
So the base transmission has been around 38 years, and no matter what you may think of car makers they are in business to make money, and a "bad transmission" is bad for business, so they would have dropped the C3 or A4LD if it had high failure rate, not added to it.

Incomplete or poor rebuilds got them a "bad rap" from trans shops that had never seen an OD automatic in the early years, so they screwed up and then blamed the design, as all humans like to do, lol.
The early ones did have there growing pains, like all new technology does, but if properly rebuilt with the newer parts A4LD should last 200+k miles

Good read here on A4LD: https://therangerstation.com/tech_library/a4ld.shtml

Not familiar with Temp dummy light?

All automatics run on fluid pressure, not a Ford thing, usually transmission problems is a loss of pressure

The torque converter is bolted to the crank, via flexplate
The outside shaft of torque converter that slides into the transmission drives the transmission's main pump(front pump), this pump provides the 125-175psi ATF pressure needed to engage clutches and bands(brakes) in the transmission
So no or low pressure = no go

Could be pump itself or several seals or gaskets have failed over time, so enough pressure has been lost
Reverse requires the highest pressure to engage, over 160psi, so when there is a pressure issue its usually seen first as slow to engage reverse, or no reverse
Slipping "gears" can also mean lower pressure

There are pressure test ports on all automatics, but they would be useful only to pin point possible internal leak points, but with 0 engagement I doubt it would be helpful

Its possible the flexplate has broken but usually there would be a noise with engine running

Check the fluid level with engine off, should be over full
Then check it with engine running, should drop down to between full and low lines
If level is not changing then pump is not working
 

ranzerbinz

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Transmission
Automatic
Hi Ron. Thank you for the valuable insight. I’ll check it out. There is no noise with the engine running. The drop down idle cable lowers the idle,as it should, just zero engagement. And your right. Everyone does give a bad rap for issues with the A4LD, including me.....opps. Ha! I’ll do my homework. Thank you again. I’ll post what I find.


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RonD

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Good

Yes, check trans fluid level engine off and engine on, that will tell you if pump is working, if its not then really no other tests you can do
 

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