Wierd Tranny problem
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Wierd Tranny problem
I have 1996 Ranger 3.0L Auto extended cab 118,000 miles. Every once and while it will perform really odd, example I will being going down the road and it simply stop shifting and be stuck in what ever gear it is in at the time. Other times I will start it up and it will not go into gear any gear foward or reverse nothing. It will do this hot, cold, loaded, or unloaded. In every case if I turn the engine off and then start it back up its fine for couple of months or so. Its been doing this for a long time. No codes have ever come up. I have always changed the fluid every 15,000 miles no mater how good the fluid looks. Does anyone have any ideas what it might be and if I should be worried?
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Well I must be the only one to have a problem like this. It really does not bug me to much when it happens, but my wife is seven months pregnant with twins and drives it to her doctors appointments (gets better milage than her 2001 F550 4X4 crew cab). It really freaks her out when it happens and then I have to hear about for a week our so. If anyone has even a guess please help. She's got another doctors appointment today.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
My thoughts are the two passenger side servos and maybe the valve body gasket. There are two external servos, a low/reverse servo and an intermediate servo, that have rubber seals that harden and cause shifting problems. Also, the valve body gasket can get "blown" out and cause leaks that can cause shifting concerns.
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
I've had problems with the computers on this truck since I bought it in 96. Three times under warranty they either had to replace a computer or reload the software. Could a computer problem somehow affect the transmission? I remember one time I brought it in was because the wipers only worked when I was in park and the door chime and interior lights would come off and on driving down the road. I think the truck is possesed and I should skip the garage and go to the church.
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Joined: May 2001
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Sounds to me like you have a ground problem there is no way you should have had three computers go bad. I would check and make sure that all the grounds are good and clean and tight. The computer has a seperate ground that goes directly to the battery. I would look at it real close.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Grounding was the first thing I checked back then, no problems. This was several years ago though. They only replaced the computer once the first two times to quote the Ford tech "your software is corrupt" and they reloaded my software. Sounded like BS to me at the time but the truck did run better for awhile after that then it got wierd again until they replaced the computer. I have not had any problems since then until this tranny thing started. Even back when the computer messed up it never directly affected the performance of the transmission. But I was thinking that it's strange that all I have to do is turn it off and restart it no cool down or anything and its fine. Sort of like when your PC freezes up you do a restart. Does the computer control the tranny? Maybe Microsoft wrote the software for my Ranger.
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
The concerns I mention above were quite common for your type of transmission from 91-. Sometimes they will set codes and sometimes they wont. As for the restart issue, think this way, the servos would have fluid pressure on them and if they were stuck or jammed, then when you turn the vehicle off that relieves the pressure and they may come free. This is just a guess and yes the computer (PCM) could cause trans and other issues but it will almost always set codes.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Actually, a test for the valve body gasket. Go out and leave the trans in manual first gear. Get up to about 25 MPH and let off of the throttle and see if the truck slows down of free wheels. The trans should use engine braking to slow the truck down and if it doesnt then you can be fairly certain that the valve body gasket is blown and need to be replaced.
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
the gaskets arent that expensive but if you have not changed a valve body gasket before and dont have an accurate torque wrench then you may have to take it to a technician. I think they were about 35-75 for the gaskets and you might as well do a complete trans service. the labor was 2-3 hours I think, its been awhile and that depends on the shop rate. Ford should still have a TSB on this concern, if this is what it turns out to be, with possible updated parts.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
you could call your local Ford dealer and have them run an "OASIS" on your truck for transmission concerns. Most dealers will do this with no hassle. They just need your VIN number.
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Thanks again Ponyracer. I do have an excellent set if torque wrenches. Though if it's too expensive or troublesome I may have to give into the wife and sell the truck and get a mini-van ug . She's been hinting about it ever since we found out the twins were on the way. I love my little truck, so what should it be the wife or the truck ahhh hummm give me a minute this is a tuff one.
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Almost forgot would this gasket cause such intermittent shifting problems. I mean sometimes it goes several months between episodes and even then it does it once and then its ok for a couple of more months. I will test it tonight though and come back with the results.