Help auto transmission is shifting hard ranger 3.0 4x4


Danny505

10+ Year Member

Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
36
Points
1,601
City
Albuquerque, NM
Vehicle Year
1995
Transmission
Automatic
I need help my 1995 ranger xl 3.0 4x4 auto transmission is shifting hard 2-3 3-2 146k on truck and its a jerk like if i push the gas a little bit and put it in gear should i just change the oil and filter or any sensors? plz any input helps also im new to the forums and i just got the ranger for 1300.00 cheap also i checked the fluid its fine?
 
color is a lil red ish i put half a quart and drove a little looks like it cleared up alot still a little rough so im going to change oil and filter do i also need to change valve body or just gasket?
 
A little "reddish" can be deceiving depending on the color of the rag and how much oil you're looking at.

I would do a complete system flush and renew with all new fluid. There are internet references on how to DIY - advised to use a helper. If you're up to it you can remove the pan and see what interesting gunk is on the bottom. If there are magnets on the bottom of the pan note their position and put them back in the same location. The "filter" is usually just a fine screen that can be removed, cleaned and replaced. I wouldn't touch the valve body unless you know what you're looking at. The only gasket should be the pan gasket and a new drain plug washer. Some Goggling will help you understand what you might run into.
 
white paper towels and the level was fine i checked it after the drive
 
thanks my dad is having his friend do it he has his own shop thanks for the help
 
I don't know if four wheel drives are configured the same way, but I had shifting problems with my '00 two wheel drive and it turned out to be the speed sensor in the rear pumpkin. I swapped in a new one and all was well.
 
Last edited:
McCormack said:
I don't know if four wheel drives are configured the same way, but I had shifting problems with my '00 two wheel drive and it turned out to be the speed sensor in the rear pumpkin. I swapped in a new one and all was well.
Click to expand...

That's not a bad suggestion. In my FSM under "Harsh Forward" shifting, under electrical, it lists the VSS as a possible, along with TPS, EPC solenoid, and PCM. Replacing each part would be expensive so locating a test procedure would help narrow it down.

Under "Hydraulic" it lists band/clutch pressure, high line pressure.

Changing out the fluid is a good starting point especially on a just acquired used vehicle with no maintenance history.
 
VSS sensors are a known cause for trans troubles on Rangers, they're cheap and easy to replace, so that's the first place that I'd start if my tranny were giving me problems.
 
What about a 92? I have been having problems with my Trans not shifting properly into the OD gear and also having a harsh shift into reverse. Does my truck have a VSS that can be causing me issues or is it just time for a rebuild?
 
I don't think that '92s have the VSS... you'd have to look in a manual. (The VSS on my '00 is located on top of the pumpkin on the driver's side.)
 
OK thanks just trying to see if this is something I can fix as opposed to taking it to a shop

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
Yeah, I hear you about not wanting to it to a shop. Assuming that you've already changed your filter and fluid, valve bodies and band adjustments are something that you can repair yourself, so I would do a search on those two items and see if you can find something that matches the symptoms that you're experiencing.
 
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