1985 Bronco II two speed overdrive ?

[CyberCholo]

Hello I recently purchased an 85 bronco 2 to use as a winter daily in the salt and second vehicle.

The truck has a problem where it doesn't like to stay in top gear unless I have the throttle a certain way at certain speeds. This has led to me using the same amount of gas on my new somewhat longer highway commute as I did stoplight to stoplight in my 73 omega with a 69 rocket 350 haha.

I'm pretty sure the problem is the vacuum modulator I bought the part but haven't put it in yet as I didn't realize I had to drop the cat to do it and the weather has been crappy recently and I no longer have a covered work area.

But while experimenting with the trans by keeping it in d3 and counting the shifts and then putting it into od to shift into fourth I've discovered that I actually have a second overdrive gear. Is this normal? The p o told me 85 only had a 3 speed and a po swapped in an od but that's not accurate right? But I do think the Trans may have been swapped as the trim panel around the shifter is sitting kind of off center and doesn't look totally original.

If so could the problem with my fifth gear not be because of the modulator but instead the Trans not installed correctly?

 

[RonD]

1985 to 1990 BIIs got the A4LD 4 speed, earlier model just had TCC(torque converter lock) Solenoid, 2 wire connector
Around 1987/88 they added 3/4shift(OD) solenoid, 3 wires
Solenoids were computer controlled so to change 1985 A4LD to a 1989 A4LD would require computer to be changed as well.

There was no 5 speed option, that would fit the 2.8l/2.9l engine, and that it's computer could control, so you don't have a 5-speed.

You could be feeling the torque converter locking as a shift.

 

[CyberCholo]

I'm not sure what to say as there is a definite drop in revs when it happens and it acts just like if went up a gear. Is there any way to tell or is that just the torque converter? I've never had an old overdrive automatic only 3 speeds and manuals

I saw a two speed overdrive for the a4ld mentioned somewhere

 

[adsm08]

Ford makes no transmission, and never has, with more than one proper overdrive speed. Some of the newer 5 and 6 speed automatics have a gear that is just a hair over direct drive as the second highest gear, but not really a proper over drive (many are .9X to 1).

You do not have two over-drive gears. What you saw mentioned (and I know the thread) was someone with no idea what they were talking about, who saw the RPM drop from the TC lockup and thought it was another gear.

 

[CyberCholo]

Thank you! I actually read it on some sort of tech writeup maybe it was a thread here actually.

Well then everything should be fine after I change the modulator I would think as I don't think I have a vacuum leak elsewhere thank you

 

[RonD]

Blow out the modulator vacuum hose, if modulator leaked then it will be full of ATF