I have an 85 Ranger V6 with the A4LD automatic. I recently had trouble with the torque converter locking up artitrarily and unexpectedly ... you may have seen my post here and/or the Transmission forum. I have finally had a chance to crawl under it, and SCOUR it for all the electrical connections that might control various functions. I was shocked to find only 2 connectors, and only 6 total wires (4 on one, 2 on the other). The connector with 4 wires is hooked up to the reverse lights and the neutral safety switch. I am ASSUMMING that the other connector with only 2 wires on it is the one that commands TC lock-up. Am I right about that?? Does the other connector control anything else besides the reverse lights and neutral safety switch??? I feel strongly that when my TC locked up, it was an electrical malfunction (short to ground, computer malfunction, something like that). Thus, if I keep this connector OFF, maybe it won't lock up unexpectedly again. I already drove the truck with it disconnected, and the tranny shifts fine, so that seems not to be an issue. I know someone out there knows this tranny BY HEART. Please respond!! THANKS!!

 

Well, there probably is a slush box specialist here somewhere. Have you had any further problems with the TC?

 

Dealford, I haven't had any other problems with the TC itself ... the tranny "coasts", as if in neutral, when I let off the accelerator, and 4th gear doesn't work right ... it WILL SHIFT into 4th, but there is something wrong with it. The engine labors more than it should when in 4th, and it leaks REALLY BAD. But the first 3 gears seem fine, and the TC other than the lock-up seems fine. It's been like this since I bought it, Dec 1999. I messed around with it Sunday, thinking I could get it to lock up on command by hot-wiring that connector (the 2 wire connector), but had no success. The TC acts normal, no matter what I do with that connector. That bums me ... if this failure is not electrical (electronic) in nature, i'm pretty much hosed until I fix this thing. But if it were an electrical malfunction, I could easily work my way around it until I can fix it correctly.

Any others??????

 

Aside from finding service manuals & then interpret all the information, you could ask these guys:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/260730

 

THANKS Dealford!! I'll take all I can get.
I wanted to let you know what's going on ... there is a site called Baumann Engineering. Karl Baumann knows A4LD's by heart. I emailed him, and he replied with the words I longed to hear ... my failure COULD have been mechanical, but is very unlikely, very remote. The more likely scenario is an electronic failure, as I had hoped and suspected. The 2 wire connector on my tranny is the one that controls TC lock-up. He verified that if I pull that connector off, the TC would never again lock up due to ANY electrical or electronic malfunction. Although a mechanical malfunction is not OUT OF THE QUESTION, it is so remote, that I'm gonna take the chance and drive the truck around as usual, and see how it goes. I drove it home last night, and back in to work again this morning ... so far so good!! "THANK YOU LORD!!"
Thanks for all your input Dealford!!!