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A4LD problem

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November 9, 2020
Messages
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City, State
Greensboro north Carolina
Year, Model & Trim Level
1993 Ford explorer xlt
Ok so the A4LD 4 speed auto in my 93 dosen't wanna shift into 2nd gear unless I let off the gas it'll shift if I have the engine up to 3500 rpms the transmission fluid is pink looks Brand new I replaced the vacuum modulator a few months back the transmission use to slip for a few seconds before also had the bands adjusted seemed to help a little any thing I could replace with the transmission still in the truck? Anything I should try before having it rebuilt? Thanks in advance
 



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Do a search for "a4ld governor". Thats what it sounds like to me.
 






Do a search for "a4ld governor". Thats what it sounds like to me.
I replaced it back in February I could have done it wrong tho because it started grinding? when I'd put it gear after that
 






I replaced it back in February I could have done it wrong tho because it started grinding? when I'd put it gear after that
Grinding is definitely not good. You're probably going to be looking at a rebuild. Chances are by the time it gets to the point of adjusting the bands and stuff, the other internals are worn out as well. You may only have bought yourself a little time.

I'm going to try the same for my uncle shortly with an old C3 in a 65 mustang. 2nd gear doesn't work at all. It's either in the servo case or the band. The A4LD is basically a C3 with overdrive. If it's pertinent by the time we do it, I'll post the results here. It may help you narrow down your issue.
 






Grinding is definitely not good. You're probably going to be looking at a rebuild. Chances are by the time it gets to the point of adjusting the bands and stuff, the other internals are worn out as well. You may only have bought yourself a little time.

I'm going to try the same for my uncle shortly with an old C3 in a 65 mustang. 2nd gear doesn't work at all. It's either in the servo case or the band. The A4LD is basically a C3 with overdrive. If it's pertinent by the time we do it, I'll post the results here. It may help you narrow down your issue.
Thanks man appreciate it! I'm thinking of going with a remanufactured unit for transmission depot for 1500 stupid question but how much do you think it'd roughly cost for a install no shop wants to give me a quote lol if it's crazy high I guess I'll go with a good rebuild
 






It's really hard to say. I'm surprised no one will give you a quote to replace it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's between $2.5 - 3K for a good shop to replace the transmission. They would swap it for a reman unit. There are no new ones anymore. You could probably save quite a bit by removing it and taking it to a trans shop to be rebuilt and reinstalling it yourself. Some places can be weird with warranty for DIYs though. Have you looked at Jasper or other rebuilders yet?
 






I wish you well with the A4LD, they are getting old and less common for rebuilders and trans shops. I still have my old 93's in my garage, it would be good for a rebuild. It worked fine when I parted out the truck, I only kept the engine, trans, and the ABS module, cluster etc. I put new solenoids in mine, with a TransGo kit and a longer modulator valve pin. The A4LD is not a performance trans so their are no shift kits that make the shifts firm, nor are there any stronger internal hard parts. The stock parts are basically the limit for them, with some Sonnax VB parts and a VB kit, that's about all that can be done. Any trans shop can handle any of that for an A4LD, and as said, they don't like to deal with partial work(bench build, just the install etc).
 






It's really hard to say. I'm surprised no one will give you a quote to replace it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's between $2.5 - 3K for a good shop to replace the transmission. They would swap it for a reman unit. There are no new ones anymore. You could probably save quite a bit by removing it and taking it to a trans shop to be rebuilt and reinstalling it yourself. Some places can be weird with warranty for DIYs though. Have you looked at Jasper or other rebuilders yet?
I can't find a jasper unit there's one from monster transmission for 2500$ tho but that's a little too expensive for me these shops around here are crazy i called about a rebuild and they wouldn't give me a quote either
 






I wish you well with the A4LD, they are getting old and less common for rebuilders and trans shops. I still have my old 93's in my garage, it would be good for a rebuild. It worked fine when I parted out the truck, I only kept the engine, trans, and the ABS module, cluster etc. I put new solenoids in mine, with a TransGo kit and a longer modulator valve pin. The A4LD is not a performance trans so their are no shift kits that make the shifts firm, nor are there any stronger internal hard parts. The stock parts are basically the limit for them, with some Sonnax VB parts and a VB kit, that's about all that can be done. Any trans shop can handle any of that for an A4LD, and as said, they don't like to deal with partial work(bench build, just the install etc).
Yeah I've noticed that most shops don't want anything to do with it once they find out it's a 1993 good thing I can work on it myself lol well now all I can do is have a shop do the trans that exceeds my automotive know how
 






That's crazy to me. Maybe we just have more local options here. I sent off a dynaflow 2 speed for our 51 Buick special. They rebuilt it with no issues. Surely they would rebuild an A4LD without issues. I may just call them and see what they would want to do it. I'm curious now!
 






That's crazy to me. Maybe we just have more local options here. I sent off a dynaflow 2 speed for our 51 Buick special. They rebuilt it with no issues. Surely they would rebuild an A4LD without issues. I may just call them and see what they would want to do it. I'm curious now!
Yeah man everyone thinks I'm crazy for putting so much money into a 93" but at the end of the day I'd rather have my old (Real Ford explorer) than anything thing sat for 15 years when I got it I'm actually 16 and it's my first car lol
 






I've been told the same. Why collect explorers, they ask. Why mess with that old stuff? Well I like them first of all. Second they were cheap when I bought them and still are relatively inexpensive today. Values are starting to climb a little but all used cars have gone up in price quite a bit in the last year.

Very good first car! My first was an 85 Lincoln Mark 7 my dad gave me. The first car I bought was the 92 Explorer 2 door in my avatar pic. I still have it today. The one thing I remember people always saying was how they wish they kept their first car. I sold the Lincoln, but my first purchase is still around.

Whatever you decide to do with yours, if you keep it and fix it up it will cost, but I think you'll see reward in your work and the learning experience. Have you worked on cars much?
 






I've been told the same. Why collect explorers, they ask. Why mess with that old stuff? Well I like them first of all. Second they were cheap when I bought them and still are relatively inexpensive today. Values are starting to climb a little but all used cars have gone up in price quite a bit in the last year.

Very good first car! My first was an 85 Lincoln Mark 7 my dad gave me. The first car I bought was the 92 Explorer 2 door in my avatar pic. I still have it today. The one thing I remember people always saying was how they wish they kept their first car. I sold the Lincoln, but my first purchase is still around.

Whatever you decide to do with yours, if you keep it and fix it up it will cost, but I think you'll see reward in your work and the learning experience. Have you worked on cars much?
I plan on never selling my explorer I've always been interested in cars since I was about 5 years old my family would never let me work on their cars thinking I'd do something wrong so I got 900$ dollars together and got my explorer Last September with a bad power steering gear box me and my neighbor have been working on this thing almost every weekend since last September and I couldn't be happier with it and I might sound dumb but I honestly believe the first generation Ford explorer will be worth something one day I actually wanted a 2nd gen 5.0 but when I saw my first gen on FB marketplace I knew I had to have it lol
 






I've been told the same. Why collect explorers, they ask. Why mess with that old stuff? Well I like them first of all. Second they were cheap when I bought them and still are relatively inexpensive today. Values are starting to climb a little but all used cars have gone up in price quite a bit in the last year.

Very good first car! My first was an 85 Lincoln Mark 7 my dad gave me. The first car I bought was the 92 Explorer 2 door in my avatar pic. I still have it today. The one thing I remember people always saying was how they wish they kept their first car. I sold the Lincoln, but my first purchase is still around.

Whatever you decide to do with yours, if you keep it and fix it up it will cost, but I think you'll see reward in your work and the learning experience. Have you worked on cars much?
I've been told the same. Why collect explorers, they ask. Why mess with that old stuff? Well I like them first of all. Second they were cheap when I bought them and still are relatively inexpensive today. Values are starting to climb a little but all used cars have gone up in price quite a bit in the last year.

Very good first car! My first was an 85 Lincoln Mark 7 my dad gave me. The first car I bought was the 92 Explorer 2 door in my avatar pic. I still have it today. The one thing I remember people always saying was how they wish they kept their first car. I sold the Lincoln, but my first purchase is still around.

Whatever you decide to do with yours, if you keep it and fix it up it will cost, but I think you'll see reward in your work and the learning experience. Have you worked on cars much?
I changed out the rear power window motor on the passenger side earlier thanks to this fourm lol

20210625_171850.jpg
 






I plan on never selling my explorer I've always been interested in cars since I was about 5 years old my family would never let me work on their cars thinking I'd do something wrong so I got 900$ dollars together and got my explorer Last September with a bad power steering gear box me and my neighbor have been working on this thing almost every weekend since last September and I couldn't be happier with it and I might sound dumb but I honestly believe the first generation Ford explorer will be worth something one day I actually wanted a 2nd gen 5.0 but when I saw my first gen on FB marketplace I knew I had to have it lol
Well, one thing about classic and collector cars is: whatever was popular when they were new, will be popular later. At one time 60s Camaros, Chevelles, Mustang GTs, etc were just cheap old used cars. My dad bought his 68 mustang convertible for $800 in 1974. He wouldn't have been able to guess what it's value would be today. Explorers probably won't ever be 6 digit value, but I have seen some examples coming up for $6-10K recently. I think that's over priced, but things are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them.

Just take it one step at a time and you'll find the reward in making someone else's trash, your treasure. The stuff you'll learn working on it will be valuable later on as well, not to mention the friendship with your neighbor.
 






This was taken back in 02 after putting the wheels and tires on. I bought it when it was just 10 years old. It's hard to believe it's been that long ago now.

1927.jpg
 






Well, one thing about classic and collector cars is: whatever was popular when they were new, will be popular later. At one time 60s Camaros, Chevelles, Mustang GTs, etc were just cheap old used cars. My dad bought his 68 mustang convertible for $800 in 1974. He wouldn't have been able to guess what it's value would be today. Explorers probably won't ever be 6 digit value, but I have seen some examples coming up for $6-10K recently. I think that's over priced, but things are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them.

Just take it one step at a time and you'll find the reward in making someone else's trash, your treasure. The stuff you'll learn working on it will be valuable later on as well, not to mention the friendship with your neighbor.
Yeah and these explorers really have a great community I think everyone's first car should be a project car honestly I think it would teach other kids my age to take care of their things and to actually learn something from working my neighbors first car was a 1969 Ford XL I believe he rebuild the engine in it his father served in the army pretty cool story
 






This was taken back in 02 after putting the wheels and tires on. I bought it when it was just 10 years old. It's hard to believe it's been that long ago now.

View attachment 339896
Here's mine she doesn't look that bad no rust or body damage just needs a good paint job

20210425_160045.jpg


20210425_160101.jpg
 






This was taken back in 02 after putting the wheels and tires on. I bought it when it was just 10 years old. It's hard to believe it's been that long ago now.

View attachment 339896
Yeah I can't believe it's been a year since I've had mine props to you for keeping it going
 



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Yeah I can't believe it's been a year since I've had mine props to you for keeping it going
Wow, it's in good shape. Nice find. If you're handy and have a place to wrench, just Google A4LD parts. There are suppliers out there for them. Like I mentioned before, it's basically just a C3. That trans was used in various forms from about 1964 until the 80s. There is lots of support out there for them. I looked a little for parts yesterday. I found some new old stock parts on ebay as well. Also, I did find some rebuilt units on ebay. I'm not certain of the quality, but if they offer a warranty, it might be worth considering. I found one for about $1500. Green Sales is an obsolete ford parts supplier in Cincinnati. They are in my backyard. They have helped a lot on my projects. If they don't have the part, they will give you the part #. They have the ford master parts manuals that go back to the 30s. It's an amazing place. They can search the Ford dealer inventory for newer stuff as well, so they are really connected. It's like being at a dealer parts counter.
 






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