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Official 4R44E Problem Thread!


carlos_diazca

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Location
guatemala
Vehicle Year
1999
Make / Model
ford ranger 2.5
Transmission
Automatic
Technically, I never did, I just drove it that way, start in 2nd then shift to D above 30mph. I ended up parting it out, made a trailer out of the back half, the engine/transmission went to south carolina, the front frame & attached suspension went to toledo. I suspect it was a band but Im not for sure.
I want to thank you very much for taking the time to respond to me
I see you are the only one I have found on the internet who has had this problem, and in the troublesheet I have found that it is a first rate ratch that skidded and that is why it does not connect 1st speed
Before saying goodbye I want to ask you, how long did you use your car this way?
As I see it, either I take apart the transmission to rebuild it or I buy another one and change it, I'm in Guatemala here it's difficult to find a new one, I would have to buy a used one.
Thank you for everything, you are very well and I wish you success in your daily task
 

racsan

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central ohio
Vehicle Year
2009
Make / Model
ford/escape
Engine Type
2.5 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
2.5/151 I-4
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
235/70/16
My credo
the grey-t escape
I had it that way for a few months, It wasnt my only ranger at the time. Bought it for $500, had the bed off & made a flatbed for it. It was up for sale at one point. One day I had it out in a field and was going to do some donuts, had the steering wheel turned hard left as I had the gas floored. Somehow it ended up rolling on me which destroyed the cab. I cut the roof off and removed the doors, drove it very little after that before making a truck bed trailer and eventually gave away the engine, transmission & front frame/suspention. used many other parts including the bed for my current ranger. Heres the flickr link to its photo alblum.—>
 

mawi

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Location
NC
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1996
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Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Hey guys, just joined the forum. Just bought a '96 Ford Ranger XLT with the 3.0 and 4R44E at auction. It's got a couple of issues with the serpentine belt, but the biggest is that I seem to have no first gear. I feel like I'm going to have to have the transmission rebuilt, but I'm trying to learn as much as I can before conceding it to the transmission shop. When I shift it into '1', you can feel it shift but when you hit the gas it's like it's in neutral. When you shift into 2nd, it slips quite a bit, but it will take off slowly. When I put it in drive it will move but it feels like it's starting off in 3rd gear. Reverse works perfectly. I checked the tranny fluid which is pretty dark and needs a change with a filter (at least), but before I do that I wanted to check in and see if anyone had more experience and could help point me in the right direction.
 

gavin.herndon1

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Virginia
Vehicle Year
1997
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Ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
I have a 1997 with a 3.0 and a 4r44e, and I have an issue with it slipping/ flaring from 1st to 2nd and temperamentally falling out of gear, and all around sluggishness on take off. I was just wondering what might fix it? I’ve been looking into a getting a zip kit, and also getting an epc solenoid and a tcc solenoid, would that fix it?
 

DILLARD000

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Location
Earth
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2001 Ford
Make / Model
SportTracJob2
Engine Size
V6~4.0L~SOHC
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Maybe, maybe not. Color and smell of ATF? When was last full Trans service?
Pan drop, reTorq ValveBody bolts, new filter, new ATF, Band adjust,... recommend every 33kMiles\4years.
Several options, easiest to hardest:
1st option: suction 1qt old ATF from Trans DipTube, refill with new 1qt; drive 30min to see if helps; repeat 3 or 4 times.
2nd option: drop Trans Pan; drain 5~7qts, remove Filter; reTorq VB bolts, new Filter, replace Pan, new ATF; drive 50 miles.
3rd option: drop Trans Pan, drain 5~7qts, new ZipKit and\or Solenoids, new ATF; drive 50 miles.
4th option: drop Trans Pan, drain 5~7qts, new\rebuilt VB; drive 50 miles.
5th option: new\rebuilt Trans.
 
Last edited:

WarEagle2065

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U.S. Military - Veteran
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Location
Hobbs, NM
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford Ranger XLT
Engine Type
2.5 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
I have a 98 2.5 with the 4r44e. It is hard shifting from 1st to 2nd and a milder hard shift from 2nd to 3rd. truck has 125k on it and the codes I got were p0705, P0452. I replaced the TPS sensor, and it is still having the problem. The OD light and check engine lights are on. Side note I saw somewhere that the reverse lights not coming on could be connected. Any help would be great.
 

Sean_1970

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Location
Cheyenne, WY
Vehicle Year
1996
Make / Model
Ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Hey guys- new member. Ish.

I have a 96 3.0/4r44e 4x4 with 235k miles with a 10 year old transmission rebuild. Flushed the trans fluid and installed a wix filter when I put it together in November.

Recent purchase from a neighbor that I thought was a friend right before she moved away. It sat for a couple of months before I needed to drive it.

I never had a chance to really drive it before tear down, so I don’t know if this issue is new or not, but it is lazy going into reverse when it’s cold. 5 seconds from shifting to engaging. Once it is warm, the issue goes away. Completely. I’m assuming valve body gaskets. I found them, but I have to buy them in four packs. $100ish. I can’t remember where, but I’ve read you have to replace the separator plate when you change them out or the transmission will fail. Can’t find a new plate.

I’m a reasonably competent parts changer, and will be working on my back in the driveway. Is this something I want to tackle myself? I did heavy line for a decade but never learned any of the automatic transmission incantations and find the idea of sacrificing the neighbors toddler to the hydraulic gods distasteful.

or do I just pull the trigger and spend the $900 to convert to manual? If this route, what are the chances it will live until spring? I have a 45 mile commute that is 90% interstate. I’m old and my fingers really don’t work in the cold anymore.

Anyway- the list of new parts that range from wheels seals to seat belts to engine. Seriously, it it was bolted to the frame or body, it’s new.

thank you!
 

Brain75

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Location
Colorado
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1990
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Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
215/70R14
The A4LD, 4R44E, and 4R55E all have some weaknesses that got ironed out by the 5R55E iteration. This thread:


details how to rebuild one of the weaker sister into a more reliable version that is basically a 5R55E (sans electric fancy 5th gear).
If you don't feel like rebuilding and doing all that work, or doing all the work to change the column, computer etc to a manual might give consideration to finding a 5R55E from a (lightly) wrecked donor in the junkyard. Everything I have found, you end up with 2 electrical connections that lead to nowhere but otherwise it just plain works (and is a 4 speed) - do you research to make sure I am right, but a flawed auto for a fixed auto swap has got to be easier than an auto to manual swap.

There is one flaw in the 5R55E coming from the factory, Ford issued a TSB to enlargen a drain hole in the middle of the trans, but never fixed it in production - kept building that one flaw through the end of the production.
 

Sean_1970

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Location
Cheyenne, WY
Vehicle Year
1996
Make / Model
Ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
The A4LD, 4R44E, and 4R55E all have some weaknesses that got ironed out by the 5R55E iteration. This thread:


details how to rebuild one of the weaker sister into a more reliable version that is basically a 5R55E (sans electric fancy 5th gear).
If you don't feel like rebuilding and doing all that work, or doing all the work to change the column, computer etc to a manual might give consideration to finding a 5R55E from a (lightly) wrecked donor in the junkyard. Everything I have found, you end up with 2 electrical connections that lead to nowhere but otherwise it just plain works (and is a 4 speed) - do you research to make sure I am right, but a flawed auto for a fixed auto swap has got to be easier than an auto to manual swap.

There is one flaw in the 5R55E coming from the factory, Ford issued a TSB to enlargen a drain hole in the middle of the trans, but never fixed it in production - kept building that one flaw through the end of the production.
Thank you! I’ll look into that swap.

sounds like ford took the same route that GM did with the northstar’s headbolts. Known issue, but… meh.

I’ve done a few auto to manual swaps. I usually just drive the pin in the shifter out. Sourcing the ecm is typically the hardest part.

Funny thing- I have a new clutch set and flywheel that didn’t get used in a truck I used to have and was talking about needing pedals if I wanted to do this swap. Temu, yep. Temu had a new pedal set for it pop up in her suggestions. So she bought it for me for Christmas as kind of a joke. It was $25 cheaper than a junkyard. She told me that she was going to buy me the Temu Range Rover crankshaft as a kind of trophy, but the pedals had potential to use.

thanks again! I’ll probably end up doing your swap as I’m growing rather partial to letting the truck manage the shifting bit.
 

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