Won't shift out of first to second when cold

[douglaswmoyer]

thanks Glacier- New thread per your request:
My 92 exp. quit pulling about 4 blocks from hame and i barley made it back. i kept reving it 2 to 3 k rpm to geet 20 to 30 mph. oil level ok, pulled pan and found that filter was way dirty. I had been changing the oil every 10,000 miles through a drain plug not realizing that the crap was still being trapped in the filter. So, changed the filter and 3 qts. of oil and it would go ok (I had warmed it up to check level) next morning i found it will not shift ino 2nd gear for about 4 blocks the shifts ok the rest of the day. this morning it shifted ok for the first time. took to ford and they said internal seals/gaskets prob. the cause possible the govenor. Should bve overhauled with this many (165,000) miles on it. I'm only concerned about if I should keep driving this way and how to fix the problem.

 

[Glacier991]

Sounds very much like a governor that is stuck/sticking. That is a DIY repair, but you DO have to drop the transfer case to get to the governor.

I cannot say for absolute certain, but if you said "make a diagnosis and put a $20 bill on the table as covering your diagnosis/bet", that would be my diagnosis and bet.

 

[BrooklynBay]

If you have a sediment build up in the governor, it will bind all of the parts in the picture:

This is a break out view of a governor (photo courtesy of Glacier991).