Trans issue A4LD

[93Expo4x4]

hey guys, just recently started having trans issues with my explorer. So if I'm driving for a little on highway and I come to a stop my tans won't engage 1st gear and acts as if its in second when I take off. But if I put it in nuetral then back in drive i will start in 1st gear. And I can still manually engage it with the gear shifter. Still have reverse and all other gears work as they should. Any input?

 

[FR-425]

Governor is sticking.

Give this a read: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155582

 

[natenkiki2004]

Governor is sticking.

Give this a read: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155582

If it's sticking due to crud/varnish, a good cleaning may take care of it. See my signature for the transmission filter setup that fixed my 1-2 cold shift.

But if it's physically scored, it needs to be replaced, there's no getting around that.

 

[MrShorty]

Not to take away from the other suggestions, but I recall some similar symptoms, and my trans fluid was just low. Topping off the fluid and the trans resumed normal operation. As important as the transmission fluid is to the operation of an auto tranny, I might suggest starting by checking the fluid level.

https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246110

 

[FR-425]

Surely not! He checked the the fluid level, didn't he!?

 

[93Expo4x4]

Yeah fluid level is full. Gonna drop the pan and hope to not see any metal shavings that gunked the governed up. Looking into buying a newer ranger just hesitant on the sohc motor.

 

[2stroke]

You may or may not like the ranger, and you certainly wont like the SOHC. You will find gunk in the pan, its just normal wear. If you've never changed the fluid, it might be quite a bit. You should change the fluid every 30k on a good transmission. I would get as much fresh fluid in it as you can by flushing it through the cooler line. Then drop the pan, clean it, put the best filter in you can get, and fill it up. Run it till it blows, or maybe it wont. Then swap in an M5OD manual.

 

[93Expo4x4]

How would I go about flushing the tranny out? I was planning on doing a filter change on it today. Could I take it and have it done at a shop?

 

[Rhett]

How would I go about flushing the tranny out? I was planning on doing a filter change on it today. Could I take it and have it done at a shop?

You could have a shop do it, but I don't trust them or their machines to do a good job.

I prefer a low-pressure way of flushing, which has worked for me for years, by using the auxiliary tranny cooler lines. If you want details let me know, although I'm sure a DIY is on this site somewhere, too.

 

[natenkiki2004]

Definitely do it yourself, it's very easy. Disconnect a cooler line into a container and run the engine. After 2 quarts have come out, start pouring fluid into the trans dipstick tube. When the fluid coming out of the cooler line is clear, shut the engine off. Hook the lines back up, start the engine back up and let it come up to temp (don't drive it) then check the fluid level and add as needed. At this point, you can drop the pan but it likely won't do you any good. The internal filter is basically a window screen.

If you end up exchanging the fluid (it's not really flushing the way I described) then adding an in-line filter in the cooling line would be a great idea.

 

[93Expo4x4]

So I went ahead and dropped the pan last night. Fluid smelled burnt I replaced the filter and there was some grey gunk on the bottom of the pan and on the magnet. Fluid was..... Sparkly.. Like shavings. But no chunks or anything. Could just be from the clutches in the trans wearing? I've owned it for 20,000 miles now and never serviced it as it was just serviced when i purchased it. Next weekend I'm pulling the transfer case off and cleaning the governer. Is it easier to just remove that tail section of the case to get to it? Or am I ok just to remove the transfer case? Worst case I toss in a remanufactured unit and call it good with a 3 yr warranty. Just trying to minimize my costs at the moment.

 

[93Expo4x4]

How many QTS of fluid do you go through when doing this flush? The full capacity is 10. Safe to get 3 gallons or 4.

 

[Rhett]

3 gal should get it, but I usually have more tranny fluid on hand than I need, but that is because I always run a little extra thru the system just to make sure it's clean.

The truck will pump out 1 quart every 7 seconds, and as natenkiki mentions I usually let it pump out 2 quarts at a time, then shut the truck down, and add 2 quarts. Repeat until the fluid comes out clean. I use old milk jugs marked with a sharpie as to 1 qt/2qt lines to hold the old fluid. You can tell pretty fast if its clean or not even thru the milk jug.

As you know, some gray sludge is normal. You don't want chunks or shavings. Old nasty dirty fluid will stick to the pan, the magnets, and the underside of the trans. I always clean it all up in two steps, 1. brake parts cleaner to evacuate all of the old fluid and sludge hanging on the trans and magnets, and 2. shop rags/towels and isopropyl alcohol, generously, to get rid of any brake cleaner.

Change the filter and o-rings if you want, and gasket, and button it up. Be careful re-torquing the pan bolts. Tighten them progressively and in a cross pattern.

 

[93Expo4x4]

So is some sparkles in the fluid normal?

 

[2stroke]

You can get in pan filters that filter much better than stock. I'd bet they filter as well as an external, at least until they clog.

 

[Gadget X]

Some "sparkles" is fairly normal. And you can get to the governor by just dropping the transfer case.

 

[93Expo4x4]

Alright I'll take it all apart next weekend and see what the deal is. Then I'll flush it out. I've noticed for the past couple months that when its cold the 1st to 2nd shift is delayed. So hopefully this problem is just a governer and not something bigger.