"85 a4ld into an "86, 1-4 ok, no O/D...

[Canndspam]

So I just swapped a salvage a4ld that came off an '85 ranger into my '86 and everything hooked up fine and now shifts 1-4 all good and smooth but it wont shift into overdrive. One major difference between the 2 trannies that i noticed after the putting the new one in was the neutral start switch pigtail on my truck has five wires coming off of it plus a spring that came out of the center of the switch, the pigtail off the 85 (which the salvage yard included with the tranny) has 4 and no center spring. Don't know what this means exactly but if there was some minor wire splicing that I could do to make the OD work that would be great. Also the shifter linkage seems to be adjusted properly as all the other shift position do as they should, just the OD position does the same thing as D. But perhaps I should just count my blessings that the thing shifts 1-4 and leave it at that?

 

[snab07]

a4ld

[U The a4ld is only a four speed unit including overdrive. The d position on the shifter should only allow the transmission to shift 1 through 3 and the o/d position should allow it to go through all four gears. Check out the a4ld description in the tech library under transmissions

 

[bobbywalter]

you either have no converter lock up or you are missing 4th gear.

many will feel like a 6 speed. 1-2-3--3lu-4--4lu.

 

[Canndspam]

Ok, so it seems pretty certain then that i'm missing OD. I can count 4 distinct 'shifts' while accelerating in D, the fourth of those probably being the converter lock up which i wasn't fully understanding before. So then when I shift to OD while in 3 with lockup, nothing happens at all. Back and forth and nothing. And my understanding of the thing is that since OD is not electronically controlled, theres nothing im going to do to get OD back short of a rebuild? Is there any reason i should be worried about driving it around with it like that? Cuz i really dont feel like pulling that tranny back off yet.

 

[bobbywalter]

well, if the fluid is good you can go a ways.


just leave in d not od.

the fact it is not trying to apply od is a bit spookey. usually the band tries to apply and it slides back and forth from 3rd

 

[Canndspam]

Yeah I think for now I'm going just be happy with 3 and TC lockup spooky or not. I don't usually take it on highways or long trips anyhow, mosltly work in town. Was just reading about adjusting the OD band though and I'm wondering how good or bad of an idea it is to mess with that considering it seems to be at a point of relative stability? And thanks for all the help.