I have a 92 Explorer with 192,000 miles on it (trying to get to 200,000). When the truck is first started in the morning and put into first gear I have to rev the engine to get it in gear. Once the tranny warms up it's fine the rest of the day. It had been doing it serveral months ago for about a week. Then it stopped but I took it in to a shop anyways. They said that if they changed the filter and flushed out the fluid the new fluid might cause the tranny to run worse, something about the older fluid being thinner and not gumming up the works inside the tranny. They topped off the fluid and it ran fine until about a month ago when it started doing it again. It was low on fluid and I topped it off. Nothing has changed. I refuse to believe that it needs an overhaul, since it's just in the morning when it's cold that it has a hard time shifting into first. And after reading

http://www.glue.umd.edu/~singletn/web/pages/at2.html

I feel there is hope. Does anyone have any suggetions? Could it be the newer fluid is giving my tranny problems? Or should I take a chance and have the governor checked and cleaned like the article suggests? And if the tranny needs to be rebuilt, how long do I have?

 

Governer issue you refrenced only affects 1-2 upshift, not delayed engagement like you describes, so would not be applicable in this case.
If you are losing fluid, you need to determine where it is going. Any visible leaks? If not start looking at the vacuum line from trans modulator valve to vacuum tree for tel-tale signs of fluid in the hose suggesting a leaking diaphram in the modulator valve.
If all looks OK, you might try a can of K&W Trans-X. Will condition seals and cut varnish accumulations from internal trans valves ect. that may be source of problem. Cheap fix if it works versus rebuild. Follow directions on can and if it works, you may want to consider a fluid change to remove what the K&W cuts loose after a period of time.
Dialtone

 

There are no visible leaks underneathe the truck. I'll check the vacuum lines and hoses like you suggested before using a can of the K&W. The vacuum tree that you speak of is on top of the engine towards the back? If I do find tranny fluid in the hoses will that result in a rebuild?

 

That will tell you to replace the modulator.

 

Could be the low/reverse servo inside the pan on the valve body. Hope I get 199 from mine. It's weezing at 99k.

 

I have the exact same problem with my 93. If you find the solution, please inform me.

 

Here's an update since my last post. I haven't done a thing to my tranny. After reading:

http://www.glue.umd.edu/~singletn/web/pages/at2.html

I thought I should just leave it alone. But get this, I had the oil changed on my truck and it stopped having morning sickness. This has happened the past two time I've changed the oil. But of course about a month later it started doing it again both times. I have a small oil leak where the tranny and the engine meet so I am losing oil. I don't know if this has anythig to do with the morning sickness, it seems like a coincidence (the morning sickness disappearing when the oil gets changed) but it's happened twice. I'm just going to keep the oil topped off and hope that I make it to 200K. These trannys seem very sensitive and I figure that I won't mess with it. Keep posting if anyone has had similar situations!

 

The coincidence may be that when I got the oil changed they also topped off the tranny fluid, that's my guess. As I checked it today it was bone dry. Oops... I need to look after it more that I have been, instead of once every three months. 200K here I come!