A4LD Valve Body Rebuild Diary

[BrooklynBay]

Do a search on WWW.TransmissionPartsUSA.Com for A4LD.

 

[Explorerdad]

This is a great thread!

 

[Glacier991]

Thank you, glad you find it helpful.

 

[srmauer]

Did you ever get pics of bore 216? The springs in my 89 model are of two different lengths. Since my vb was kinda nasty I baggied everything and now I don't know which spring goes in first. I did all of the upgrades shown in this thread and now I'm stuck on the last bore(216 for me). Also do you recommend tossing the wire clip for the reverse piston as the Transgo kit says?

 

[organman]

I did not discard the wire clip on the reverse piston.

 

[Glacier991]

I did not discard it either. One of the few recommendations I just could not bring myself to follow. I'll see what I can scare up for bore 216 for you.

 

[organman]

After my A4LD VB rebuild, I still have no reverse or over drive. Someone said I should check the band located just above the reverse piston, it will sometimes come loose. Can anyone verify this possibility?

 

[Glacier991]

If you have manual 1st gear, that band (the low/reverse band) is correctly positioned since it applies in both reverse and manual first gear.

The reverse spool is an easy one to misassemble. No OD can be several things, but is likely either a solenoid electrical issue or more likely a spool assembly issue. Did you use the correct sep plate gasket?

What would be helpful would be to know your line pressures during operation.

 

[organman]

I replaced the solenoid and I feel sure I did use the correct sep plate. I'm thinking this tranny needs a rebuild. What puzzled me was OD was intermit for 2 or 3 days and then went out along with reverse.

 

[WhiteLX]

I'd like to pick up a spare valve body to rebuild and modify since my A4LD is still under warranty (Ford reman). Are all A4LD valve bodies the same and interchangeable? This is a 1989 2.9L V6 2wd A4LD Ranger, but we had some issues when ordering the trans and ended up with a 1990 2.9L 2wd A4LD. I do know that it has the 3-4 shift solenoid and TCC lockup solenoid.

I'll be pulling the valve body myself, can it come from a 4.0L, 3.0L, 2.3L or 4x4? I know it has to be the dual solenoid VB. There are lots of 4.0L OHV Explorers in the yards, but not so many Rangers or BIIs.

What are your thoughts on the Sonnax 56947-06K A4LD oversize pressure regulator valve kit? The parts are too expensive, but required reamer kit is.

I'd like to get the Sonnax parts you have listed in this guide as well as the Transgo shift kit. Will this improve the power handling of the transmission or just the shift firmness and timing? Anything else you might suggest doing that doesn't involve tearing down the transmission?

Thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

The check ball configuration is different for each engine type. The 4.0L uses a large ratio boost valve, and high radius relief valves. The models below 88 had one TCC solenoid. 88-up have a TCC & 3-4 shift solenoid. There are 3 types of filters which I'm aware of. Pre 88 had one type with a flush opening, 89-up have another type with a round opening, and 4 X 4 have a deep sump design.

 

[CDW6212R]

Replace the modulator valve, that is a common wear part. While yo do that, before, you could see about getting a longer modulator pin from an old Chrysler trans. I changed mine in both trucks, adding about an 1/8" of length, improved the 1/2 shift a little more. Regards,

 

[greg.176]

Thanks for great A4LD help so far.I removed my trans due to a delayed/soft reverse,late or sometimes no 1-2 upshift, and a badly leaking front seal.When I removed the valve body I found a spring lodged in the case gallery .Thought I would find a spring missing somewhere in valve body but this is too much.No spring in reverse engagement valve but a few extra balls in its place.I will discard extra balls and put found spring there.
I also managed to mix up the springs in bore 216.Diagram I downloaded from Transgo has slightly higher number for Intermed Servo Release Accum(5-4@481) compared to O/D Servo Release Accum(4-12@481)so I will put stiffer spring there.So much for being extra careful not to mix anything up.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! The spring in the case acts as a filter, so don't remove it. You should get a valve body small parts tray to help keep everything organized. Here is a product review on it: http://www.explorerforum.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/228/cat/500

 

[greg.176]

I read in another forum that this spring is common as well.I would like to see it in a manual before I leave it in.I will still need a spring for the reverse engagement valve.The tray would not have helped.I am using baggies to keep parts in order but in struggle to get plug out of bore 216 I removed keeper between 2 springs and both rolled out on bench together.I hope I have it right with Transgo diagram.

 

[greg.176]

Photos of spring and balls here:
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh189/greg176/DSCN0008.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh189/greg176/DSCN0021.jpg

 

[greg.176]

I was playing with the spring in reverse valve to see if it would work and managed to launch it across shop into pile of junk made to clear shop for this project.I was lucky and found it after a half hour of searching.Referring to the Transgo diagram and how I interpret the numbers there it is a bit too long and too stiff.Trying it in place also confirms that.Now my big question is how does one get a replacement for that one spring?

 

[greg.176]

I finally ran the truck yesterday and had no reverse.i had substituted a spring that had been replaced with Transgo kit that felt right.I did a control pressure check yesterday and no change in pressure when reverse selected.I removed the valve body today and the reverse engagement spool.Same fool who had put balls in that spot had ground off tip of spool which I think is why no reverse. Now where can a guy get one of these.

 

[Glacier991]

Spools more or less have to be salvaged from VB's.... you wil not find them available separately.

 

[greg.176]

I called the local trans shop and they gave me a complete valve body at no charge.With the new valve in everything worked great.The Transgo shift kit makes a big difference in shift feel.Thanks for a great thread on A4LD rebuild, it made things much easier.