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A4LD question

cableguy

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I had an A4LD laying around from a 91 EB 4-door. I sold it to a dealer and told him I thought it worked. He bought a new torque converter and installed it. He said that after intall, it has to be reved up to 3,000rpm to get it to move. I don't know much about these trannies, so someone help me out. What is the problem. It still sounds like the torque converter or low on fluid.

But like I said, I am a moron when it comes to these transmissions.

Thanks, John
 



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Speed Governor is sticking

I wondered just how hard it is to remove the governor from the transmission while it is still in the car. So I decided to take mine out of my 92. This is prior to a total rebuild I am doing. After removing the bolts to the transfer case, I pulled it out a little an let it swing down. Then I pulled it out more and let it drop to some folded carets. Had to remove the tranny mount to get at the transmission extension bolts. Transmission extension bolts to the transmission and mounts the transfer case. The governor valve is then just mounted with two bolts. Remove it carefully, all the pieces will fall out. There is the outer weight, close to the shaft. followed by a spring, then the primary valve that goes into the govenor body. Valve should move freely from its own weight.

Although mine worked, it was very sticky. You could see wear marks on the steel piston. I polished it by hand with some very fine wet or dry paper and oil. Also the aluminum surfaces. The piston now operates freely.

Not a hard job at all. I think a lot of these are on the brink of failing. The only tricky part is getting the parking rod back into the extension housing. Put in park to extend rod, then shift into into low to bolt on the housing.
 






Ok. I think I'm with ya here. I took the extension off and there was a piece held on to the extension with a spring. That piece moved side to side and the piston from the tranny looked like it ligned up with it. Is this what you are talking about. There was nothing else on the extension other than that, so it has to be it. Is the piston coming from the tranny stuck, or not moving freely? Is this what is causing the high rpm to move? I am not for sure if he used my extension or not. I took it to him, but not sure if it makes a difference if he uses his or mine. I probably should have left the extension on, but didn't for some odd reason.

Basically, the tranny has to be taken out to check that governer. I called three shops today and thay all said it was a bad transmission. Something to do with the seals.
 






The part on the extension

is the parking pawl that locks into the tooth wheel the govenor is mounted on. Govenor has a weight that rests against the shaft. Centrifival force as you speed up pushes on the spring which pushes the valve. Fluid pressure pushes in the opposite direction. At some speed the valve closes and you shift out of first.

In a transmission this age there are three problems that are the result of age, not hard failures:
1. Speed govenor starts sticking
2. Vacuum moulator starts to leak
3. The low/reverse servo seal fails

All three of these are easy repairs that can be made without removing the transmission. Before I took a transmission apart, I too believed the crap transmission shops told me. Transmissions are a racket. I wouldn't mind the prices they charge if they only knew what they were doing.
 






It seems the more they drive it, the lower the rpm's have to be to move it. Now around 1500 it shifts out of first into second then runs just fine. It also does it in reverse. The bad part about that is there is no second gear in reverse.

My buddy drove it, and put some additive in it that is supposed to recondition the seals, and got it to go down some more. I am waiting to see what they say.

thanks for the help
 






Here is what fixes reverse

B94Sport just did this modification. Search Weekend Project this forum for his experience. Believe me, this O-ring is in terrible condition. Mine was flattened. All the rest in the transmission are still probably in pretty good shape from what I have seen taking mine apart.

A4LD LOW/REVERSE SERVO IMPROVEMENT

Many A4LD, 4R44E, and 4R55E transmissions have a problem with no or delayed reverse engagement, reverse shudder/chatter, and/or no engine braking in manual low (1). Some symptoms are not very obvious but can lead to the early failure of the reverse band. Some have reported that this gets rid of the "clunk" when you go into reverse. This is the result of the O-ring on the Low-Reverse Servo developing a heat set and failing to make a complete seal. The low/reverse servo has the largest surface area in the transmission, except for the Torque converter clutch, is a double wrap design and located at he output end of the transmission. These all imply that it sees a lot of torque and could be one of the first components to fail from age. Every A4LD should probably have these O-rings replaced. My 92 transmission was rebuilt in 96 and it did not get this improved seal at that time. There is an updated "double lip" style seal made out of a polyacyrlic rubber instead of the nitrile rubber compound O-ring.. This solution was first borrowed from the C6 transmission and is now included as part of the O-ring kit from the better suppliers.

WARNING: This is a blind procedure and there is no practical way of knowing if the reverse band is seated properly. Unlike single bands, the reverse/low band is a double wrap band and this limits major movement. Frictional and. viscous forces will tend to keep the band where it is. The servo rod is rounded at the end and fits into a well on the band as well as the two housing pins. This serves to self align the band. Obviously for manufacturing purposes, when the transmission is stood vertically on the output end, movement of the band to the rear is restricted and is in position to accept the servo rod. Forward movement of the band, however, is not restricted. Rotation of the output shaft, large vibrations and the transmission pointing down toward the front could cause the band to move forward. The ATSG A4LD manual lists the Low/Reverse Servo as a separate repair procedure on page 47 that can be performed without removal of the transmission. This is not just something I made up. Like any transmission procedure, flushing, pump out, or new fluid has the potential to cause new problems. If you are not currently experiencing delayed reverse or loss of low braking, the risk/benefit of this procedure may not be appropriate. Every effort was made to insure this information is accurate with a transmission in a vehicle and by viewing operation of a disassembled transmission on a stand. This should not be considered professional advice and unknown manufacturing changes could cause an unforseen problem.

I used the overhaul kit from bulkparts.com for the 85-95 A4LD #23031 which is approximately $27. This is the Toledo Trans-Kit from SPX/FILTRAN. The two O-rings that you will need are packaged separately in the kit and will be easy to find. Replacement is no more difficult than changing the filter.

This technical bulletin can be viewed on www.atcdg.com by clicking on tech and looking for A4LD.

Another improvement is the American made glass fiber MicroFelt filter from SPX/FILTRAN.. This is also the same filter that is used in the 5R55E (#23921 for 4WD). If you have shopped for filters previously, you will remember that the 2WD versions got the filter element and the 4WD versions got just a metal screen. Evidently 4WD vehicles needed a higher flow for better cooling/shifting. The new filter is physically much larger than the old filter. There is even more filter area because the filter is folded over and welded inside to create twice the surface area. Flow restriction is no longer a problem with this filter. Be sure you order the correct long or short tube version depending on your pan design. This filter is only about $10 from www.bulkparts.com and comes with a new bolt and spacer. THE FILTER MUST BE SEATED PROPERLY OR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SUCK IN AIR. If the filter is ordered separately, it does not come with replacement O-rings or a pan gasket. These seals are included in the overhaul kit. SPX/FILTRAN .technical details can be viewed on www.bryco.com. SPX , an OEM supplier, has the patent on this filter design #D422600 and many others.

Working on a transmission only seems a like a formidable task. Replacement of these items is easy for anyone to do without removal of the transmission. I have removed and installed the reverse servo several times and there is nothing tricky about it. The center shaft eases the alignment of the piston. The spring only requires moderate effort to compress. The only item to pay attention to is the cover which has a tilted mounting surface and mounts only in one direction. Mark the rear section of the cover before removal. Before installation, the walls on the valve body should be lightly cleaned with a crocus cloth. Remove any sediment from the housing, piston and cover with brake cleaner prior to installation of the new O-rings. Lubricate parts with transmission fluid before installation.

While the pan and filter are off, the torque on the valve body bolts should be checked. When I changed the filter on my 97 5R55E, I found all the valve body bolts were all loose. This could be the problem with many transmissions as they age. Be sure to use the correct torque. Too much is as bad as too little and will cause the plate to warp. Seven foot-pounds is not much of a twist. Transtec has a optional double thick valve body gasket kit to correct more difficult sealing problems.

The steps are as follows:
1. Place vehicle in PARK and leave it in that position for the entire procedure.
2. Make sure that after the vehicle has been jacked up that the front of the vehicle is higher than the rear.
3. Remove pan
4. Remove transmission filter
5. Mark the back edge of the reverse servo cover. Remove four retaining screws on the servo cover. Hold the cover as the screws are removed. The spring between the piston and the valve body will push the piston and cover down. Note the cover surface is slanted and note the position.
6. Inspect for excessive wear. Lightly clean surfaces with a crocus cloth and install the two new O-rings. Lubricate piston with transmission fluid.
7. Replace ( new gasket if available), cover, piston and spring. Torque bolts to specification.
8. Replace filter, old O-rings may need to be transferred from old filter
9. Replace pan gasket and install pan.
10. Fill with 3 quarts of fluid. Start engine and cycle from forward to reverse. Recheck fluid levels when warm.



TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS:
Oil Pan to Case 8-10 Ft-Lbs
Reverse Servo to Case 80-115 Inch-Lbs, 6.7-9.6 Ft-Lbs
Main Control (valve body) to Case 71-97 Inch-Lbs, 5.9 -8.0 Ft-Lbs

REFERENCES:
SPX/FILTRAN, Technical Bulletin No. 124,
C3, A4LD, 4R44E, 4R55E Delayed Reverse Engagement

ATSG, Ford A4LD Techtran Manual Pages 22, 23, 24, 31, 36, 47, 62, 111

www.atcdg.com (View tech bulletins, A4LD
www.bulkparts.com
 






:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:


Holy cow, thanks for all that. If this guy wants his money back, I may tear it apart and try and fix this stuff, especially since i have all this info! He's supposed to let me know sometime today how it is.

thanks again!
 






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