Reviving my dad's last truck

[Mips42]

New user here, HI!
My dad left me his Ranger and, due to other issues, it sat un-running for about three years. I am now working to get it running again. I don;t have a lot of money to throw at it so I'm trying to do most if not all of the work myself.
He'll start and run ( after replacing a positive battery cable and the starter relay) but doesn't always shift into gear. I can hear & Feel when it does.
+ Have replaced ATF fluid, filter and gasket, fluid level is good.
+ I know that, when the brake is applied, the lever on the bottom of the transmission moves.
+ I know that, when the column shifter is moved, the lever on the transmission moves.
It doesn't feel like what I would think slipping would feel like, it feels more like not in gear at all.
All help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[JP02XLT]

It sounds like an engagement issue rather than slipping, these Ford automatics are well known for valve body issues, like worn out valve bodies, causing valves to stick, solenoids wont overcome the sticky valve situation and nothing happens, Can you feel it bump into any gear? forward or reverse? I would try to pull it into low to see if it engages, then back to reverse, repeat and then work from there. If you get it to engage in low or reverse drive it a little to see if it corrects itself, otherwise your looking into the valve body or trans internals for the answers based on what it will or will not do.

Be sure that the fluid level is correct , as it will not always engage on a low fluid level, so start it let it run idling for a minute or so and then check the fluid, try putting it in gear several times and check fluid again. It is possible to have the convertor drain back during a filter change and loose more fluid than you think.

JP02XLT

 

[Mips42]

" It sounds like an engagement issue rather than slipping, these Ford automatics are well known for valve body issues, like worn out valve bodies, causing valves to stick, solenoids wont overcome the sticky valve situation and nothing happens, Can you feel it bump into any gear? forward or reverse? I would try to pull it into low to see if it engages, then back to reverse, repeat and then work from there. If you get it to engage in low or reverse drive it a little to see if it corrects itself, otherwise your looking into the valve body or trans internals for the answers based on what it will or will not do.
Be sure that the fluid level is correct , as it will not always engage on a low fluid level, so start it let it run idling for a minute or so and then check the fluid, try putting it in gear several times and check fluid again. It is possible to have the convertor drain back during a filter change and loose more fluid than you think. "
Yes, when it engages, I can hear and feel it. Once engaged it will shift from 1 to 2 (haven't gone any faster). Yes it will go into reverse. None of it is consistent, though. As an example, I can put it into gear and it'll engage, drive it about 100 yards or so, put it into reverse and it will take anywhere from 10 seconds to a minute before it'll go into reverse. Then I'll reverse it for a bit, put it back into rive and, again, 10 seconds or more to re-engage.

 

[adsm08]

Check the trans fluid level with the engine off. Make a mark on the dipstick if you need to to help remember where it was.

Next time it won't go into gear leave the engine running and check the fluid level again. If it has not dropped down into or below the "full" range, and is still up near that KOEO mark the fluid pump isn't working.

Intermittent non-engagement issues like that can be (and on a CD4E, which is not your trans, are a common) early sign of pump failure. Pump failure can be pretty easily and reliably diagnosed by checking the fluid level.

 

[Mips42]

Well, I got the tranny shifting again by adding 2 more quarts of fluid (a total of 3.75 out and nearly 6 in...). So, no on to the next issue.
The passenger side headlight mount has a wide slot burned through it (I'm guessing the headlamp came loose while it was on) and needs to be replaced as the plastic nut that's supposed to hold the lamp in won't.
Also BOTH lens covers are EXTREMELY discolored. I'd like to replace them but I'll be darned if I can get the light assembly off. Any help would be appreciated.
It's marked with the date Sept '91 so COULD be a '91 or '92...
Thanks in advance.