I've got experience as a service advisor in a dealership and the biggest complaint I had from the technicians was that many of my descriptions of the customers' symptoms were too long. They would then turn around later and tell me that the other svc adv's never gave 'em enough, and to keep doing what I'm doing. So in other words, you're not reading about symptoms from someone who doesn't know how to describe something, like most people out there. What I'm about to describe to you is "exactly" what you would detect, precisely, if you were to take it on a test drive yourself. Rest assured, I've left nothing out. Just imagine you are driving and the following happens. Ok, enough with my babbling, here goes............

I've an '89 Ford Bronco II 4X4 (auto-locking hubs) with an A4LD thats been giving me fits. It was recently rebuilt and I'm still having problems. Before I take it back (for the 3rd time) to the Ford tranny technician that did it "on the side" for me, I wanted to get some kind of suggestions from someone that knows anything about the A4LD. It has several symptoms that I believe are all related to each other in some way and due to pressure, or lack there of. After sitting for hours and cooling down, it will have extreme delayed shifting from 1st to 2nd, and before it shifts if I let off the accelerator the rpm's will drop way down instead of
staying up there like it should at that speed, while still not shifting to 2nd. After I increase speed almost to the RPM redline and it finally shifts to 2nd, it will shift to 3rd very quickly there after (this 1st symptom hasn't changed from before it was rebuilt, it was doing the same thing before, although I asked him before he did the work if a rebuild would take care of this and he said yes).......

Also, the tranny won't always start off from a stop in 1st gear (I've only noticed this when tranny is warm), sometimes it will be in 2nd. Then if I kick the gas in, it will downshift into 1st, or if I manually shift into 1st then back to D it will stay there and act normally when upshifting. But sometimes it will be in 1st, like it should be, from a dead stop.......

Also, if I put the gear shift selector in the OD mode, as opposed to D, it will go into gear but then when I press the accelerator, the truck has almost no power. The truck will move, but it's like the tranny is slipping very badly. And when I get up to hwy speed and move the shifter from D to OD sometimes it will go into 4th and act ok, and sometimes it will act almost like it's in nuetral (like the last symptom decsribed). When it does act ok at hwy speeds, when slowing down and leaving it in OD, once it gets below the minumum OD speed (40 - 42 mph) and I press the
accelerator it will do the same thing as above, act almost like its in
nuetral, and slip. The rpm's go up with almost no positive power to the wheels.......

Also, when in OD at hwy speeds, if I press the gas far enough to kick in the passing gear, it won't shift to 3rd from 4th. Instead it will come out of gear and act as if it's in nuetral, similiar to the last 2 concerns......

Also, something strange has started in the last week (I picked the truck up 2 weeks ago). After sitting overnight or several hours, the light on the dash by the button for the electronic "shift on the fly" 4X4 will be lit very dimly. It won't be bright as if I activated the 4X4, I checked to make sure, just very dim. Then it will go out after a couple miles of driving. I've had the truck for about 1 1/2 years and never noticed this before. Could this have anything to do with the severe cold snap we've had in the south these last few days (down as low as 10 degrees)reacting with
the auto-locking hubs for some reason? Or could it be because of him R&R-ing the transfer case 3 times to go back into the tranny......

I've had all the lines and wires to the tranny checked (and the wires and such to the transfer case as well, for the last concern) and the vacuum checked that's supplied by the engine, and everythings sucking good and everything is hooked up properly on the outside of the tranny.

I know this is a very long description, but if you've gotten this far
without falling asleep, and if you have any decent suggestions (aside from taking it back to the tech again, which I will of coarse, after I've got a few theorys to hand him, both of us are tired of dealing with each other), or if you know someone that can lead me in the right direction, please help me......

I believe that the problem lies in the forward drums and/or the valve body is sticking, or a combination of both, and/or other things.


I hope to hear from you soon. What's gotten me baffled about the whole thing is that I know the boy's work. I can't tell you how many tranny jobs I sold for himwhen I was a scv advisor at his Ford dealership, with few, if any, come-backs. He's been working on Fords for 15 years, and tranny's for a total of 20 years. In other words, he knows his stuff. I hope you can help me with all 5 types of these symptoms, or at least send me in the direction that will help me.

Thanks for reading my latest novel. My next one is a sequel to "War and Peace," only longer, lol.

Be well, and THANKS MUCH for any and all help!!!!!

 

I had some of the problems you described on my 90 Aerostar. I took the transmission shop and had the transmission rebuilt about two years ago, with no probs from it. One thing that was done to it was the Planetary gears were replaced with a heavier set, heavier bands and clutch packs, new torque converter, shift kit, and the valve body was redone as well. As far as the light being on, maybe a sticking switch? or maybe a adjustment to the linkages? Just a thought.

 

Thanks for the response AZ. I'll take that into consideration. And if it was you, thanks for doing the survey thing too. I wanted to see if I went overboard with the description, which I new was necessary anyway. Ok, be well......

 

Sounds something similar to mine eccept mine is in far worse condition.I have the 91 a4ld 4x4.I lost the front seal and decided while it was out i would replace the clutches and all seals.Upon driving it about 150 mile after the redo i did, it performed very well.Then all of a sudden it felt as if i had pulled it out of gear and was slipping to bad to pull the truck. several days later i started it up to see if my misfortune was true.When i moved the selector into first i found it would propel the truck and would also move in reverse as well.But as i moved the selector into o/d it began slipping again too severely to move.I then moved the selector back to first and also to reverse but found slippage to severe to move.I shut off the engine for a moment and restarted it.Moving the selector into 1st, i found once again it moved the vehicle and also when in reverse but....once i selected o/d it would slip in that position and slip in all the others after trying the o/d position. Ive researched this trans in several other forums and found links that led me to tid bits of info that describe many ails with this trans .Also i found racers and rebuilders that have reworked it for hi performance and made a usable transmission out of it.I am begining to believe after reading of the misfortune of others and taking note of thier descriptions of problems that the valve body needs some form of attention.Logic seems to dictate that since many problems with it involve shifting iregularities,the directing of hydrolic pressures would seem at fault.The trans being made of aluminum,that has a melting point of only 900 degrees must experience some flexing under the incredible amount of torque it is subjected to coupled with the heat present.If you have ever taken the valves out of the valvebody you will have observed the incredibly accurate valve to bore fit in this device.It would stand to reason that any amount of distortion,even .001 would cause an undesireable action in the freedom of movement to the sliders.Ive dissasembled a valvebody or two on occaision and noted the slightest amount of scratch on a vavle affects it movement throught the bore. Imagine the results of warping the entire body to even the slightest distortion and you would probably experience resistance that even the 290 psi. in hydrolic pressure would not overcome.Actually these valves do not react under that amount of force.There is control pressure on one end of the valve moderated by the vacuum diaphram and waiting to be overcome by the pressure comming from the govorner when output shaft speed dictates.So you can see that the actual pressure causing movement in the valve is only a few psi.Thus distortion (or small particles imbedded in these soft aluminum valves would easily affect thier movement within the bores.I would say that a complete dissassembly and inspection is neccassary during rebuild to ensure its proper function(wich i didnt do).Ive also found in doing the rebuild to my trans that the factory installed a spring in the valve behind the torque converter lockup selenoid that compressed at a lesser pressure that the updated one in the trans kit. This caused me to ponder over the tensions of the others in the body. Because of the heat they are exposed to its quite possible that thier rates of compression have been altered over time, hence the progressing undesirable shifting characteristic. Just my thoughts.......jon

 

Jon,

Wow, quite a lot to think about and put into my theories about the problem. Thanks so much for your insight, it will definitely help me in my quest to find the truth. Have a good day.

Be well,
Alan

 

Both of thesee are good suggestions and good directions for me, thanks guys. Anybody else whave anything to add? All the help I can get would be appreciated.

 

Az: Can you tell us what work they did on your valve body?

 

I really can't. But I believe that he didn't do anything. It sounds like your thinking along some of the same lines that I'm thinking, but please go ahead and speculate Jon. Thanks

 

Well....i should have mine out tommorow and will look for the disfunction that plagues it. When something goes from working fine to"bam"not working at, all its usually obvious.Will see.

 

Yeah, good luck Jon. If you would let me know what you found out on yours as soon as you know, that would be great. Dont get too aweful nasty, lol.

 

Sorry I was gane all day and Friday Eve. Fourthace< I did fill out the survey, and Hope that the problem gets taken care of.

Jon, I do not rember what all was done except that a B&M valve kit was installed, as well as heavier Planetaries as well as clutch plates. Aluminum has been used in transmissions for a long time, as well as the valve bodies, and I think there are some aaftermarket ones that wil work, and change the shift ranges as well as the stiffness as well.

 

Took my trans apart the other day and found that the no.2 bearing behind the O/D planet carrier dissinegrated.The shrapnel took out the bearing surface on the center shaft.Apparently the heat from the fried bearing siezed the input shaft in the splines of the planet assembly.Had to drive it out and destroyed the carrier in the poundfest removing it.I think i posted earlier on another thread that i installed the big centershaft washer backwards.examining the manual and reassembling the unit 19 times,i found its not possible.So im wondering at this point what caused the failure. found a discrepancey in the manuals reassembly instructions on this particular part of assembling the unit.So if anyone reading this post uses the ATSG trans manual to rebuild thiers:the direction of rotation of the centershaft in the buildup check,on page 76 states a clockwise rotation will be observed if the one way clutch is installed as per thier instruction.Instead i found that the direction is coulterclockwise.And i assembled this unit many times to confirm this(even incorrectly).I Emailed the company that compilled the manual to affirm my findings and am waiting for an answer from them.Found another A4LD for $300 that has 156k and been rebuilt 7k ago .After finding the amount of damage in mine,it would seem wise to snag and install it instead of shelling out shekels for parts and hoping i reassemble correctly. It even includes a transfer case and torque converter plus the guy will throw in a rear bumper.Wuduyu think?