Drive in park,neutral and reverse

[80's+90'sFords]

My first post,but long time reader.
The 1993 Ford Explorer I just got running has the A4LD trannsmission.I know the reputation of these trans. but have owned many and never had any trouble.....till now. When the truck is in park it is in park and drive,in neutral it is still in drive
and when in reverse it is in both reverse and drive.When in drive the transmission shifts great through all gears.I dropped the pan to check the Z-link,snug up valve body bolts and change filter and all looks fine.What do you guys think ?....Valve body malfunction? Thanks ahead of time

 

[410Fortune]

what do you mean?
When the column shifter is pointed at park the trans is still in D?
Same as when pointing to neautral?

And when you get it to shift into reverse (moving backwards) the column shifter is still pointed at D?

Sounds like an issue with the column mounted shift lever and position indicator to me, not with the transmission. That is assuming you are actually shifting the transmission into Park, N, R and Drive and it works fine

 

[80's+90'sFords]

Nope ,the indicator is allright....When you start the truck in park it lurches forward but doesn't move because it is in drive and park at the same time.Same with reverse ,with truck running it wont go forward or back because the transmission is in reverse and drive at the same time.When you step on the gas you can hear engine under load but it can't go back and forward at the same time.Drive ,1 and 2 all work fine.In other words something is causing drive always to be engaged....Thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

Remove the low/reverse servo, and check the seals. Make sure that your spring is installed. One person here had a similar problem, and later found out that there was no spring? He had a reverse issue. Did you try adjusting the other 2 bands? Maybe somebody tampered with their adjustment, and overtightened them. When you dropped the pan to check the Z link, did you check the torque of the valve body bolts? The manual slide valve, and valve body might have excessive wear, and leakage. There is a part called the manual valve index sleeve which could be added to stop excessive movement. Here is a link: http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/A4LD_Manual_valve_index_sleeve_p/400-005694701.htm

 

[80's+90'sFords]

thanks for your reply BBay.... I did torque all valve body bolts to spec, may be the low reverse servo but I think what you said about the leakage past the manual valve might be the most likely thing. But I will check the servo when I drop the pan again.The index sleeve I think is mostly for limiting back and forth movement and correcting for a sloppy z-link to manual valve hole .

I have a spare working valve body in a 90 Bronco 2, i'm guessing/hoping they are pretty much the same.I'll have to hunt down some seperator plate gaskets swap it out and see what happens...Thanks again

 

[80's+90'sFords]

Ok I found an online place to get valve body gaskets.Now the question do I need ones .015 thick or normal ones?Why two different thicknesses?..Thanks

 

[BrooklynBay]

The thicker ones are what you could call "heavy duty". They are a little more in price, but both would work for you. In preference, if there is a better part for $1 more, I would get it, but that is just my opinion.

 

[Glacier991]

Gaskets, thicker ones. The thicker ones are designed to help with possible "unflat" VB's the have taken a set from heat when not properly torqued. They add an extra cushion to seal "unflat" conditions.

I read your post and said to myself "Z" link. Well....If that is ok... then the next area of inquiry is the manual valve as BB wisely noted. I'd try the Sonnax Indexer as BB again sagely suggested, though a problem as exxagerated as yours sounds bigger than the indexer would fix.

Somehow the shifter is not placing the manual valve in the right position, or it is not getting there, or if it is, it is leaking BADLY. That's my 2 cents. And Thanks BB for great advice on these issues on the Manual valve.