not shifting into gear

[tgray528]

I have an automatic 99 ford ranger xlt 4.0 4x4 pickup. Coming around a corner yesterday the truck stalled, put it in park and restarted it. Started fine, just like always. Put it in gear and stepped on the accelerator and all it did was rev up. The shifter still moves to the spot it should BUT Its not engaging gears. There is no extra play in the shifter either so its not the shifter tube. Seems to be stuck in Park. I checked the linkage under the truck on the side of the transmission and with break push and moving the shifter to gears the linkage seems to be moving everything the way it should. I am stumped! Can anyone help? Also the brake lights are working so I'm thinking its not the safety button on the break pedal

 

[RonD]

If so equipped the brake pedal switch would prevent you from moving the shifter on the column, so not your problem.

It reads like torque converter has failed or main pump in transmission, torque converter because you said engine stalled.
Either requires transmission to be removed.
Obviously check the trans fluid level, but do it with engine off and then with engine on.
If level doesn't drop when engine is on then pump is not working.

I assume you have tried all the gear selections, including reverse?

 

[tgray528]

yes we have tried all gears. We are going to check the vacuum lines and maybe change out the park control module on the side of the transmission. I called a ford mechanic and asked for help and he tried to tell me that the transmission needed to be flushed and a line might be plugged. I'm hoping its not the pump inside the transmission. How hard of a job is that to take out?

 

[RonD]

Flush would be a long shot, if there is no movement.
Did you check the trans fluid?
Smell it as well.


You should have a 5R55E(5 speed) trans in a 1999
Look at the drivers door label, edge of door, at the bottom below TRANS will be a letter, D = 5R55E, T = 4R55E(4 speed)
Go here to see example of label: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/axle_codes.shtml
And you can also see what axle you have


Rebuild trans or used trans, rebuilt should have 2 year warranty, used 1 to 3 months.

You must use a trans for 4.0l and 4X4, and a 5 speed, or 4 speed which ever you have now.
You can't convert a 3.0l trans to work on 4.0l, or a 2WD trans to work on 4WD, and your computer only knows how to operate the trans it was programmed for.

 

[tgray528]

We did check the fluid, it seems to be fine..
on the side of the transmission there is a sensor (few different names for it) I'm calling it the Range sensor or transmission control module. Its where the shifter linkage hooks up. Would this cause the truck to not engage in gear if it was bad? The truck will go into Park and it will also go into neutral but all the moving gears are not working.

 

[RonD]

No, a sensor wouldn't prevent trans from going into gear.

BUT.............since you have a 4x4 the transfer case can go to neutral and you would get the same "no go" in any gear.
Try shifting into 4WD then back to 2WD, if you get Flashing 4wd light then electric shift motor may have moved transfer case into neutral(not a selection but it is there), and got stuck there.

 

[adsm08]

The unit on the side of the trans you are talking about is the transmission range sensor. It is very very very different in both function and concept from a "transmission control module".

A quick and easy test to see if the pump is working is to check the fluid level with the engine off, note where it is (it should be well above the "full" mark) and then start the engine, let it idle for a few seconds and check the level again. With the engine running the fluid should drop down into or below the full range. If the fluid level doesn't change from engine off to engine on the pump isn't doing anything.

 

[tgray528]

No, a sensor wouldn't prevent trans from going into gear.

BUT.............since you have a 4x4 the transfer case can go to neutral and you would get the same "no go" in any gear.
Try shifting into 4WD then back to 2WD, if you get Flashing 4wd light then electric shift motor may have moved transfer case into neutral(not a selection but it is there), and got stuck there.

We've had issues with the 4x4 since we got the truck. We changed out the automatic hubs for the manual hubs and the truck still wouldn't go into 4 wheel drive. He took part of the transfer case off and switched the button on the inside to 4 high but left the hubs unlocked and when we need them he'd just switch on the manual hubs on the wheels. So do you think the electric shift motor may have bit the big one and kicked itself into neutral? Would that just mean a new shift motor or would that mean a new transfer case?

 

[tgray528]

So I just talked to him he said the shift motor has been unplugged and not on the truck at all since he switched over the hubs so he says it can't be that. Plus he said hes switched the button on the side of the transfer case over and nothing changed. So he doesn't think its that. I have a feeling it something simple but idk what it is. let me explain it a little better. Truck starts fine, in park you cannot roll the truck, its actually in park, in neutral you can roll the truck like you should be able to. The problem is when you move the shifter to drive, reverse, 2nd and 1st gear it just revs like its still in neutral. No funny noises or anything prior to the issue. I really need this to be a minor fix and not a major fix!

 

[RonD]

Do what adsm08 said, it's what I said in my first post.

"Obviously check the trans fluid level, but do it with engine off and then with engine on.
If level doesn't drop when engine is on then pump is not working."

One minute transmission works the next it doesn't, that's the only simple part.
fixing it is never simple.

Yes, if it doesn't roll in Park the transfer case is in gear so not the problem.

 

[tgray528]

The fluid is fine! The level drops to the cross marks when truck is started and run for a while. I'm stumped! I'm now thinking maybe the linkage inside the tranny is broke, IDK We are going to remove the tranny pan and check out the linkage inside! While we are there we will change the filter.