A4LD problem.. any experts here?

[rhauf]

On my '93 4x4 explorer, with 215k miles, i'm having a problem.. ill describe the symptoms best i can. up until now it has been perfect (perfect shifts always, no slippage, etc) it has a trans cooler and usually runs under 170 degrees. gets up to about 210 towing (a 17' boat) on hills.

about a 2 months ago i noticed when i'd shift gears, sometimes the "click click" thing or ratchet or whatever it is that makes it click from one gear to another wouldn't do its thing.. in otherwords, the shifter felt like it was disconnected, yet i'd put it in D or R or whatever, it would work normally. i don't know if this is related or not. it would only sometimes do this (maybe once a week)

last night, i went to shift out of drive, and the shifter was stuck.. very strange, it's never done that before.. it wouldn't move either way.. i drove the truck another 20 feet (over some bumpy dirt, it was at the ranch) and gave it another try and it shifted normally. this doesn't seem like it's related either, but its a strange coincidence that it just happened, so i thought i would mention it.

so here's the big problem...today i noticed it slipped a little going into second, by a half hour of driving later, it would barely engage second, and if i gave it any gas it would just slip like crazy (even if i "locked" it into second with the shift lever) all the other gears (first, third, and overdrive) felt fine, just second is slipping like crazy.. it cant even maintain speed in second.

so i'm wondering.. could there be a valve body problem related to the weird feeling shifter issues? or did it just roast a band or something that quickly?

 

[Wakeboy1337]

Well ya know... 215k isn't bad for that tranny. I dont think there is a band adjustment for 1st and 2nd so the clutches may be worn out by now or the filter could be clogged.

 

[92exp4x4]

I'd say your lucky to have gotten than type of mileage out of that tranny assuming that there was no rebuild recently. When was the last service of the trans? Fluid changes and or rebuild?

 

[rhauf]

I'd say your lucky to have gotten than type of mileage out of that tranny assuming that there was no rebuild recently. When was the last service of the trans? Fluid changes and or rebuild?

I've owned it since it had about 150k miles. I don't think it was ever rebuilt by the original owner (who sold it because it needed a head gasket) in fact, i doubt it was serviced often by the original owner either, who was an old lady with dogs, and just drove it around town (and never even checked the coolant, which lead to the blown head gasket and cracked heads) i changed the trans fluid at 160k, and was planning on doing another change soon since it's been over 50k miles. (i even bought the fluid already) i guess i'll be using that fluid in a new transmission though.

until about a year ago my girlfriend was the primary driver of it, and she was a lot easier on it than i am. i offroad it a little, floor it constantly from every stop, and tow with it on a regular basis. maybe 15,000 miles of hard use was all the old trans had left in it.

oh well.. new trans time i guess... anybody got any tips on places (im thinking online) to get a new/rebuild trans for a good price? maybe one built to higher spec? (if that exists, better bands and clutches or whatever) i bet a shift kit would prolong it's life as well

 

[rhauf]

Well, i've decided the trans is getting replaced, and as i plan on taking the explorer on a road trip in about a month, i just ordered a new transmission.. with a few upgrades (heavy duty torque converter, shift kit, and high energy clutches/bands)

yup.