no reverse, will not move (even if in neutral and pushing) backwards

[matswork]

Help, IM in the Navy and live in Italy, I have a 1992 XLT 4X4 with 150k on the ticker, Prior to moving here In 2000 I had the Transmission rebuilt (replaced everything) in San Diego(because I knew from my last tour here in Naples that the auto port (base garage) only employed morons with very little knowledge of U.S. autos let alone automatic transmissions). Since then my wife and I have only put about 15k miles on the explorer, and used the four wheel drive twice. The last time we used the four wheel drive was on a ski weekend in Feb, it went into 4x4 hi no problem the first day, I took it out when I parked for the night, and the next day when we were ready to go down the mountain it didn’t want to go into 4x4, however after driving around for 10-15 mins it finally went in, after we got down the mountain I disengaged the 4x4 and backed up about 50 feet and it seemed like it was out of 4x4 ( no lights on dash and steering was back to normal). We drove home ( about 110 miles) with no problems, the next day the explorer didn’t want to move at first until it warmed up, ( acted like trans fluid was low, I checked it and it was not low no burnt smell perfect red color) so I had the base shop look at it they said it needed a filter change since I had put 15k since the last one, but of coarse they didn’t have the filter in stock, so I ordered one and It last Friday, up until Sunday morning the trany has worked fine no slipping no hesitation in shifting etc... Here is where the Problems really start, I was on my way home Sunday afternoon ( only drove about 5 miles) and the explorer felt like the 4x4 was engaged but no light ( in the past my 4 year old has pressed the 4x4 button and I have had this false 4x4 feeling before ( In the past I just engage the 4x4 drove around the block then disengage and back up 50-60 feet) so I tried to do that on Sunday and the 4x4 would not engage WTF? after going forward and back 60 feet about 10 times there was a clunk when I switched from drive to reverse and the truck will not back up at all it will go forward but its like something is holding it back when I place it in reverse there is a high pitched grinding noise, and it will not move backwards at all even in neutral with me pushing.... BUT it will go into 4x4 and 4x4 lo now the first time I push the button.... HELP!!!!!

 

[matswork]

naked pics

would be nice..... Now that i have your attention... does any one have any ideas irt the below post?? Im stuck here ...

 

[SteveVB]

Well- engagement issues would lead me to the valve body, or trans linkage. If the fluid is fine , I would check that the filter O-rings were reinstalled correctly, the condition of the gaskets between the vb and plate, the low reverse servo sealing rings , torque on the VB bolts, the manual linkage adjustment. After that it could be the low band is bad or misadjusted- although if it was not adjusted correctly it may be bad now. The reverse clutch assembly out or leaking. A pressure test should give you some insight.

Im not sure the trans and Transfer case problems are related. I originally thouhgt that maybe the TC wasnt engaging or disengaging, but that would case symptoms in both forward and reverse. You have no go in reverse - OK in Drive, so I would go to the transmission. Seperate problem with the shift motor on the TC - search the site for cleaning fixes.

 

[MrShorty]

drivetrain wind up from driving in 4x4 on pavement?

 

[matswork]

Seems like it is stuck in park (only reverse) i can push it forward but will not budge when i try and push it back... also it will go forward in drive 2nd 1st etc but not like normal...i have to give it more gas than normal... and it still feels like something is holding it back... if i place it in reverse and rock it back and forth it will make a sound like gears grinding kind of high pitched... and will not engage 4x4 any more... but right now it is facing my house about 5 feet away and since i can not back it up or push it back away from my house i cant test out forward to much...

 

[matswork]

I can push it foward no problem but when i (TRY TO) push it backwards it wont budge, but i can see the motor move... this was done in neutral and in drive... when in park the motor would move when pushing forward or backward... I also put the front end up on jack stands and the wheels turn no problem seems its just the back wheels that will not turn backwards... this tells me the four wheel drive is disengaged... i can live with out that for now...

 

[AlaskanJack]

I just had something similar happen to my 93 Sport. My manual t-case chain had broke. Everything was bound up in the t-case but it would go in reverse. When it was wenched up on the tow truck and eventually let off it snapped the output shaft on the tranny. So I say be careful.

 

[MrShorty]

Can you get the rear driveshaft off? Then we can see if the problem lies in the rear differential/axle or in the t-case.

 

[Opera House]

Is this correct?

"when i (TRY TO) push it backwards it wont budge, but i can see the motor move... "

I could see the forward clutch jamming and causing problems in reverse when the engine is running. But...... if the engine is off when it is pushed back, how does anything transfer through the torque converter to try to turn the engine.

The problem needs to be better isolated. Since many of the symptoms centered around the transfer case, I might remove it from the extension housing.

Another thing is to remove the rear brake drums. I had a problem with rear brakes once from the self adjustment cable breaking. At low speed a metal piece wedged in the shoe and caused one of the wheels to lock up. You could also test this by removing the rear drive shaft.

Too much of this isn't making sense.

 

[matswork]

Does anyone know what part number my transfer case is? Just in case it is shot im trying to shop around for one also what other year explorer transfer case will fit?

 

[matswork]

update

Tonight I got out my floor jack and jack stands and got the ass end up off the ground... when i turn the wheels forward both go forward but when i turn the backwards the opposite one goes forward???? also with it up of the ground when i put it in the forward gears the wheels do not turn until i give it some gas and as soon as i let off tey stop like something is holding them back...
also now there is no un-nalural noises ie high pitched grinding sound that it was making befor...

I also tryed to turn the drive shaft by hand forward no problems but it will not turn backwards... seems like all roads lead to the transfer case... I guess I will have to get it towed to the shop...but thats like going to the butcher to get a wart taken off.....

 

[matswork]

still no changes

does anyone have any idea's on what my problem might be? It will drive in forward gears but im afraid i will do more damage if i drive it to the shop, I guess I should just pay the 100 bucks and get it tow'd in rather than do more damage...

 

[matswork]

transmission problems

well i got it towed to the shop and they took off the transfer case , and said the transfer case is still good...
problem lies in the trany... with the motor off it will turn to the left and not to the right with the motor running it will not turn to the left or right????? help does any one have any ideas what it might be... the trany only has 15k softly driven miles since a complete rebuild with upgades in 2000 already sank $1800 in the trany and hate to sink a lot more if this is going to happen every 2 years......

 

[slow-demon]

sounds like you got a clutch pack siezed inside the trans. Possibly the forward clutch.

 

[matswork]

help all you transmission guru's

well the shop finally got to the trany I need to replace all the parts from the hub thrust washer to the thrust bearing per ford transmission book part# 18-32 on page 10-27 as well as the intermed and od bands and i also need a rebuild kit... so my question is who do i call to order parts i would prefer not to order online but talk to some one as i need about 30+ parts and i would like to make sure i get everything with one order since it takes about 10-14 days per order.... help thanks mat

 

[SteveVB]

Ive never used these guys but the catalog is complete and easy to use. Phone numbers are on contact page.

http://www.aceomatic.com/catalog/automatics/series.asp?t=31

 

[matswork]

engine trany swap

how hard would it be to put a 2002 4.0 sohc and trany in my 92 4x4... the 2002 is 4x2 and was total'd yesterday front right hit large wall hard and bent frame but motor looks fine trany has fluid leaking from back part nead drive shaft.... the 2002 motor has less than 10k miles on it and my 92 4.0 has 155k with a shot trany

my other option is to air freight a factory rebuilt a4ld from phoenix hard parts for $1175.00 ( $650 trany 275 air freight and 250 core charge)
or
roadmaster transmission said it would be $1280 ($650. trany 300 core and 380 shipping/crat
e charge)

has anyone used either of these trany factory shops befor and if so how were they...

thanks mat

 

[Opera House]

The engine switch

would require switching the PCM computer and the wiring harness in order to run the engine and transmission. An interesting switch but not when you don't have access to a lot of local knowledge. I get the feeling that the clutch spring retainer on your transmission backed out when the C ring slipped out of the groove. They redesigned the retainer plate because this is sometimes a problem in a rebuild and does a lot of damage.