Hi there everyone names Dave, I'm New to here and I have a problem. I have a 98 ranger 4.0l with a auto. One day driving it the trans just stop working. I shut the truck off and checked the fluid and it was black, got back in the truck started it up and the truck moved in gear, Went about 1/4 miles then stop working. shut the truck off and started it back up and drove it again. let the truck sit for two days and was able to drive it for 3 miles then acted up. when I start the truck up the torque converter makes a rattling noise when not in gear. just wondering if the torque converter is bad or the hole trans is shot. I changed the fluid in the trans 2300 miles before it started to acted up. if anyone have any ideas write back please. Thank you.

 

Black Tranny fluid?? Hmmm.. sounds like bigger problems than the converter. I'm not an expert at all, but pretty sure that if your torque were bad, it wouldn't turn your fluid black. Is it possible that engine oil is getting in there some how? Like I said, I'm no expert, but just a thought.


Hella 4.0

 

Welcome to FTE.

Don't know that I've ever heard of Black tranny fluid, although my 94 Taurus P/S fluid once got a sorta charcoal look to it, but not Black!!!!

You say you changed the tranny fluid 2300 miles before it began to act up, so what recipe tranny fluid did you use & when you "changed" the fluid, did you do a complete tranny fluid pump out, or just a tranny pan drop & refill/top off????

How did the tranny fluid that was drained out look????

The symptoms you've posted sure don't sound good.

You might consider dropping the pan to inspect it & the tranny for deposts & dedris, clean it & change the tranny filter, then refill the pan with the amount removed & continue on with a full tranny fluid pump out two qts at a time, by removing the tranny return line at the cooler & letting the tranny pump flush the valve body, torque converter, lines & cooler, as you pour in more new make up fluid, while the engine idles, until the total system capacity has been pumped out, or until the fluid runs clear at the disconnected return line. The tranny pumps 1qt/15 seconds at warm idle.

Then see how things go with the new tranny filter & fluid, but I really don't hold much hope that this would make it driveable, but then again who knows, it sure isn't driveable as it is now!!!

If the tranny fluid you changed the first time looked ok, it kinda sounds like you may have used, or mixed the wrong recipe tranny fluid & if so, the bands & friction material may be damaged beyond repair & the valve body may be all sludged up.

Any way if it seems better with new fluid & filter, maybe consider trying a dose of Auto-Rx for trannies & see how that goes, maybe you'll get lucky & forge a few more miles out of it, but I wouldn't expect a miracale at this point.
Auto-Rx Engine Cleaner

Some thoughts for pondering, let us know how it goes.

 

Does the fluid smell burnt? Tranny fluid is usually a cherry red in color and can get dark when burnt. Although I've never seen it black but this could be an ugly case. It also loses it's properties for the work it's supposed to do usually resulting in the car not moving very well if at all.
I think I would go the route Pawpaw has suggested but I got to agree with him, it sure doesn't sound very good. I hate when that happens. Good luck! Post back on what you find.

 

Thats everyone. The fluid is a real dark brown aND is burnt. I used the right fluid been using the same fluid sence I bought the truck with 57000. I now has 160000. Whats funny is that I can go start it and drive it to the store and I can make it back. a mile each way. the torque converter makes noise all the time. when the trans acts up it's like the truck is in nutral. shut the truck off and start it up you can drive it a couple hundred feet then it goes out.

 

Well try a pan drop, new filter & fluid pump out & see how it goes.

The fluid & filter should be changed at least every 30K miles, sooner if you drive in really severe conditins of heat & dirt, off road, or haul or tow heavy loads often.

I'm down to changing my fluid every 25-30 K miles now, depending on my drive cycles.

Which Mercon fluid did you use in the tranny????

 

mercon 5 fluid I use just like the onwers manual tell's you to. I'll change the fluid this week and check it out.

 

OK, well Mercon-5 is the right fluid, so how often have you been changing it????

 

well I chang my fluid every 40,000 miles unless I go out on the trails or sand dunes then I change it when I get back home. I take care of my vehicals on oil changes

 

Well if your fluid is brown/black & smells burned, 40K changes aren't often enough to change the fluid, for your driving conditions or style.

The severe service schedule calls for a 30K tranny fluid pump out/change.

I drop the pan, change the filter & continue on with a full fluid pump out on mine, at 25-30K mile intervals.

Hope you haven't done permanent damage. Let us know how it goes.

 

I suggest forward clutch (engaged with lever controlled valve). It is bad, becouse to change these friction packs + bans you have to take all tranny apart, unscrew bellhousing, remove pan, unscrew valve body, then tail.......... so get the full rebuild kit and prepare to spoil weekend.

 

Well the funny thing was that I checked the fluid in the trans that moring and it was Red and was good. Drove the truck to work and then went to lunch and the trans went on my way to lunch. So the trans mission fluid wasn't bad at all It Changed when the problem strarted.

 

Well for it to have changed that fast, something in the clutch packs had to be slipping something fierce, to cause so much heat that it cooked the fluid that fast, or something is retarding fluid flow through the tranny fluid cooler, such that it's causing it to over heat.

If the tranny has overheated, seems to me it should have set an over heat code!!!!

Best have the tranny computer scanned for codes & have the problem looked into by a pro before more damage is done, if it isn't already too late.

Certainly more driving isn't gong to do it any good.

 

well. if tranny was overheated is should have stored overheating and may be sliping, so check for stored PCM codes and see carefully freeze frames. Better use ELM 327 with free computer OBD-II software, becouse scanners do not sho freeze frames and you do not know when and why code appeared.

well, I dont know, does EEC-V have internal real time clock with 3 v battery like Cummins ore Volvo ECM.... if clock exists, you will see when and what went wrong