a4ld stuck in OD

Maniak · April 26, 2004

a4ld stuck in OD - FIXED!

Over the weekend, 2 times the parking prawl didn't engage (I'd part, put the truck in park and it would still roll). It only did it twice (not in a row)....

Yesterday the truck decied it wanted to be in OD all the time. E.g. I start the truck (in park and the parking prawl did engage) the truck starts but immediatly the rpms go down (like I put it in gear). I hold the brake the put the truck in reverse and you don't have the 1/2 to 2 second delay for reverse.. If I don't have my foot on the brake the truck will start to move forward as soon as the selector hits R. I can actually drive the truck (I only moved it a few feet as I don't want to turn anything) with it in R.

It moves the same in all gears, 1,2,D, OD, N, R. Only Park is different, but when I pull the truck out of park it does feel like the truck has weight on the parking prawl. I know its in OD since It happened when I wasn't home and had to drive home and it went through all the gears into lockup and OD.

My question is.. Is this a simple mechanical sounding thing or a valve body stuck type thing?

I do remember last time I had the pan down that the piece of z metal that connects a level to a movable cylinder valve (I can't remember whats its called) had a little piece of metal kinda working as a clip. I could move that piece of metal (clip) on the z piece, but since it was like that when I took the pan down I didn't worry about it.

Anyone have any idea about this? I can't drive the truck with no reverse and I don't want to hurt anything (so I won't drive it anyway). And I really don't want to drop the pan in a dirt driveway so if it sounds like something simple AND I can drive it this way, I can get it to somewhere with concrete floor.

thanks...

~Mark

MrShorty · April 26, 2004

Something like this was mentioned by Glacier991 in his "A4LD rebuild diary" Something wears on the main valve and allows the forward clutch to stay engaged at all times, even in P. There weren't a lot of specifics given, but you might want to review the information he's accumulated and see what you can find.

Glacier991 · April 26, 2004

Yes, if the main valve linkage is worn the valve can end up in a place that allows theforward clutch to be "energized (e.g. pressurized) and be engaged, even in park. But the lack of a parking pawl engagement makes me wonder about your linkage setup itself. I'd double check the entire shift linkage to start.

Maniak · April 26, 2004

What about the s-link. I remember a piece of metal on the s-link (outside end) that looked like it was being used ot keep the s-link from moving too much. It seemed kinda loose (I could wiggle it and take it off).. If I lose that piece could it cause the manual valve to get stuck/engaged so I would end up in OD in all gears.. Including N,d,2, and 1.

Does it sound safe enough to drive into town (so I don't have to pull the pan in a dirt driveway).

~Mark

Glacier991 · April 26, 2004

The problem wear in the main valve is indeed where the S link engages it - see the pics in the thread "My A4LD Diary of this elongation in the valve shaft. (but that still doesn't explain the parking pawl issue in my mind). Check the enternal linkage, outside the trannie... if you can get decent forward engagement in manual, it's probably safe to drive. I'll defer to Opera House on this question tho..

Opera House · April 26, 2004

Was this ever rebuilt? I would think it next to impossible to get the S link out. I wonder if the centering pin that holds the lever in place is missing. That may give it enough room to slide out. This pin is located under the pan gasket. The nut that holds the internal shift ratchet mau also be loose. Does sound like the manual valve spool is disconnected. There is no reason to think it would stay in any position. Parking pawl is operated independently. Probably wouldn't cause a problem unless it went into N or R.

Maniak · April 26, 2004

I'm trying to remember what it looks like in the pan....

If I remember correctly.. the external linkage goes to the internal linkage.. the internal linkage is the part that is indexed (I think its called rooster comb).. From there, a piece of metal is connected to the manual valve. The piece that connects the rooster comb to the manual valve is what I'm calling an s link).

Yes this tranny has been rebuilt.. and I have had the valve body out before (thats when I noticd I could take the s-link out) when I replaced the TCC solenoid.

I was thinking it was internally disconnected since I get forward movement in all gears including Neutral.

Sounds like the pan is coming down, and I should get the Sonnax manual valve index part.

What about the little piece of metal that seems to hold the s-link onto the rooster comb. Where the heck do I get something like that. I would think that it would have to come off to get the s-link out of the rooster comb so you can pull the valve body down (e.g. to allow the manual valve to be disconnected from the linkage).

~Mark

Glacier991 · April 26, 2004

YOu are correct in your description. Also there is a parking pawl engagement piece of the inner workings that travels back to the pawl setup. The lack of a parking pawl is what has me most baffled, and why I have been asking about the linkage. Is the nut tight on the thru bolt into the trannie? Once you figure it out will be interested to know. I think the Sonnax manual valve fix is a worthwhile investment.

btw, I had forgotten about that *fxnbcrxz* pin that was such a b*tch to get out. Opera House may have an excellent point there.

Opera House · April 27, 2004

The reason I asked about the rebuild is that many have experienced all the parts not being put back in when done by a shop. I'm confused even when I read the first post again. My understanding was that every position felt like OD except PARK, indicating that the pawl was still working. Honestly don't remember if there was or wasn't a push clip on the S link. Might have a chance to look at one today.

Glacier991 · April 27, 2004

Here are some pics of the linkage inside the pan... this thing goes onto the manual shaft thru the side of the case, and a bolt holds it in position.... I am wondering about that bolt being tight. The long thing engages the parking pawl..

Here is a picture of the back of the S link where it comes through the "rooster comb", and the clip that holds it... if it was never removed (and I do not know WHY anyone would remove it) I cannot imagine it should ordinarily come loose

Lastly, here is the S link itself

Notice the hole that makes it turn when the shaft turns. If that bolt there was loose, I can imagine your symptoms... although, if you can get the park setting to engage the pawl.... hmmm... curious. But I think this is somehow, along with the manual valve, where your problem is.

Maniak · April 27, 2004

Thanks for all the info.. Looks like either tomorrow or Thursday (which ever day I can get off work) I'm gonna drop the pan and find out what happened (and hopefully fix it)..

I checked the truck again last night..

The shift lever feels like it is going into each gear (I feel the indent etc as I go from P to R to N etc).. I didn't try to drive it more than 10 ft or so, but in every position (R, N, OD, D, 2, 1) it will move, and it acts like I have it in gear. The parking prawl engages every time now.. it seemed to only not work a couple days ago, twice (that I noticed).. Even when I'm in park it feels like it is in gear (the rpms and the lack of rpm difference if I take it from Park to R etc)...

Now to see if I can find that manual valve indexer in town (from one of the tranny suppliers)..

I think its time to dig out the digital camera so I can document what happened...

~Mark

Maniak · April 27, 2004

This picture shows the clip I'm talking about. My clip is a flat piece of metal (missting the part that was bent over to hold it).. Mine looks more like a square flat washer that is slightly bowed.

~Mark

Maniak · May 4, 2004

Problem fixed!!!

Problem fixed!!!

I pulled the pan.. and in the bottom of the pan was the s-link and the clip that is supposed to hold it in..

I put the s-link back on.. and created my own clip.. (5/32 drill bit into a piece of metal I could bend back onto itself.)..

Tranny is fine now..

Thank for the pics all.. made fixing this real easy..

~Mark

Defthong · August 4, 2004

Question were you able to drive in R N??? was that the problem/fix? My 94 ford is locked in Drive.when I start it it lundges forward,and when in N or R it will drive. I need to know if you were experiancing something of the same. or just the parking prawl was/wasnt engaging is all thanks. and yes lots of great pic on this thread!!! great info

Maniak · August 4, 2004

It went forward in every gear except Park (the parking prawl would stop me from moving)... As soon as I start the truck, the rpms drop (truck in park)... When I moved the shifter to R or any other gear (other than park) the rpms wouldn't drop and I wouldn't get the normal feel of it going into gear (since it was already in gear)...

In my case it was the little piece that that went from the rooster comb to the manual valve (the rooster comb would move, but the manual valve would not)... I think it is called the s-link. the clip that keeps it in there came loose (I didn't think it was tight enough, but that is how I found it when I had the pan down last time, so I didn't worry about it)...

~Mark

Defthong · August 4, 2004

that is sweet I surely hope that is the same problem i have. I have been driving it like this for 6 months now!!! i will check it out.

Defthong · August 5, 2004

question ...Any one got the part name for this rooster comb...s-link thinggy I am trying to search autoshops for internal components and haveing a hard time finding something like this. I know the name used here is a slang name.
thanks

Glacier991 · August 5, 2004

it's called a detent spring. Ford's number is 7E332.... an actual part number can be gotten off that.

Defthong · August 5, 2004

thanks alot that really helped. I found the scematic to the 4r70y for the tranny. I didnt think of looking there. my mind is a mess. but thanks again!
I love this message board!!!!

Glacier991 · August 5, 2004

WHOA. Hold on. A 4R70W is NOT an A4LD. DIFFERENT creatures altogether. back up. 94 Explorer? you ain't got a 4R70W (Y) or anything close.

a4ld stuck in OD

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