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1992 Ranger 3.0l/V6 Automatic 2WD, transmission problem.


Lively2524

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Location
Texas
Vehicle Year
1992
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Recently bought a 1992 Ranger 3.0l 2wd automatic that had been parked for years. Original 45k miles, clean little truck. Was told from previous owner that the transmission was out and that was the reason for parking it. Got the truck back running and starts and idles great. The problem with the transmission that I'm seeing is when shifting from Park to reverse nothing happens. Then shift from reverse to neutral and its in drive. Shift to any of the other gears and they all move the vehicle in forward. When in reverse it seems as if it's in park. With the vehicle running I'm unable to find neutral. If I turn the vehicle off and shift to reverse with it off you can move the vehicle as if in neutral. I have not driven the vehicle down the road to see if while in drive everything seems normal. I've even noticed that sometimes after shifting through the gears and the turning truck off and then back on it seems to lunge forward slightly as if it's in drive, even though it's in park. It's very strange what it's doing. The first thing that I think of would be the shift cable but when I crawl under and have someone run through the gears it seams to move fine. Anyone have any ideas?
 


RonD

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Manual
Welcome to TRS :)

Its an A4LD automatic transmission

There are a few things that can cause a loose shifter

Google: ford ranger loose column shifter

Lots of videos
There a 2 screws under the dash that can loosen up so you don't get full range travel
The shifter tube bushings in the column can wear out

The shift cable sheath can split where it bends at the firewall

If you don't think its the shift cable then you will remove the shift cable from the transmissions shift linkage
Now BLOCK THE TIRES
Then move shifter manually thru its 6 or 7 positions
 

Lively2524

New Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2020
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Texas
Vehicle Year
1992
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Ron, thanks for the info. I tried the loose shifter and found that to not be the problem. I then tried your advice of removing the cable from the the transmission linkage and manually shifted the gears at the tranny. I found pretty much the same problem. First click should have been reverse but it acted as if it was in neutral. Second click should have been neutral but it moved as if in drive. Ran through the rest of the gears and they all moved as if in drive. Decided to pull the valve body and it has some build up but I don't think it was excessive but I'm not a tranny guy. Anymore advice you may have? Thanks.
 

Lively2524

New Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2020
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Texas
Vehicle Year
1992
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Welcome to TRS :)

Its an A4LD automatic transmission

There are a few things that can cause a loose shifter

Google: ford ranger loose column shifter

Lots of videos
There a 2 screws under the dash that can loosen up so you don't get full range travel
The shifter tube bushings in the column can wear out

The shift cable sheath can split where it bends at the firewall

If you don't think its the shift cable then you will remove the shift cable from the transmissions shift linkage
Now BLOCK THE TIRES
Then move shifter manually thru its 6 or 7 positions
Ron, thanks for the info. I tried the loose shifter and found that to not be the problem. I then tried your advice of removing the cable from the the transmission linkage and manually shifted the gears at the tranny. I found pretty much the same problem. First click should have been reverse but it acted as if it was in neutral. Second click should have been neutral but it moved as if in drive. Ran through the rest of the gears and they all moved as if in drive. Decided to pull the valve body and it has some build up but I don't think it was excessive but I'm not a tranny guy. Anymore advice you may have? Thanks.
 

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,292
Reaction score
8,298
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual

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