A4LD Tranny Questions

[foss40z]

I have a A4LD tranny and my question is when i have it in drive it goes threw all the gears 1st - 2nd - 3rd and when it is in drive it act's like it goes into a 4th gear. It is not overdrive because when i put it into overdrive it goes in and can tell it is in OD, because the rpm's drop and it cruises. any1 have this same thing happening to them? the fluid is up to par and it is red still. any info on this i would greatly appreciate.

Also there is a wire that hangs off the tranny it looks like that is not hooked up. it is square with 2 round connectors. anyone know what this is for? the picture is posted below.

Mr.Foss

 

[F150hybred]

Take a better look at that connector. It may have three wires on it. A clearer picture would help better too.

 

[foss40z]

yes i apologize it has 3 wires on it and it looks like a T on each 1 before it plugs in.

 

[F150hybred]

That would be the wires for your three four shift solenoid and torque converter lock up. It works on a ground to engage theory. The center wire supplies power to the solenoids and the computer grounds to engage.there will be a plug on the transmission near the shifter that should be white in color. That will be where it goes.
In the picture below, on the far left, you can see the plug.

Shift solenoids on the valve body, once again, on the lower left

Hope this helps.

 

[foss40z]

thanks bro. i will hook it back up tommarow. not sure how it came unplugged, perhaps when i did the engine replacement ..

Mr.Foss

 

[foss40z]

After looking closer at the connection. It appears there is a white connector connected to it already and it has 2 wires, i tried to put in the 3 wire plug and it does not fit. it is meant for the white 2 wire plug. any ideas with this? is it a A4LD tranny perhaps from a aerostar or something?

Thanks

 

[F150hybred]

The pictures above are of an Aerostar transmission. Perhapse your connector is for the speed sensor? It could also be for an option that was installed on your vehicle.

 

[Bruce]

Wonders if some one put and early A4LD in the place of a later one. The early A4LD had a 2 wire connector as the later one had a 3 wire connector, 1988 was the first year for the 3 wire, you may have one of them 1/2 year models.The early 2 wire only had a lock up solenoid and 4 gear was hydraulically shifted.

 

[huntsman]

That would be the wires for your three four shift solenoid and torque converter lock up. It works on a ground to engage theory. The center wire supplies power to the solenoids and the computer grounds to engage.there will be a plug on the transmission near the shifter that should be white in color. That will be where it goes.
In the picture below, on the far left, you can see the plug.

Hope this helps.

Dude!!!
Your pic is worth 1000's
I have been having the worst luck diagnosing my tranny promblems until I happened across this thread. I've been averaging 11-12 mpg for the last couple of months and knew I didn't have fourth gear. I had already replaced the vacuum solenoid and subsequently suspected the 3/4 shift solenoid but was reluctant to tear in the tranny and mess with the valve body. I saw your pic and it hit me like a ton of bricks.....My connector was stuck in the square hole below the plastic connector instead of the connector slot just above it. I had previously (in an attempt to fix the problem) pulled the plug from the square and even sprayed brake cleaner into the square thinking crud was preventing a good connection.


Now, thanks to your post, I have the connector in the proper slot and where before I was driving in just 1st, 2nd, and 3rd......now, I have 1, 2, 3, 4, AND overdrive.
I suspect my mpg will increase dramatically. THANK YOU BIG TIME

 

[plcrew]

Has anybody ever pulled the valve body off the a4ld tranny? I'm just afraid I'll get it off and not be able to get it back togather. I need to change out the o/d solenoid.
Just wondering how tricky of a job this is?

 

[huntsman]

From what I understand you just need to keep track of the long and short valve body bolts and where they go.

 

[krazykracker]

reviving an old post having the same problem

was the extra plug ever determined what it was for?

im workin on a 90 4.0 auto 4x4 w same symptoms as above