Ford Ranger 4liter eng trans Problems,Help !!

[bcraig]

Hi
I need some help here !
I bought a 1996 Ford Ranger Ranger 4wd with the extended cab,4 liter engine.
I bought the truck about 3 years ago and haven driven the truck but about 500 miles a year(only when fishing or hunting).
The truck has had a shifting issue since I first bought it ,the Trans will shift ok sometimes but when it gets warm after about a mile of driving with 2 or 3 shift series it will rev up several hundred RPMS and then shift.
Does not seem to matter whether I shift the trans by hand or just let it shift.
It seems to shift better when its cold outside !
Almost forgot sometimes when first started and I put it in gear it will take a few seconds to go into gear.
I had the trans fluid and filter changed shortly after I got the truck and that did not seem to help anything.
I am not a mechanic and on a fixed income and dont want to pay for a trans rebuild when it might be something simple.

I would really appreciate a Diagnosis .

Thanks
Billy

 

[truckerdawg]

Unfortunately driving 500 miles a year is bad for an automatic transmission for future reference since the tranny already had issues. More driving would have equaled more lubrication on a consistent basis to parts that need to stay lubricated(moist). You much more than likely will need a rebuild and unless you do the work it is not cheap. There are some excellent threads on the rebuild for that tranny between here and the explorer forum.

 

[RonD]

Yes, +1 ^^^

Automatics run on fluid pressure, they have a main pump that can generate 200+psi pressure, Reverse requires the highest pressure which is why automatics often loose Reverse first as internal pressure in the system starts to drop.

Seals and gaskets dry out and leak, so pressure is lost internally.
And a Cold fluid/oil is thicker than Warm fluid/oil, so it is common to start having issues more after a fluid warms up because it can leak more being thinner.
i.e. cold engine oil and no valve train ticking, warmed up oil and valve train starts to tick

There are pressure test points on the transmission that a shop can hook up to.

1996 Ranger 4.0l will have the 4R55E transmission, 4 speed.

You can google: 4R55E

And get some diagnostic help, but there is no quick fix.
You can replace the Valve Body, a common problem, without removing the transmission, but it would just be a blind fix, you wouldn't know ahead of time if this was the problem or the ONLY problem.

You can try adding a bottle of Lucas ATF Conditioner, or similar product.
These do work for specific issues, they can soften and expand seals and gaskets to slow leaks, to keep pressure up.
It isn't a fix, it's like running thicker oil in an older engine to bring oil pressure back up a bit, lol, engine isn't fixed and will eventually need a rebuild, just like the 4R55E

 

[wildbill23c]

I know your truck is newer than my 88 B2, but from what I recall the transmission is basically a newer version of the A4LD in my B2.

Anyhow, I just had my transmission rebuilt at a cost of $2400, supposedly they upgrade certain components and fix things that are prone to failure...for that price I sure as hell hope they do. You are in for a rebuild for sure and if you can't do it yourself you'll be in for a major repair bill unfortunately. Was the rebuild worth it, at this point yes because it is overall in pretty good condition but if it fails again its most likely not worth the hassle.

 

[Doofy]

I would really have to love my truck to spend $2300 on a transmission. A person can buy a quality used vehicle for that. When a repair costs more than the truck is worth...then it must be a consideration. Don't get me wrong, I love my truck but being debt free is more important at this stage in life. Is this "Hunting Rig" really for meat or is it a mental health rig meant to save your sanity by getting away? The latter makes more sense...you can buy a lot of beef for $2300, too.

Sorry for the rant...It is moose and caribou season here and I see hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of all types of hunting vehicles heading out and very, very few will come home with any meat.