A4LD Help!

[popshc]

I just replaced a cracked head on my daughter's 1988 2.9 XLT Ranger. Water had leaked into the oil and created that wonderful carmel chocolate milkshake. Since she only knows how to put gas in the tank, she kept driving. Once it broke down, I got the hysterical phone call!

Since the combustion chambers was full of milkshake, it was running awful before it quit. After replacing the head, maching the intake manifold, cleaning the inerds & all external componets, tune-up, replaced a couple of sensors the motor now runs better than ever.

On my maiden test drive the tranny wouldn't go into overdrive nor would the torque converter lock up. The fuild was was clean and didn't smell burnt. But, it was a little overfilled, so I removed all of the excess. After much research I felt that this was probably an electrical problem. Eurika! The plug to solenoids in the gearbox was dis-connected. No problem, pluged it inand then decided to adjust the linkage while I was under there. No good deed goes unpunished, the shift lever attached to the transmission was moving but all it was doing was rotating around the shaft. To repair this I turned the lever around and pressed it back on using the kick-down cable bolt.

Now my questions:

1. Could the previous, poorly runnig engine be preventing the tranny from shifting into O/D?
2. What holds the shift lever on the internal shift shaft? Can this be removed and re-installed multiple times? If not any ideas on where to find a replacement?

Thanks for any assistance,

Wayne
Yorktown, VA

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Drop the pan to see what got disconnected. The sticky thread in the transmission section called the A4LD valve body rebuild diary has some pictures of this internal mechanism.

 

[popshc]

Thanks for your response. I have reviewed this forum for pictures or any additional info about my problem. But, can not locate anything additional. The shaft did not come out of the tranny. Just the manual control lever (the lever outside of the case) came off of the shaft that runs through the case. I am trying to determine how that lever is attached to the shaft. Is the lever a seperate part or does it come attached as a replacement part to the interior shaft. I have even tried find the part on websites that sell parts. Without any luck.

Thanks again for your help!

Wayne

 

[BrooklynBay]

https://www.wittrans.com/Schematic.aspx?Transmission=A4LD/4R44E/4R55E/5R55E&Schematic=5

 

[popshc]

Thanks, the schematic is exactly what I needed. Parts are being ordered today.

Now do you have any thoughts on my second question relating to the overdrive. I found the solenoid electrical plug disconnected. After it was re-connected the torque converter locks up but still no overdrive. Since this plug supplies power to both solenoids I thought this would solve both problems. If the engine is missing and back firing (which it did because of water & oil mixture in combustion chambers) would the computer prevent overdrive from engaging? How long should it take after the engine repairs before the computer would signal for overdrive to engage? I thought I read somewhere that it could take up to a week for the computer to relearn appropriate settings.

Thanks again,
Wayne

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could check the solenoids through the 3 prong connector. It's possible that the internal harness might be bad or it could be the solenoid. Why was the plug disconnected? Was it blowing fuses?

 

[popshc]

This transmission was previously replaced by a shop with a Jasper reman. I found a bracket holding the wires about 12" from the plug had not been re-attached. I assume I probably unpluged it moving the harness around while installing a head on the engine.

Can the solenoid be tested without removing the pan? I know the solenoids always have power and the EEC sends a ground. Can I just ground the male prong of the overdrive solenoid to test the solenoid without damaging the EEC? Would I be able to hear the solenoid engage?

Much appreciation,
Wayne

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could test them through the 3 prong case connector without having to drop the pan.

 

[MrShorty]

I know the solenoids always have power and the EEC sends a ground. Can I just ground the male prong of the overdrive solenoid to test the solenoid without damaging the EEC? Would I be able to hear the solenoid engage?

Probably not, I've never had any luck "hearing" those solenoids engage. What I have had success with is "seeing" the switch with a voltmeter. Put a voltmeter across the solenoid. Then enter the output state test (see my notes on pulling EEC-IV codes thread), and you should be able to see your voltmeter switch from 12 V to 0 V as you switch the solenoid. Then, with the voltmeter still hooked up, test drive and see if the computer chooses to command overdrive. If the computer chooses to command overdrive and the transmission doesn't respond, then the problem is hydraulic/mechanical. If you can't see the computer switching, make sure you are hooked up right.

While you are getting to the output state test, be sure to note any codes that come up.