A4LD swappability - 3.0 V6?

[j602]

Ok, so I found a sweet deal on an used A4LD on ebay - $200 shipped. It came out of a vehicle equipped with a 3.0 V6, but I didn't think anything about it, since the pictures of it looked identical to mine and I could have sworn all the A4LD's from the same year period were interchangeable. After the seller ships the tranny out, he sends an email asking what vehicle it is going in. I told him the 4.0 in an Explorer, to which he responds that it won't bolt up to the 4.0 until I swap the bellhousings. Is this true? If it is, are other things not going to match up, like electronics and shift linkage? If this is the case, I won't bother with it, and resell it and get one from the junkyard. Thanks in advance.

 

[Brian_B]

The bell housing just bolts on. Swap the one you have to it. I do not know the year of the A4LD you are getting, but the real old ones (pre-89) had a different shift linkage setup, since they were floor shift. That can be swapped from a later one, but it requires removing the pan. I am not positive, but I think some of the wires might have been different on the early ones as well. There was a write up of what wire goes where on another website years ago, but I bet Glacier knows.

 

[j602]

Thanks for your response. If I'm not mistaken, it's from a 93 Aerostar, which means the shift linkage etc. should be the same? Basically, all I need to do is swap over the bellhousing from my A4LD?

 

[Brian_B]

Look at the linkages and wires to confirm, but I believe so. I have never worked on an Aerostar myself. Yours is 2WD? Just making sure.

I would reccomend that you will install a new filter, pan gasket, and fluid when you get it in.

 

[j602]

Already planning on a new filter, fluid, and gasket. . Yes, mine is 2wd. I mainly just wanted to make sure I wasn't getting into something way over my head (like a completely different A4LD setup). The seller's email sort of spooked me. I'll know everything for sure once I can get my hands on it tomorrow.

 

[Brian_B]

Unless something extremely drastic is different in the Aerostar, I think you are fine.

I would have put in a C5, with the lift you have and everything, but your getting the A4LD cheap enough. Save that option for the next time.

 

[j602]

Does the C5 have overdrive? I need it for the highway. Also, is it a bolt up after swappinng bellhousings?

The tranny didn't come in today even though it was scheduled to, so I called the local junkyard to see if they had any, and they did. The kicker - $950 for the cheapest used tranny. I'd say I got a steal on this one, so I'm gonna stick with it.

 

[Brian_B]

C5 is not OD. I got 17 on the highway with my C5 4X4 ranger. Its just me, but I would never build an A4LD to go in anything again. Been there, done that too many times.

Thr transmission is a bolt in, but there is work to move the crossmember and add a floor shift. You also would need driveshaft work. Its close to bolt in, but not quite.

$950 for a used trans in unknown condition is horrible.

Keep me updated.

 

[j602]

Ok, need some help. Got the new tranny, and everything went pretty well. We swapped the bellhousing and tailhousing to make it work, and everything else looks fine except the shift linkage. It's reversed, turned 180 degrees from where mine was. What can I do to make this work? If I hook it up regularly, will it work but all the gears be backwards from the display in the dash?

 

[Brian_B]

Got a way to take a pic? Can you just unbolt it and turn it around? Flip it over or something? I am sorry, but I am completely unfamiliar with the Aerostar.

 

[j602]

We figured it out. Well, more my dad, he was taking care of that while I finished up a lot of little things. There was no way of getting it out to flip it over, so we rerouted the linkage. Anyway, it's all finished up and works great! So if anyone is interested, an Aerostar A4LD will bolt up after swapping the bell/tailhousings and rerouting shifter linkage. I appreciate the help Brian!

 

[Brian_B]

Good deal. Glad to know it works.

 

[sploder92]

Sweet!!!!!

I am about to do the same swap from an 89 Aerostar, now I know what to expect.

Thank you soooooo much, you have eased my mind.

 

[Glacier991]

actually you can reverse that linkage. You have to remove the pin in the case that holds it in to do it. It's a PITA.

 

[j602]

Yeah we tried to get the pin out but gave up after thinking it was immovable.

Sploder, no problem, I was hoping this would help someone.

 

[Glacier991]

Yeah there is a little trick to it, but even then it's kinda dicey gettin it out. I show how in the A4LD Rebuild Diary.

 

[sploder92]

compatible?----no!?

:thumbdwn: 2WD tranny from an Aerostar will not fot my 4WD Explorer. The output shaft has to be changed, to do this you have to remove alot of stuff from the inside of the tranny, I might as well just rebuild the 4WD tranny like I was planning on doing anyway. Now I don't know what I will do. I might be selling the 2WD tranny for local pick-up only.

Rebuild the 4WD tranny or try to change the outputshaft in the Aerostar tranny?

Any comments or suggestions?

 

[BrooklynBay]

I've rebuilt a couple of A4LD transmissions, and there are some differences between the ones made for the 3.0, and 4.0 engines. First of all, the bands have to be adjusted to correspond to a different torque/RPM ratio. Some of the parts in the 3.0 A4LD aren't as durable as the ones in the 4.0 A4LD. If you use one designed for a 3.0, and connect it to a 4.0, it will overstress those parts. Buy a rebuild manual on the A4LD. It will show you all of the different parts made for the 4.0 set up.

 

[j602]

Well, so far this transmission has far outperformed the POS one that was in it before. It doesn't seem to shift any differently than 4.0 A4LD, and operates 100 times smoother. It doesn't slip, the shifts are solid and dead on, and there isn't near as much delay when switching between gears (Park and reverse). So far no ill effects or problems.

I'm not doubting the fact that there is a difference between setups between the two, but so far this one works flawlessly. It was $200, and a cheap fix and even better alternative to a rebuild ($1300). If it craps out on me, it's no big deal.

 

[Glacier991]

The difference in band adjustments was due to a changeover in he OD band in 1991 I bellieve. Prior to that time it was what is called a double wrap band, and it was adjusted to one specified number of turns back off, then they switched to a single wrap band (used ever since) and it was adjusted differently.

Other internal parts have continually been upgraded as they put the A4LD in more powerful and bigger powertrains, culminating in the 5R that exists today.

I just wanted to clear up that you didn't actually adjust the bands "differently" depending on the engine size.