What's up with my Tranny | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

What's up with my Tranny

mike91

Well-Known Member
Joined
April 28, 1999
Messages
491
Reaction score
0
City, State
Yonkers, NY
Year, Model & Trim Level
91 EB
My tranny (automatic) has been giving me the following problems lately:
1. Sluggish shifts
2. On several occassions, after starting the truck and backing out of the driveway, I shift into drive; however, the damn tranny doesn't shift into gear. When I step on the gas its like I am stuck in neutral. Sometimes it will catch the gear shortly after I have stepped on the gas and the car will take off a little. Other times, I have to shift back into park and then into drive again.

Any ideas? Can it be a simple fix or am I looking at a new tranny?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Check your fluid level...
Change the filter and gasket and refill w/ fresh fluid...
 






Teano,
The A4LD tranny is a bit weak. Hopefully you only need fluid. I had to have mine rebuilt due to a bad overdrive band. Cost about 2k. If you do need to go the rebuild route, go to a reputable shop. Stay away from a volume oriented national chain. Work can be a bit shoddy. Also - adda shift improver kit. Should help out all around.

Jon M
 






Mike,

I am now gonna be the third person to suggest you check your fluid level. And go do it before you drive it anymore.

Also, there was some discussion here in the past coupla weeks about rebuilt replacement tranny's versus having your own tranny rebuilt like at Ammco or such.

If you're interested, do a search for "transmission" and limit the field to posts in the past coupla weeks. Frankly, I never gave the matter much thought till these posts came on, but I would now certainly have a rebuilt installed rather than let a chain rebuild the bad one.
 






If you do end up having to get a new tranny and can't get a rebuild then try getting a new one through Mazda if any of the Navajos had the same tranny. We found the cost through Mazda was half as much as Ford wanted. Makes no sense, but it was. :D
 






I had the same problem, the gears are wearing out and they don't catch like they are supose too and this is causing it to slip. Over time the gears grind down and they get lower and lower and when they get too low they don't catch, also while the gears are grinding the peices of metal is flying around in the trans and sometime they get stuck in between the gears, so what you can do is try some Durolube I think I spelled it right or some other trans lubricate, this may help clean it out, if problem continues, rebuild time.

Good Luck
X-Man
 






Alright, I figured half of the problem - bad luck! I have had my truck for almost three years now and am very **** when it comes to checking fluids and looking over the car frequently to make sure everything is ok and to perform preventive maintenance. Well for the past month I have neglected my truck and what the hell happens? I need about a quart of tranny fluid! For the record, everytime I previously checked my fluid it is always to the top and never needs refilling, but then again its back luck and the last thing I expected. It still shifts sluggishly, but what can you do..... I see a drivetrain rebuild at the end of the year.
 






Tranny preventive maintenance

Mike,
I have experienced those problems. Something that works good is a total fluid change in your tranny. About a year ago someone posted the procedures on how to do it yourselve and needles to say a messy procedure. The fact is, even when you do a conventional fluid change you only replace half of the fluid (or so), because of orifices, hoses, cooler and converter. There are a few quick lube job establishments that performs total fluid changes. If you have never witnessed one of this in action... stand-by for a surprise. My fluid was black! and even with a light I could not see through it until the clean fluid began to appear. It cost is about $75. but this type of prevention could save a $2,000. transmission job in the near future. Without any doubt you will feel the difference.

Rob
 






Total fluid change: been there, had two friends help me and not one drop spilt (one to pour, one ignition, me controling the exiting fluid) - but, now that you mention it again I might do one b/c the fluid might have been abused with the fact that I was running a quart low.

Thanks
 






Back
Top