96 4.0 auto gearbox issues

[Mogsmex]

hope someone can give me a pointer here, I have only had my Ex a week and it's giving me some hassle, unfortunately this is my first auto gearbox car and although I'm quite mechanically minded (I'm an engineer at Ford) I have no auto gearbox experiance at all, and no Explorer experiance either so apoligies If this is an obvious one, I have been searching and tried a few things but I dont even know what gearbox I have and all the info here is quite daunting !

anyhow my Ex is a 2nd gen 96 4.0 V6 auto UK spec

last week while driving the 4x4 and 4x4 low lights started doing the flashing 6 times every 2 mins trick, I stopped put the truck in Neutral shifted into high drove for a bit then in low (which drove like crap, basically almost crabbing and making a snatching cracking sound while turning the steering !!) this was at 5-10mph) I gather this is not right ??

anyhow, put the car back in 2wd drove perfect up and down the box lights not coming on I hoped it was an electrical gremlin and I was sorted ??

couple of days and about 150miles later jumped in the car in the morning and it crabbed off down the road like it was in low ?? same symptoms as before even though I had not touched the selector ?

stopped went through the gears back in 2wd drove off all good again

today, has been perfect for the last 100 miles or so lights were back on on the way home, tonight got home and it felt like it was going into low again as It was crabbing and shuddering round bends

checked on here and got under the car, popped all the plugs off the trans, the big plug by the shifter (orange rubber seal) did look mucky, brake cleaner in all the plugs and sockets, took battery off waited an hour or so for the cleaner to evaporate, plugged them all back in, battery back on,

and cars perfect again, no lights, shifting properly went out and gave it a good drive, perfect

so any ideas ??? I have a feeling I havent seen the back of this :thumbdwn: and would like to be prepared next time ????


all advice greatly appreciated :roll: as I love the car and dearly want it right, but I cant be doing with another project as I bought the ex to tow all the other projects

 

[96eb96]

hope someone can give me a pointer here, I have only had my Ex a week and it's giving me some hassle, unfortunately this is my first auto gearbox car and although I'm quite mechanically minded (I'm an engineer at Ford) I have no auto gearbox experiance at all, and no Explorer experiance either so apoligies If this is an obvious one, I have been searching and tried a few things but I dont even know what gearbox I have and all the info here is quite daunting !

anyhow my Ex is a 2nd gen 96 4.0 V6 auto UK spec

last week while driving the 4x4 and 4x4 low lights started doing the flashing 6 times every 2 mins trick, I stopped put the truck in Neutral shifted into high drove for a bit then in low (which drove like crap, basically almost crabbing and making a snatching cracking sound while turning the steering !!) this was at 5-10mph) I gather this is not right ??

anyhow, put the car back in 2wd drove perfect up and down the box lights not coming on I hoped it was an electrical gremlin and I was sorted ??

couple of days and about 150miles later jumped in the car in the morning and it crabbed off down the road like it was in low ?? same symptoms as before even though I had not touched the selector ?

stopped went through the gears back in 2wd drove off all good again

today, has been perfect for the last 100 miles or so lights were back on on the way home, tonight got home and it felt like it was going into low again as It was crabbing and shuddering round bends

checked on here and got under the car, popped all the plugs off the trans, the big plug by the shifter (orange rubber seal) did look mucky, brake cleaner in all the plugs and sockets, took battery off waited an hour or so for the cleaner to evaporate, plugged them all back in, battery back on,

and cars perfect again, no lights, shifting properly went out and gave it a good drive, perfect

so any ideas ??? I have a feeling I havent seen the back of this :thumbdwn: and would like to be prepared next time ????


all advice greatly appreciated :roll: as I love the car and dearly want it right, but I cant be doing with another project as I bought the ex to tow all the other projects

FYI: You shouldn't be using the Low setting unless there is a snowstorm or you are offroad. The noise you are describing is the driveline binding up (like you have no differential). Low locks front and back axles together with a reduction gear.

That said, something electrical (a short maybe) is causing your shift motor to move into the LOW zone. The shift motor is controlled by the GEM electrical unit in your dash, and sits at the back of the transfer case. Can you get the body GEM codes read from your truck?