Tranny bites the dust again

[parli22]

I can't decide if I really want to put another tranny in the truck again.
This will be the fourth tranny. If I decide to rebuild this tranny it will be the fourth. Right now it's stuck up the street from my house on side of the road
And it won't even move a foot. I knew it was having problem about a month ago so I had a tranny service done on it.

Guys I really need to get some feedback on what to do.
If I rebuild the tranny my wife will kill me. But it really doesn't help me with my work any more and I was thinking about a van


Please give some suggestions

 

[IZwack]

With the family and all - Im leaning towards a van.

Or swap in a manual transmission.

 

[rustbucketMI]

My vote it to swap it with a manual, or a better trans that will fit . . dont know what that would be but im sure someone does

 

[gsx220]

if you like your truck i vote manual swap

 

[Blee1099]

Another option is the 700r4 swap. It may cost a bit more but its more reliable than the A4LD. Then again a M5OD swap would be good too.

 

[Tbars4]

...I vote for a C4 tranny...As long as you don't have to freeway it much...

 

[Masterd]

Pinpoint the component that failed.

There are several threads around here highlighting how to build a dependable A4LD, and thats not going to happen if you keep rebuilding it with the same weak parts.

Or you can get the 700R4 adapter and put a GM tranny underneath, since the 700R4 can be built to handle V8's

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the Project Frankentranny thread. It will tell you how to use stronger 5R55E hard parts in your A4LD.

 

[parli22]

I have another explorer which my wife drives. The van would only be for work and handle two people. Right now I placed a call to see howmich it would be to get a usedctranny for right now and later look into a another tranny but the problem is this will be the fourth tranny and the second rebuild on this one. I have had this truck from 101,000 and now ha 180,000


So right now since owned this truck
Two engines
Rebuild old tranny
Brand new
Rebuild again

I'm only getting 20,000 if that pertranny and it getting little expensive and my wife wants to kill me more and more over this truck.

 

[IZwack]

Manual it! I've seen M5OD-R1s (non HDs for the most part but thats perfect for the OHV) for $200 to $300. I have an old slave cylinder you can have for free and I believe you have a friend in the Baltimore area that can hook you up with a clutch kit and flywheel for fairly cheap.

 

[Masterd]

Generally the A4LD should last, if you follow the rules for the old AOD / 4R70's...

Build it with the strongest stuff you can afford, and take it out of OD if youre going to beat on it.

I think the A4LD gets a bad rap because its never rebuilt with the updated parts, and rushed together.

 

[Robrt32]

Do you pull heavy loads or something? Just seems to me it should last longer than that... I have 188 on mine and far as I know, original tranny

 

[Forder]

Same here.. 205k, original tranny . It is starting to delay a bit when going into Drive now though.. and slight slipping when downshifting. I flush it every 40-50k though.

 

[mikeinri]

I have 280,000 miles on mine, all original (except vac modulator, fluid and filter). I rarely service the fluid.

Mike

 

[Jarubell]

Fix the tranny and pull the body and drop a Windstar on it and make both you and your wife happy!!

 

[CobraSix]

I hear tranny's are hit and miss on the first gen explorers. I've rebuilt once in 320k miles...and that was at 160k and I'm due again judging by the performance. I've had friends rebuild them every 40k.

Only things I do, if I'm loaded or towing, I don't use OD. At this point, my only problem lately was the coolant lines rotting out and I had to replace them.

 

[Forder]

I think about 90% (I'm sure there's lemons) of the time it comes down to proper care and usage.

 

[HahnsB2]

M5OD it, more reliable, more power, better gas mileage.

 

[rustbucketMI]

M5OD it, more reliable, more power, better gas mileage.

Less power loss, not more power . . .

I would say it depends on your budget and mechanical skills. Throwing in a new AL4D would be easier than replacing interior components, or throwing in a manual. It sounds like you shouldn't just fix what is broken with the same old parts. I would say an upgrade is required whether that be the trans itself or some of the components

 

[BIGHVM]

These are fairly reliable or so it seems for us in the UK- I have only heard of one owner who killed more than 3! He was known for a very heavy right foot! You may have been very unlucky but this UK owner was just too hard on the kick down all the time.