• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

86 ranger feels slugish after tranny change


necessaryevil

New Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2010
Messages
172
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
salem,or.
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
A little back ground first. So my 86 ranger, 2.9l,2wd,ex cab,auto trans(a4ld) was having tranny problems(no reverse, or third). And after monthes of searching for the right tranny that was in any desent shape I got a a4ld for a 85 mustang w/2.3l and swaped out the bell housing, front pump, and the torq converter out of a 94 explorer w/4.0. I replaced the front pump gasket, front pump seal,filter, pan gasket, and rear output seal. I thread locked, and torqed bell housing bolt to 30 ft lbs. I adjusted bands by tighting stud to 140in lbs and then backed off 2 1/2 turns. Installed trans in the truck filled with ATF(I couldn't find any dextron 2 but I did find some generic stuff that said it could be used in vehicals requiring it.
Now after about a week after the change it feels like the truck is sluggish off the line and even worse from a rolling stop comparing it to the old tranny which would spin the tires off(235/70/14) wet or dry, passing was never a problem, and the truck was fun to drive. Now it comes off the line slow and its a pain in the ass to get to kick down unless to peddle is on the floor hard, although it down shifts just fine. When it is wot off the line it will hold the gears a bit longer.now I did replace the tps with a used one at the same time as the tranny.
But what I'm wondering is if the gear ratios where different between different trannys or maybe vaccume modulator is different or what could cause this
 


adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,614
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
And A4LD is an A4LD is junk.

You replaced a broken crap transmission with a used crap transmission. Kind of a lateral move if you don't know the history of the donor.
 

necessaryevil

New Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2010
Messages
172
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
salem,or.
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
Doner was road tested, pulled the pan no burnt fluid, no chunks
 

AllanD

TRS Technical Staff
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 1, 2001
Messages
7,897
Reaction score
135
Points
63
Age
62
Location
East-Central Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1987... sorta
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
'93 4.0
Transmission
Manual
the issue you are having is that the "stall speed" of a torque converter is not a constant.

It is variable depending on the torque of the engine, you installed a torque converter from a
4.0 which produces nearly 40% more torque than a 2.9

So yeah, it'll feel a bit "tight" but it'll also probably run cooler and get better mileage.
 

exbass94

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
3,340
Reaction score
39
Points
48
Age
36
Location
Guilford, CT
Vehicle Year
2006, 1994
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC, 4.0 OHV
Transmission
Automatic
Installed trans in the truck filled with ATF(I couldn't find any dextron 2 but I did find some generic stuff that said it could be used in vehicals requiring it.
Dexron II is obsolete and isn't made anymore. It's been superseded several times. Mercon is the correct stuff to use, which is the same as Dexron III.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Mudtruggy
May Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top