Transmission #4 toast - A4LD

[Brandons]

So the explorer has almost rolled over to 160 000 km, and my 4rth transmission just died.

Starting off at a stop sign to turn left.... press the gas... moves a bit and CLUNK. Reverse still works, but its a bit more noisier now too (Though you would be too if surrounded in shrapnel: )

My best diagnosis, forward planetary went kaput and the innards of my transmission now have seen much better days. I'm not the easiest driver on it, but i figured this transmission would last longer than a year.. which it just passed that not much later then February.


Now I have a few options, and have no clue what I really want to / should do..

• a) a 5.8L 351 with tranny is available to me for a very inexpensive price, however the new extension for 4x4 is around $440 I hear. Also I think I would need at least a 2" body lift to fit this motor, more money..
  
• b) replace the A4LD with a M5OD (if i got that right?), however im only discouraged about the idea of having to mount a clutch pedal (and cables or hydrolics, whichever it is) and new brake pedal, which to me seems harder then putting in a new transmission...
  
• c) get the A4LD rebuilt by the same guy that just rebuilt it last year, or perhaps someone else which would come to around $1800 at least.
  
• d) rebuild the A4LD myself, quite inexperienced with the internals of a transmission (valve body is fine for me to do though). I plan to tear it down myself at least to have a looksy.

I have a feeling sticking with an A4LD would be a BAD idea, since my track record is not the best...

• Original transmission - hardened seals, pump imploded, $1300 later
  
• 2nd transmission - reverse planetary exploded, A4LD core toasted, $300 later, parts explorer, different transmission.
  
• 3rd transmission - Clutches wore down to metal, $1800 later
  - possibly my fault for unplugging the vacuum line to the modulator for a while? Though the rebuilder said it was an improperly installed seal..
  
• 4rth transmission - Possibly forward planetary - probably will drop the pan tonight (im currently in pj's ready for bed, cant sleep (2:21am))

Right now I like the idea of a 5 speed manual transmission, seems nice to rebuild if needed, and a much more reliable transmission vs the A4LD. Also I tended to keep the A4LD in 1st when in parking lots, etc, I think the slow down and speed up clunk did not help it much (yes it had some kinda play in it, from the start, I shrugged it off, perhaps a bad idea?).


Thanks in advance everyone! Any comments are welcome, as I don't really know what this post is for, I just kind of needed to outline my possibilities here in case anyone has some insight into them

Cheers!

 

[Brandons]

No substantial shrapnel in the pan (though the magnet was COVERED in fine fine particles)... starting to think I blew a band??

 

[BrooklynBay]

Did you notice any gasket material which looks like it came out? Broken bands would have metal fragments in the pan. You could try to adjust the bands, but I don't think that is the problem. Connect a pressure to gauge to it to see what kind of reading you are getting in drive. Did you have any luck on that new modulator experiment you were working on about a half a year ago? Maybe you should get a Frankentranny from Glacier, or try to rebuild it yourself. Start with the valve body.

 

[Brandons]

I kinda gave up on the modulator, as I didn't know enough about what side effects there were for cutting off vacume pressure.

I did see some metal slivers, pretty much just two. I'm just wondering what else would blow up in such a matter.

Also i cant really check pressures now, as its drained of fluid, and i lack a pressure guage (and friggin no one sells them around here).

Thanks for the reply Brooklyn, hows the LP experiments going??

 

[Glacier991]

With all due respect to the builder... I suspect you never really did get a quality rebuild on your A4LD. Also, especially for someone who is hard on them (as you seem to be by your own admission) in any rebuild there are a number of hard parts that SHOULD be replaced... including planetaries and one ways. It sounds to me like your failures were progressive failures of parts that should have been replaced in the original rebuild.

I think currently you have a one way clutch failure. Possibly the race on the front one way (which is a part of the front planetary) has twisted off - which OUGHT to be chalked up as a front planetary failure but reacts by making the front one way clutch inop.

[And by way of info, there is an aftermarket version that is much stronger and less prone to this failure.].

 

[Brandons]

I'll let you guys know when i get it apart, hopefully tomorrow, or sometime this week.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Could you post any pictures of those metal slivers? Some rebuilders don't always give you back your trasnmission. They have rebuilt units sitting around which they swap. As for my last experiment with LP, I'm currently working on other projects which deal with steam, and compressed air.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I would suggest that you read Project Frankentranny, the A4LD rebuild diary, the valve body rebuild diary, and the A4LD rebuild journal (both links in # 16 of my list of useful threads) before opening up the transmission to get familiar with it first.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

With all due respect to the builder... I suspect you never really did get a quality rebuild on your A4LD. Also, especially for someone who is hard on them (as you seem to be by your own admission) in any rebuild there are a number of hard parts that SHOULD be replaced... including planetaries and one ways. It sounds to me like your failures were progressive failures of parts that should have been replaced in the original rebuild.

I think currently you have a one way clutch failure. Possibly the race on the front one way (which is a part of the front planetary) has twisted off - which OUGHT to be chalked up as a front planetary failure but reacts by making the front one way clutch inop.

[And by way of info, there is an aftermarket version that is much stronger and less prone to this failure.].

I'd buy a rebuilt tranny from this guy ^^^^^^ He is the master :notworthy

 

[Glacier991]

<blush> thank you for the kind words Evan...probably undeserved, but appreciated.

 

[Totalled]

Option E....

 

[Gadget X]

<blush> thank you for the kind words Evan...probably undeserved, but appreciated.

What!? Are you kidding? I don't even THINK about messing with my tranny without first checking the rebuild diary that you did. That was the single most informative piece of information that I have ever found on the A4LD! Heck, if I had the $$, I'd try to get you to build one for me! Seriously, I'm a mechanically-inclined guy, but I didn't know a thing about automatic tranny's until I read (and re-read, and re-read, etc......) your threads. Keep up all that great work so that us "normal guys" can actually do some of our own work instead of paying some garage to do a half-assed job for us, and then overcharging us!


EDITif I had the $$) better make that $$$$!

 

[Brandons]

Alright its dropped, and well the only problem i could find was on the middle drum (forget the name at the moment). Ill post pics later.

 

[Brandons]

Okay guys, here we go

This is the pan, seems pretty clean to me..

And the problem.. I havent looked a it too much yet, but im not looking forward to it.

Sorry for a terrible pic, ill try to get a better one soon.

 

[Gadget X]

Make sure that you read Glacier991's A4LD rebuild diary, it will tell you everything you need to know, and what to watch out for.

 

[Brandons]

Yeah I have been reading through that alot, very helpfull.... i even found a copy i printed around a year ago for the valve body. So far its laying almost completely torn down (havent bothered with the reverse drum).

The plan at this point is to just get it working, and drive it till it breaks again, by then hopefully ill have all the parts to convert to a 5 speed manual..

This transmission i think only lasted us 20 000km.

 

[Brandons]

Alright finally got a good picture of were the damage looks to be... that is the retainer thing that holds the springs down in there right? Theres some scratches on it, would it need to be replaced? Im also going to check the planetary again, i think i see a spot on it were somethings broken right off, but nothing is standing out to me, so im going to get some brake cleaner and clean up everything and lay out all the parts so i can get pics.

EDIT - it really helps if i add the new picture....

 

[Brandons]

Ok, so two rollers on the o/d planetary were missing in the bearing, im thinking some of the debris im seeing is related to them possibly getting mangled into something.

Also starting to think this is a valve body problem, perhaps the thump was it disengaging out of gear..

And lastly, my friends offered me a 700R4, which needs a new drum for 3rd and 4rd, its a possibility but probably lots of work involved..

Deadline for transmission working - monday.

 

[Glacier991]

I am thinking all your damage is front... you could probably rebuild everything ahead of the center support and have a working tranny.

 

[Brandons]

I dont exactly understand though, isnt the front only overdrive? or is it 3 and 4? If the front was damaged would it stop 1st and 2nd from engaging?

Im definately suspicious of the planetary and the sun washer thing in there, that doesnt look healthy.