Wont shift gears in 4wd

[scottvols]

Ok.but we seem to be off course again. He isn't having trouble shifting the transfer case. He is having trouble with the TRANSMISSION shifting.

It seems that something is worn in the valve body of the transmission. Let's admit it. This is a 29 yr old transmission. Chances are, the transmission is marginally operating in when driving in 2wd. When the transfer case is engaged, it may be adding load and changing the pump speed and oil pressures needed for shifting the transmission.

So, in 4wd, try manually shifting the transmission into first gear. If that works, try shifting to 2nd gear. Then,maybe to drive. Manually shifting may help the transmission use higher pressures to shift. That will give us a better idea of what may be going on.

I tried to manually shift gears tonight. It still will not shift

 

[scottvols]

I tried to manually shift gears tonight. It still will not shift

I also changed the fluid in both the transmission and transfer case about a month ago. I never really tried the 4wd until today

 

[Josh B]

It is a 94 it has a4ld transmission. I have only had it about 3 months. I don't know much about the truck. When I got it I had to change motor. Bad #1 piston on Old motor. I got a motor out of 95 explorer. It is 2 button on dash. The explorer had turn nob. Ithink it had the 55 transmission. Can I use the the switch from the explorer on the ranger.i still have the transmission from the explorer. I did notice I had to put it in reverse for it to come out of 4wd.

The 95 is another generation

 

[bobbywalter]

then it must have an early 4r44...and not an a4ld.


does it start in neutral? the range selector may be janked up. it not shifting into low means it is not seeing neutral.

 

[scottvols]

then it must have an early 4r44...and not an a4ld.


does it start in neutral? the range selector may be janked up. it not shifting into low means it is not seeing neutral.

Yes. It will crank in neutral

 

[rusty ol ranger]

So youre running a 95 explorer 4.0 but everything else is 94 Ranger?

Im pissing in the dark here but a 95 shoulda been OBD II and the 94 EEC IV (OBD 1)

Are you using the 95 explorer computer?

Maybe that plays into this?

If the extra load of being in 4wd is the issue (but i couldnt see this preventing a shift, maybe im wrong) try putting it in 2wd and dragging the brakes (not enough to spin tbe back tires, but enough to load the engine a bit) and see if it hits 2nd.

 

[James Morse]

Eric I mostly agree. That's what I said you can shift on the fly to 4Hi I think up to 55mph something like that.

It shifts perfect when 4wd is not engaged and it also won't go into 4wd low.

He said he can't make it go into 4Lo (leaving trans issue aside for the moment). I was asking is this new problem or old, because new means he used to be able to, vs never could. So what I was saying there is if he just got the truck and couldn't go into 4Lo and was trying to do it on the fly then there's the answer as to that. If you're not in N the truck won't let you do it, for good reason I imagine. My book says N, stopped, and foot on brake (for '97), to get 4Lo.

So to me, solve that first, because he should be able to sit there stopped and go between 2wd, 4HI, and 4LO with no issues. Little light should come on etc. Hubs irrelevant of course. If it doesn't go into 4LO the first thing you chase is the switch, and if switch is good, go on down the line, you know the stuff involved, and there are diag tests for every part of it but if the switch is bad you can play with other stuff all day long and it still won't work.

The trans shifting issue, because it ONLY happens in 4wd, to me it says it's related. Something is affecting the trans - if he's not in 4wd, it's fine. I really don't know anything except what I read in the Shop Manual and probably someone with more time with the trucks has had this happen and can say, it's this. Could it be 2 things, sure, but if trans works fine when not in 4wd it just makes me think, it's not the trans.

When you look up xfr case problems the very first thing is says is, can't get 4Lo? It's your switch or shorted/open wiring (first check this). Switch good? Do the next set of tests. But you don't jump there without know you have a good working in spec switch.

I've had stuff where you think omg it's xyz that's complicated then you pull the switch and find out, ah, the connector fell half off. Or connector at the xfr case.

I'm still betting the switch is bad, and that once he gets 4Lo working, the trans issue will go away. I think it sees a fault, that it doesn't see when in 2wd and the only thing different is the 4wd switch/system is involved. Sure, it could be in the xfr case, or other things, that the book lists, but you don't look for problems there until you know your switch is good, and if one has the diags for it it can be tested in a matter of minutes and determine it's good or not good.

And I noted that the book says, one cause of early or delayed shifts (not quite what he describes, but similar, if it's way-delayed) is a bad 4x4 switch. So to me that says, bad 4x4 switch can affect trans shifting. Different trans and I didn't look up th 4-speed but I bet it's the same. Obviously there can be a whole slew of things that cause bad shifts, that's just one of them.

Why not follow the book when in doubt. Then when 4Lo is working, if trans shift issue is still there, chase that.

Depending on money situation, a person could take a chance, get a new switch, put it in, takes probably 10 seconds, see if that helps. Problem is, if it doesn't you are -still- going to test that new switch because you don't know for sure 'new' means 'good' so why not just check your switch first.

 

[James Morse]

Swapped engine brings red herring into it. But I'll hazard a guess that you could practically have no engine in there and still be able to get the xfr case to go to 4Lo. That has to be fixed one way or the other. Once that's verified working, if shift issue is still there, chase that. I think I said that already. I got nothing else but interested to see how it pans out.

As long as you’re in neutral, with your foot on the brake it will attempt to shift. It will grind and crunch if you’re rolling.

Interesting... makes sense... can't think it's good for it though.

the range selector may be janked up

Yup, bad DTR is one of the things mentioned if you can't switch into 4Lo (doesn't see N). Or brake sensor. Check switch first though.

 

[scottvols]

So youre running a 95 explorer 4.0 but everything else is 94 Ranger?

Im pissing in the dark here but a 95 shoulda been OBD II and the 94 EEC IV (OBD 1)

Are you using the 95 explorer computer?

Maybe that plays into this?

If the extra load of being in 4wd is the issue (but i couldnt see this preventing a shift, maybe im wrong) try putting it in 2wd and dragging the brakes (not enough to spin tbe back tires, but enough to load the engine a bit) and see if it hits 2nd.

I used the intak

Eric I mostly agree. That's what I said you can shift on the fly to 4Hi I think up to 55mph something like that.



He said he can't make it go into 4Lo (leaving trans issue aside for the moment). I was asking is this new problem or old, because new means he used to be able to, vs never could. So what I was saying there is if he just got the truck and couldn't go into 4Lo and was trying to do it on the fly then there's the answer as to that. If you're not in N the truck won't let you do it, for good reason I imagine. My book says N, stopped, and foot on brake (for '97), to get 4Lo.

So to me, solve that first, because he should be able to sit there stopped and go between 2wd, 4HI, and 4LO with no issues. Little light should come on etc. Hubs irrelevant of course. If it doesn't go into 4LO the first thing you chase is the switch, and if switch is good, go on down the line, you know the stuff involved, and there are diag tests for every part of it but if the switch is bad you can play with other stuff all day long and it still won't work.

The trans shifting issue, because it ONLY happens in 4wd, to me it says it's related. Something is affecting the trans - if he's not in 4wd, it's fine. I really don't know anything except what I read in the Shop Manual and probably someone with more time with the trucks has had this happen and can say, it's this. Could it be 2 things, sure, but if trans works fine when not in 4wd it just makes me think, it's not the trans.

When you look up xfr case problems the very first thing is says is, can't get 4Lo? It's your switch or shorted/open wiring (first check this). Switch good? Do the next set of tests. But you don't jump there without know you have a good working in spec switch.

I've had stuff where you think omg it's xyz that's complicated then you pull the switch and find out, ah, the connector fell half off. Or connector at the xfr case.

I'm still betting the switch is bad, and that once he gets 4Lo working, the trans issue will go away. I think it sees a fault, that it doesn't see when in 2wd and the only thing different is the 4wd switch/system is involved. Sure, it could be in the xfr case, or other things, that the book lists, but you don't look for problems there until you know your switch is good, and if one has the diags for it it can be tested in a matter of minutes and determine it's good or not good.

And I noted that the book says, one cause of early or delayed shifts (not quite what he describes, but similar, if it's way-delayed) is a bad 4x4 switch. So to me that says, bad 4x4 switch can affect trans shifting. Different trans and I didn't look up th 4-speed but I bet it's the same. Obviously there can be a whole slew of things that cause bad shifts, that's just one of them.

Why not follow the book when in doubt. Then when 4Lo is working, if trans shift issue is still there, chase that.

Depending on money situation, a person could take a chance, get a new switch, put it in, takes probably 10 seconds, see if that helps. Problem is, if it doesn't you are -still- going to test that new switch because you don't know for sure 'new' means 'good' so why not just check your switch first.

The switch on the transmission or the one in the dash

 

[James Morse]

On the dash.
To me first I'd find out why is it not going into 4Lo and the switch is the first thing to check according to the book.

With trans in N and foot on brake (stopped) you should be able to select 4Lo. Whether there's anything flaky with trans, whether it's related to 4wd use (seems to be) or not, really shouldn't make a difference as far as being able to get the transfer case to select 4Lo. The little light should come on for it.

There are a bunch of guys that know a whole lot more than I do about these trucks. I have the shop manuals for '97, and I'm just going by that, because probably apart from the switch being different, I think the rest of the things involved in diagnosing why you cannot get 4Lo would be the same or similar.

All issues/failures have a sequence of tests you do, in order, to find the point of failure (only talking about the inability to get 4Lo right now). First you do the switch. You should be able to get it out and test it, if you don't have an ohm meter they are cheap. What you need is the, I think, "EVTM" or page from the shop manual that tells you what the test readings should be on the switch and someone here, like Ron, probably can get you that. My switch is different.

If it tests bad, replace it, perhaps test the new switch before using it to make sure it's good. Testing good, it eliminates the switch then if it still doesn't work you go to the next test.

Be sure to check your connections to the switch a lot of times it is just bad connection somewhere. Could be the connector at the transfer case. But absent knowing for sure the switch is good, it's premature to chase something else because further tests assume the switch is known to be good.

If you're planning on keeping the truck a while you might search out a copy (I like the actual books) of the Shop Manuals for your year. They can help a lot. Ford didn't make trucks then leave people with no way to figure out what's wrong with them. Lots of times people that have a lot of experience (which is not me) can tell you, I've seen that, check such and such. Otherwise, I check the book for instructions.

Trans not shifting in 4wd --might-- go away once you have 4Lo fixed. Or not. But chasing that without 4Lo working properly, I think would be the wrong order of things. Especially since trans works fine when not in 4wd.

 

[scottvols]

Update
I changed the motor on the back of the transfer case. It will now change gears. But I still don't have 4 low and there is a loud popping noise every now and again coming from the front end while in 4wd. I'm thinking it's automatic hubs making the noise

 

[James Morse]

The auto hubs should make a noise when they engage/disengage, but that only happens when you engage 4wd and go forwards, or, if you reverse they will unlock/lock. Unless they aren't working correctly. If it does it at other times, see if you can determine which it is. If you do, then, as I understand it, it's the -other- hub that isn't working.
If not in 4wd they shouldn't make noise. Except to note, when you shift out of 4wd you back up a bit to disengage them.

I have no idea why changing the motor would affect the trans shifting, but that's good. Maybe it fixed a wiring fault somewhere. Did you ever check the switch? Can you look under and have someone set it to 4Lo and see if it actually moves?

Even if the hubs were trash, it should still go into 4Lo and the tell-tale light should come on at the switch. There's no connection between the hubs and the rest of it in terms of wiring or controls. You do have to be in neutral with brake on to go into 4Lo so make sure you're trying it that way. Apparently, that perhaps doesn't mean you have to be at a dead stop, though that's the idea. If you sit there in neutral with brake and just sit there, on you should be able to go between 4Hi and 4Lo at will.

It'll be interesting to see if anyone can come up with a reason why changing the xfr case motor would change the way the trans acts.

 

[00t444e]

First of all get rid of the garbage auto hubs and put manual hubs in. Then get rid of the eletric shift transfer case and put a manual shift one in, may as well just get rid of the junk auto and put a 5 speed in it while you are at it as well.

 

[fastpakr]

Because manual transfer cases are easy to find...

 

[Josh B]

Update
I changed the motor on the back of the transfer case. It will now change gears. But I still don't have 4 low and there is a loud popping noise every now and again coming from the front end while in 4wd. I'm thinking it's automatic hubs making the noise

Pull the hubs and clean them out good with gas or solvent, especially down deep inside. going together pour some red transmission fluid in it, pour the first one out into the second one, then pour that out into your recycle oil. Using your fingers check they're all turning well. Inside your right front drive shaft you have a u-joint, make sure it's greased and working freely.
Check inside your front differential for the oil level, that may well be a very un maintained area
Properly maintained and operated that drive will go a long ways and last a long time, and all you ever have to do is reach up there and push the button