Don't Wanna Get Ripped Off, Help

[TLW]

My '92 Explorer suddenly does not go into reverse (although after a few tries my mechanic says it's now working again)---after having it checked out I was relieved to find that the problem is not the transmission, but it could either be the transfer case or drive shaft. I'm low on money and hope this isn't going to cost me an arm and a leg. Any ideas on how much either one of these repairs will cost for parts and labor? Please include cost if I use new parts or used. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[jimbo74]

To me, it sounds as if it is tranny related.... the vehicle should work fine in reverse as the forward gears unless there is damage to the tranny.... i dont see how the tcase or the driveshaft would make it not work... Welcome to the site

 

[Crankcase]

If it was the driveshafts fault, then it would work fine in 4x4, as the front driveshaft would still turn properly.....

I am pretty sure it is the tranny......

 

[jimbo74]

Crancase, i dont even see him mentioning if it was 4x4 or not..... i know he has a tcase, but dont know if it didnt shift only in 4x4 or even in 4x2

 

[TLW]

Well, let me clarify---it does not go into reverse in 4x2, although my mechanic says after driving it around it now works fine. He says he "checked" the transmission and found nothing wrong. Maybe I need a new mechanic.

 

[Opera House]

Run that by us again

Unlesss the shift cable is hanging up it sounds transmission related. The A4LD is known to have problems with the low/reverse servo O ring developing a big leak. They later designed a newer double lip seal. If you can change a transmission filter you can easily change this part yourself. There are detailed instructions on a thread here. You can even show your mechanic at www.atcdg.com click on tech and scan down to A4LD reverse servo. So is it working or not?

 

[TLW]

Thanks for the tip--I will be showing the link that you provided to my mechanic. Anyway, he said my car was working and that I could come get it, but I insisted that there was something wrong with it because, at least on Thursday night, it would not go into reverse. It did however, go into reverse when the tow truck driver came to pick it up (the next morning) and it apparently went into reverse with no problems when my mechanic test drove it. So, I don't know what the problem is.

 

[jimbo74]

maybe your shift linkage is just misadjusted.... that happens a lot... i dont know how they get misadjusted.... but at work, that happens to me every so often in a customers car... i just wiggle the shifter around a bit, and ram it through the gears, and one time or another, it does what i wanted it to

 

[TLW]

Hmmm---could be the shift linkage. I do remember when I tried to put it in reverse that it sounded like a chain had slipped. I'd never heard that sound before so I just thought the worst immediately. By the way, many thanks to all who have responded to my question up to this point. I can see already that I 'm gonna like it here.

 

[Alec]

If it is intermittent, then it's most likely something with the shift linkage, bad fluid or tranny filter, or a stuck valve body.