A4LD problems.

[GT347SC]

First off Hi to everyone. Ive been searching around for a few weeks reading the good info on rebuilding the a4ld. Now i have a question i cant find an answer to. I have a 94 ranger. When i got it the trans was fried. I had an a4ld from a mustang and put it in. It was a single solenoid valve body but after my searches i made it work but had no reverse. We decided there was a stuck valve so i rebuild the original two solenoid valve body with a trans go JR kit. Well now it has reverse but is suffering the slow to engage first and reverse issue. It didnt do this before the valve body swap and all forward gears worked perfectly. It would snap right into first when put in drive. I came back and searched to find out about the low/reverse servo. I did change that when changing the valve body because the kit had a spring mod to be done so i figured go ahead and mod that one so i can just swap them and not have to stop to change parts around. This morning i put the original servo to the trans back in (and made the spring swap on it too). I still have the slow to engage problem. I know all the bands are good since it worked right in fowrard gears before the valve body swap. Could the shorter spring used in the kit cause an issue like this? I have NOT changed the orings on the servo since it worked fine before but will try that next. The trans tech i found here was the best so im hopping some one here will have some good help for this issue. I am no transmission guy but have learned ALOT in the past week. I bought this truck for my daughters first vehicle only because i know the service history on it and it was taken care of.

 

[GT347SC]

bump. Needing some info on this please.

 

[GT347SC]

Once more before i buy a $300 valve body or take the truck to the scrap yard. I just need another opinion.

 

[PopRichie77]

This is a pain but put the valve body back in that shifted correctly, if the trans then shifts ok again, it would seem that the problem is with the 2 solenoid valve body, Central Valve Bodies sells rebuilt and tested valve bodies, they bore out bad bores and put sleeves in them. They don't just clean and say rebuilt.
They sell less than 300.

You did use a 1/4 inch pound torque wrench and torque the valve body bolts in the right sequence? One of the first things that happens if the bolts are to tight is a reverse problem.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Install the TransTec Viton D ring kit instead of using regular O rings.

 

[GT347SC]

My inch lb is 3/8 drive but not that that matters. I didn't have a sequence to follow but started in center and worked around to the outer edge. I dropped pan last night wit intent of putting old one back to try.

 

[PopRichie77]

Center to outer edge is correct, torque is 71 to 97 inch pounds.

 

[GT347SC]

So i got around to putting the original VB back in and all the original conditions returned. I have all four forward gears with no delay and snappy instant shifts (like it should be) but no reverse at all. So all the bands and drums should be just fine. With the other VB in i had forward and reverse but very slow to engage and very little pull (slipping). So is it safe to assume that both VB's are bad in different ways and that a rebuilt unit SHOULD fix the problems?

Hope i get some responses quick so i can order one wed morning and maybe have it by weekend so i can get this done over the holiday weekend. My daughter got her licence yesterday and wants her truck. Likewise i dont like her driving my Lightning around.

 

[BrooklynBay]

You should either rebuild one of the valve bodies or purchase a rebuilt unit. Central Valve Bodies gives members of this site a discount.

 

[GT347SC]

I have talked to central VB by email about their units. Is there something i should use when i order (a code or something) for the discount?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Mention to Donny that you found out about them through Explorer Forum.

 

[GT347SC]

I have an update and now more questions. I got a VB from central and installed it yesterday. Things are better but still not right. I have all forward gears now but have to tap the gas to get it to engage sometime. I do now have reverse, but have to rev the motor a few seconds to get it to engage and it doesn't stay engaged. With the rear of the truck jacked up i put it in reverse and rev. Reverse will engage and as long as i am giving it gas the wheels will turn but when i let off the gas they will stop turning. Also i never could get it to pull in reverse with the wheels on the ground. Forward is fine once it engages. I even drove it back up on the ramps.

My question is-I tried a shift kit in the original VB. One of the mods was a shorter spring on the low reverse servo. What was the purpose of that. I still have a stock servo and wondering if swapping that would change anything. It seems that it wouldn't but i wanted another opinion. I still havent replaced the orings on the servo but since low works i havent convinced myself that is an issue. I guess that should be next.

Any other ideas would be much appreciated.