Transmission swapped and still won't engage in the gears

[MikeMurphyINC]

1991 Automatic. I was off-roading last summer and all of the sudden my explorer stopped "going" while it was in drive. It wouldn't drive in reverse or any of the gears. I checked and the linkage was good and it was shifting the lever on the tranny. I took it to a transmission shop and they said that it had a bad transmission. I got a good used transmission from an Explorer that had a blown head gasket and I just got done swapping it in.

I checked the fluid level while it was idling in park and it was at the bottom of the cross-hatches so I put in a whole quart and I shifted into all of the gears and when I put it into drive or reverse, it still doesn't go...just exactly like the other one that I started out with. I had my fiance shift the gears for me while it was idling and they shifted just fine but still no "go"

Could it be something outside of the transmission? Did I swap in a good normal transmission for one that was still good? Common things to check?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[troy11556]

first i would check the shift cable from stering wheel to the trany if it is not adjusted right it will do that and if you were off road then it is possible you knock it out of alignment.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

"first i would check the shift cable from stering wheel to the trany if it is not adjusted right it will do that and if you were off road then it is possible you knock it out of alignment."


It is hooked up and seems to be shifting through the gears right. I watched the little metal bracket that the shift cable hooks to and had my girlfriend shift through all of the gears and it moved all of the way back and forth with no "go". Is that what you meant?

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

I just called the transmission shop and they said that either the guys that pulled the transmission messed up the pump gears when they pulled the tranny because they left the torque convertor hooked up to the engine when they took it out or I messed up the pump gears when I put it back together or that it doesn't have enough fluid still. I'm pretty sure it has enough fluid because I'll let it idle in park and shift through all of the gears several times and then check every 5 minutes and it still shows the same amount.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

I had changed the transmission filter and then put in 3 quarts to make up for the fluid lost. Every time I check the fluid it is bright red and clean and seems to not be circulating because it would mix with the older fluid and not look new anymore, right? If it is not circulating...then the pump gears DID get messed up???




...Okay so I just undid the hard fluid line going to the top of the radiator at the radiator and there was no flow even when I revved the engine up

I've been researching and I did use the o-rings when I put in the new filter and it seems to be a little over-filled.

What are the next steps for diagnosing/fixing the pump/gears?

Thanks in advance

 

[troy11556]

so let me get this right there is not flow from the transmission. the fluid is not moving around at all. ok did it move at all. try one more thing befre we go anwhere deeper disconect the battery to reset all electronics (leave off for about an hour or a little more). remember the A4ld is the exploders are electronic shift. and if the transmission went out its shift strategy will be that of the prior tranny. but my next move would be to check the electronic shift module. now you did replace it with a tranny from a 91 to 94. and it was an A4LD right???

 

[tbe2002]

The A4ld transmission is only electronic in controling TCC lockup and Overdrive the rest is controled by engine vaccume. If there is no flud flow and you verified that by disconnecting a cooler line, then the front pump of the transmission somehow got damanged eigther on dissambly or re assembly. I know I damaged the pump when I was changing out my transmission. The transmsion will need to be pulled again and a new pump installed. It sits right behind the bellhouseing of the transmission but requires a tool to make sure it get lined up properly.

 

[BrooklynBay]

A 0-300 PSI gauge will determine if there is any hydraulic pressure. The front cooler could be clogged. I suspect that the pump gears might be cracked. If those gears are broken, then it's possible that small fragments could have clogged the valve body, and other passage ways in the transmission when it was cranked over.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

so let me get this right there is not flow from the transmission. the fluid is not moving around at all. ok did it move at all. try one more thing befre we go anwhere deeper disconect the battery to reset all electronics (leave off for about an hour or a little more). remember the A4ld is the exploders are electronic shift. and if the transmission went out its shift strategy will be that of the prior tranny. but my next move would be to check the electronic shift module. now you did replace it with a tranny from a 91 to 94. and it was an A4LD right???

Correct on the no flow. The battery disconnect trick didn't work either Where is the electronic shift module and how do I check it? It was from a 94 Explorer I'm pretty sure. It was the same body style.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

The A4ld transmission is only electronic in controling TCC lockup and Overdrive the rest is controled by engine vaccume. If there is no flud flow and you verified that by disconnecting a cooler line, then the front pump of the transmission somehow got damanged eigther on dissambly or re assembly. I know I damaged the pump when I was changing out my transmission. The transmsion will need to be pulled again and a new pump installed. It sits right behind the bellhouseing of the transmission but requires a tool to make sure it get lined up properly.

Is it hard to do? I want to just take it in and have the shop fix it...but I've got some large bills to pay and I'm commuting on the bus which is no fun especially when my X runs on Utah's 64 cent per gallon CNG.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

a 0-300 PSI gauge will determine if there is any hydraulic pressure. The front cooler could be clogged. I suspect that the pump gears might be cracked. If those gears are broken, then it's possible that small fragments could have clogged the valve body, and other passage ways in the transmission when it was cranked over.

Sounds like a BIG MESS. If those guys would have only undone the nuts on the torque converter before they pulled the transmission out. Should I just take the tranny back for a refund? I'd really like to check out a few more things to make sure before I pull it out and start looking for another one.

 

[troy11556]

ok the electronic shift is more likely than not ok it is internal tranny. it is only used for OD mainli so bring it to a shop and have them flush the tranny it sounds more like clogged line. thats the only thing that will cause a no flow. did you replace any tranny lines and the internal screens that are on the ones near the tranny. it sounds like the hydralic is not working biggest cause is a leaking or broken hose or a clogged hose.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

ok the electronic shift is more likely than not ok it is internal tranny. it is only used for OD mainli so bring it to a shop and have them flush the tranny it sounds more like clogged line. thats the only thing that will cause a no flow. did you replace any tranny lines and the internal screens that are on the ones near the tranny. it sounds like the hydralic is not working biggest cause is a leaking or broken hose or a clogged hose.

I did not replace anything on this tranny before putting it in. It was working in the vehicle that it was taken out of. It sat for about 2 months at my wife's grandfather's house before I got it installed.

So I should take it in to a tranny shop and just ask them to look it over and to flush the tranny?

 

[troy11556]

you will need to have the tranny and hoses flushed which cost about 100 to 150 normally they have sales on it this time of year. if a line is clogged or inline screens are clogged it will cause it not to function. considering you were off road there is a chance that you pulled sediments into the tranny. and lines. so thats the first thing you will need to do then replace the screens which does not cost much to do.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

So far, from what everybody says is that either the lines or inline screens are clogged or the gears for the transmission pump at the torque converter are broken. Is there anything else that it could be? I'm trying to go as cheap and fast as possible.

 

[troy11556]

lines are the cheapest to check a flush will clear them now the inline screens you can check your selfyou will just have to pull the lines on the top. thats alot of work though i would flush first. and ask them make sure they flush the whole system though. ask them how dirty the fluid was. if still nothing the next step is the torque converter. i understand that you are wanting to get out as cheap as possible thats where i would start.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

Turns out that the small forward transmission pump gear on the "old" transmission was broken and so it is on the "newer" pump as well. I probably didn't align the torque converter right when I put the newer transmission in but I'm trying to figure out why the small gear would have broken in the first place (on the "old" transission.)

 

[troy11556]

many reasons torque on the tranny from wheels ECT.. or if you pissed someone off a hammer can cause it most likely u had a crack on the old one and under a heavy load off road it snapped.

 

[MikeMurphyINC]

So should I just get a new gear and install it?

 

[troy11556]

get the upgraded gear which are thinner but stronger may cost a little more and make sure that traanny is aligned properly upon install