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Official A4LD Problem Thread!


dbuser2

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Location
North West Louisiana
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Automatic
I guess this is how you post a transmission issue under the transmission part of this forum. You just reply to the original post. I saw no post button to start a new conversation here. So here goes.

A4LD Detent Plate and Pawl

I have a 1987 Ranger, 2.9 that has an issue with the shifter being hard to shift into and out of Park. I could feel the restriction with the handle and feel it hanging up inside the truck. It would hang slightly at first and over time got a little more difficult and then just would get stuck. At times it was intermittently working. I removed the shift housing screws and lifted out of the way to look at the Detent plate and pawl movement. When pressing the button and sliding the shifter to the left I could see the pawl would not drop all the way down out of the Drive notch on the detent plate. I just barely pushed with my finger to clear and moved out of position ok. After playing with this thing for several minutes I came to the conclusion that over time the Push button assembly had worn over time going over the Actuator shift rod and worn the button assembly to the point it would not drop the pawl low enough to clear the detent notch. It only needs about 1/16th of an inch if that much to clear. There was a couple of times it would clear but just barely and you could feel some resistance. I don’t know if any one has ever experienced this or not, but wondered if the solution would be to file the drive detent notch just enough to clear?
 

Danny74

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Messages
61
Reaction score
33
Location
Orange County, NY
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0L
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Don't wait till it's broken to fix things
..... Drove it 2miles in reverse to get it home. So, wnet through FrankinTranny thread and proceeded, ....
Where is this FrankinTranny thread?
 

Trenstar

Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2024
Messages
8
Reaction score
2
Location
Canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Hi all, had issues including catastrophic fluid loss, which seemed to be blown torque converter seal. Had new TC seal installed and within a week it blew out again and lost all fluid. Found a rebuilt A4LD on marketplace that also came with a Transtar torque converter. I've never done a transmission swap so my plan is to remove the existing one myself, and have someone who knows what they are doing install this rebuilt one for me. Interested in any detail that might be available on trans removal. Truck is 1994, Auto.

Thanks for any intel on removal process, I don't have hoist, hoping to be able to pull it off in driveway on axle stands.
 

mckiller1195

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2024
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Age
23
Location
North Bend, Oregon
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford ranger
Engine Type
2.8 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31'
I recently bought a 1985 ranger with the 2.8 liter V6 in it along with the A4LD trans to go with its got around 57,500 miles on it but It sat a lot and has some hacked out wiring that's I haven't been able to trace completely engine wise it runs fine I did a tune up and have no issues with it. When it comes to shifting it hangs in 1st until I let off the gas and if I gas in in 2nd between 25-30 the whole truck shakes violently and it tries to drop into 1st. It also does something similar uphill where it sticks in first and won't shift up making it impossible to go above 25, if it shifts into second it does the same shaking until I let off even in second if I try to keep it in gas uphill past 30 it does the shaking until I let off on flat ground second third and fourth go fine with some back and fourth between second and third of the truck is warm I've done fluid, filter, and gasket but to no avail I'm thinking that it's a torque converter but after reading some of the things other people have said I decided to post this and see if anyone has had similar issues and fixed them
 

Brain75

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2024
Messages
1,241
Reaction score
978
Location
Colorado
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
215/70R14
2007 Ranger XLT 5R55E here, no problems, no issues, not the first owner either.

I am posting cause somewhere back in this thread someone asked where is this infamous "frankentranny" thread and it seems it's not getting out there, it is referenced by explorer forums, bronco forums, other ranger (ford-trucks) forums and so on and so on - fairly "famous" thread on the whole A4LD family (A4LD, 4R44E, 4R55E, 5R55E) details how to rebuild an A4LD up to the 5R55E "strength" (not really strength but reliability - still rated at 550.) And it mentions some of the most important TSB's ford has issued on the 4R44E.


I'd kinda like if Jim might sticky the link above in the first post so people can find it easier.
 

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