Transmission Overheating Recommendations

[firemangreen]

I'm new to the board so please forgive me if this has been covered before. I did a search for this issue but didn't come up with much.

Here's the deal: I've got a 93 Ranger 4x4 XLT SuperCab with 180K that I've owned since new. Never had major problems with it, but several years ago, the transmission must have overheated during some four wheeling because it started puking ATF all over the place. I waited for it to cool and refilled it before limping back home. I think I took it to have the filter and fluid changed after that but I can't remember back that far.

Today: I was towing an empty 5'x8' single axle trailer for about an hour when I had to reposition to load the trailer with a 6' snow plow. I had been in a hilly area for about 15 minutes before I got to the place where I had to pick up the plow. I put it in 4wd to reposition and had to back up a short but steep incline. This took no more than 5 minutes. Once I had it repositioned and before we loaded the plow on the trailer, I got out and it was puking ATF again. This was the first time it had done this since several years (7+) earlier.

So, no more than 15 minutes of hilly driving with less than 5 minutes of strain on the tranny while backing up. Is this overheating normal? Is there a simple fix to this or should I consider a fan for the tranny cooler. (I think it has a tranny cooler already on it)

Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[exbass94]

You're not towing in overdrive are you? If so, stop. Especially if it was downshifting a lot on that hilly terrain. It builds up lots of heat and can easily kill the trans. I would do a full flush on the trans, because the fluid in there is absolutely no good. ATF's life span shortens incredibly quickly when it gets too hot. If it overheated enough to start puking fluid, the fluid is no good. A full flush is the only way to get all that bad fluid out. I would buy a tranny temperature gauge so you can keep an eye on it and pull over before it overheats. If it seems like it gets hot too easily, I would also install an auxiliary cooler.

 

[Tweeder]

first thing i'd do if i ever got another truck with an A4LD would be to put the biggest friggin cooler i could get my hands on in it -- better if it has a fan.

you should also flush the tranny. like the previous poster said, that juice is shot. make sure there ain't no "mystery" chunks of stuff in the fluid. if there is, the whole tranny is shot and it's either time for a rebuild or a real transmission.

 

[bobbywalter]

when in reverse you probably found some pump slop..the clearance really gets bad and depending on the wear in the pr valve will easily push fluid...that is alot of miles for an a4ld.


i would start collecting upgrade parts...and put some black magic or tx in it too.

 

[firemangreen]

Ooops, yes, I was towing in Overdrive.
I didn't think it would matter since the trailer was unloaded, but I guess it did.
Thanks for all of the help, I will get it flushed today. And I'll start looking around for trans temp gauge and the other stuff (bigger cooler and fan).

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[V8RangerBoy]

A 5x8' flatbed is way to small to smoke a tranny pulling some hills. Between wrecking this Ranger and getting it fixed I had a '00 4.0L with the auto, and I threw 2 motorcycles in the back, and 3 more on a flatbed trailer and pulled 'em up a pretty long, steady grade wihtout a single problem.

Get a big tranny cooler and a gauge (electrical, not mechanical for this!) and you should be set.

 

[Bent Bolt]

It's not overheating. The converter bushing and pump seal are worn out. Common issue with the A4LD.

 

[firemangreen]

Well, you're way past my knowledge.
Would a decent trans shop know what I mean if I mention "converter bushing and pump seal"? Is that an easy job or is this along the lines of a rebuild?
Also, anyone have any recommendations on a particular temp gauge and cooler? Any recommendations on where to find one?
(please forgive me as I'm new to specialty parts on Rangers)

 

[2manyfords]

Well, you're way past my knowledge.
Would a decent trans shop know what I mean if I mention "converter bushing and pump seal"? Is that an easy job or is this along the lines of a rebuild?

Yes a good tranny shop should know exactly what you are talking about because they would have rebuilt many A4LD's. It's a very common failure on this tranny.
It's not a job you can do in your back yard, the pump has to be aligned.

 

[Bent Bolt]

Yes a good tranny shop should know exactly what you are talking about because they would have rebuilt many A4LD's. It's a very common failure on this tranny.
It's not a job you can do in your back yard, the pump has to be aligned.

Yeah, what he said. ^