Oh boy! Explorer won't move.

[melhars9]

My 97 explorer issues have been documented over the last couple weeks here on the board. Recently I swapped out my original trans for a 99 transmission and transfer case. Then I found out the speedometer wasn't gonna function. Ok, I'm cool with that. I've been driving the truck for the last couple weeks and it drove great with the exception of the speedometer. Tonight I get a call from my wife saying the truck won't move! I get home and try to test the vehicle. I run the truck through the gears and it doesn't go into any gear; just idles. WTF!!! I checked the trans fluid and it seems really dark to only be in the trans for about a month although the level was good. Please help with any suggestions.
Mel.

 

[99ex22]

sounds to me like you got a bad tranny. was it used?

 

[melhars9]

Yeah but I pulled it from one of those "pull your own parts" junk yards here in central va. The trans combo only had 70k on it. It drove and shift great until today. She said she had just returned home and had forgot something at the store and was gonna run out and bam! Won't move. I know that doesn't mean that it can't be bad but just didn't figure it would be with relatively low miles compared to the 247k on my motor/trans that I had in there.

 

[99ex22]

yeah you never know. There is no way to tell how the owner drove it, or if they towed with it, or had it serviced regulary. If your fluid is dark within a couple weeks I think it's time to go to the junk yard again. Any kind of warranty on it?