Ford Ranger / B-Series :: 1998 - 4r44e Transmission - Randomly Losing Power While Driving Like It Would Not Shift
Feb 3, 2014
Ok I've got this 98 Ranger with the 2.5L and the 4r44e automatic. The engine is used and has about 100,000 miles now and is it a good state of tune - so I think. The transmission was a remanufactured I bought a few years ago that was built with the shift improver kit, Kevlar bands, extra planetaries, 4wd pan, and external cooler. It's now got 92,000 miles on it and it's been serviced every 30,000 with a fresh 4wd filter and Mercon V fluid. It's outlasted the last 3 transmission I've had in my Ranger. I've got 315,000 miles on the body. For awhile it was randomly losing power while driving like it wouldn't shift, almost like it dropped a couple cylinders, then as you kept your foot on the gas it would recover and rev up and shift.
Then sometimes randomly at stoplights it would shake at a stop and have no power at take off until it hits 30-40 mph. Sounds like a converter, is what I thought. But now it's doing it more often but not the shaking at stoplights as much as randomly losing power while driving normal speeds. Last night I drove it about 50 miles after doing a fresh filter and fluid change and this time it did it so much it threw a code up P1131. Even though that's a O2 sensor code, could it be hidden by a transmission valve body problem? One transmission shop said it could be a valve hanging up just by me describing it to him. Could this be ignition or fuel related or is it all tied in with the transmission problem, if it is even a transmission problem?
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2000 Ranger 4R44e transmission.Hard shift from 2-3 gear and when i run about 35-40 mph and brake then acelerate it downshifts hard . Whats wrong with it?
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I bought a 2000 Ranger 4x4 3.0L auto today from the neighbor guy sight unseen with a "bad tranny" for $400. I'm very unfamiliar with the Ranger family, but long story short:
When moving the shift lever, the trans doesn't engage. It needs to be engaged from underneath. Do the cables tend to stretch, or break? I can't find any adjustment on it anywhere.
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I have a '98 Ranger 4.0L SuperCab 4x4 Automatic
The other day i was driving, around 40 MPH and suddenly the truck felt like I hit rumble strips on the highway, I hit the brakes and when the truck got down to about 10-15 MPH, it went away. It didn't feel like an out of balance tire or anything like that. It felt exactly like I hit rumble strips. It was a strong, high frequency vibration. I then continued on my way, and it was fine for a little while, still doing 40 mph, then suddenly out of nowhere the same vibration came back. Once again, I slowed back down, it went away and stayed gone even when I sped back up.
Both front hub bearings are less than a year old, and a quick check of the driveshaft seemed to indicate the u-joints are still tight. Front diff/driveshaft turns freely and smoothly and the front hubs are not locked.
'm going to try and jack the truck up and check everything thoroughly, but I'm really at a loss here, as I've never experienced anything like this before in any vehicle. Some reading suggests that it might be transmission related to the 5R55, but I'm really unsure.
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I have an 07 explorer that has developed an new problem. While driving, I lose all throttle, regardless of whether I'm accelerating or just cruising along. I've checked the vacuum lines and fuels filter and pump to no avail. It. Has progressed from a once a week to the point that it's not drivable.
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I'm 1200 miles from home living in a hotel right now. Was on my way to the store this morning and I took it out of gear. When to put it back in, and it wouldn't go in. Fortunately, I was still moving, so I coasted off into a parking lot. Once I shut the engine off, it went right into gear. It moves freely through them all. As soon as I start the engine, it won't shift. It is not my clutch. I can start the engine with it in gear and the clutch in, and it won't creep at all (was sitting on level ground when I tried). At least this means I can get it places if I slip the clutch a lot. Took the inspection cover off, and all looks well in there. It hasn't been acting strange. It shifted just fine right up until this. No strange noises either until now.
Now there is a slight squeaking sound if I try to force it into gear with our without the clutch pushed in. Since I've never let a mechanic touch my baby before, and I have to now, what possible things should I be looking for to make sure they are honest? I'm thinking maybe I killed my pilot bearing? Second, while its apart, I'm going to have them replace the clutch and slave cylinder since its got 160K on it and as far as I know, the previous owners never did that. Recommendations on what clutch to get? Its been towing some lately. I don't know if that makes a difference.
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98 Ranger 4x4 4.0 L Supercab. Today I replaced my instrument cluster lights. When I put everything back together i noticed my gear shift indicator is off and I cant shift into 1st or 2nd. What did I screw up?
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It's a few times in the past 2 weeks, the shift lever won't come out of PARK easily. Sometimes I have to wiggle the shifter for quite awhile before I can get the shifter to shift out of PARK. It also doesn't start when that happens, like everything works but it doesn't start. It's like it's locked. It finally lets go and I can start it and put it in Drive and Reverse and go on my way. But there's not set thing that I can do to make it work.
It's just luckily let me go the few times it's happened. We replaced the shift cable about 1.5-2 years ago and of course the cable is out of warranty. But even if it's the cable, it's definitely going into park because you can hear the click when you stop the truck and turn it off, and throw it into PARK. But when the shift get's stuck it won't crank or make any kind of cranking noise, it's like the battery is dead but it isn't. When it happens you can't even shift it out of PARK to try and start it in D or R.
So I was thinking something could be going on with the NSS. Is there any kind of brake pedal interlock switch on a 98 Ranger? I notice when I start it and press the brake pedal it clicks loud under the dash, which I don't remember hearing always. But maybe it always makes that click when you hit the pedal because I usually always have the radio on. What I can do if the shift gets stuck when I go to leave work? What do I need to look at to determine the problem?
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I have just inherited my recently deceased father's 1992 Ranger with the 2.3 liter engine. He was a Ford Mechanic but got to ill to worry about fixing the Ranger. So, let me begin, the engine dies randomly, (at idle or in gear driving doesn't matter what gear or speed), turning key to off and then to on will allow vehicle to restart every time. No "Check Engine" light has ever lit, I do have an "Antilock" light that comes and goes. The engine codes I keep getting are: 10, 218 and 222.
Code 10 is a computer check code,
Code 218 is "Loss of Ignition Diagnostic Monitor (IDM) signal/left side, and
Code 222 is "Distributorless Ignition System - Loss of right side ignition diagnostic monitor (IDM) signal.
These codes were from my Innova reader. I have read where other similar problems were fixed with a new Crankshaft Position Sensor, replaced mine, no change. Another symptom I just noticed is my temp gauge stays near the cool end when it should be higher.
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Today my 2001 ford range edge starting running funny. When in park it idles around 3k rpm and then when driving it feels like it wont shift past 2nd because it is around 4k rpm around 50mph and I'm afraid to go to any higher speed for fear of damaging the engine. I'm currently at work so im unable to really get under the hood atm.
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97 ranger 2.3l ... I have a problem where I'm losing full power (like cutting out) while under acceleration it's only for a split second almost like a hesitation. I got p1443 for the first time today and I was looking at my fuel trims and I noticed my long term FT is at 99.2% and never changes while my short term goes between negative and positive no more than 6%positive and like -4% I assume this is normal for short term but I really am just guessing on that. I am thinking perhaps I need a new fuel pump...but maybe I'm wrong...truck has a new fuel filter and a new evap purge solenoid...
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The truck: 03 Ranger, 2wd, 2.3L, 5spd, 160k mi
I bought the truck two years ago and it's always been difficult to shift (especially into 1st, 2nd, 3rd). I don't drive it often and only put 5k mi on it since I bought it.
The problem: Someone more mechanically inclined than I once told me that the hard shifting is probably due to the clutch not fully releasing due to low hydraulic pressure brought about by a failing slave cylinder.
I just noticed today that there is a high-pitched squeaking coming from somewhere on the truck. At first, I thought it was the rear end, but now, after pulling it into the driveway, I noticed that the squeaking noise vanishes when I push in the clutch pedal and returns after I release the clutch pedal and drive in 1st gear.
The transmission oil level is good, but I've never changed it and I'm not sure if the previous owner ever did either. I'm hoping I haven't damaged the transmission.
After reading a few threads, it seems the problem might be the input shaft bearing. To replace it, I'd need to drop the transmission and borrow a couple of tools I don't have (feeler gauge and bearing puller). If the ISB is the problem, it seems like it would be a good idea to change it now before it seizes and leaves me stranded somewhere.
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My son has a 2008 Ranger 4.0 4wd 5 speed. Every month or so we need to bleed the clutch as the transmission becomes very difficult to shift. It does not lose fluid, but seems to be holding air. And it's not easy to bleed this setup. Slave going bad? I guess the transmission will need to come out then.
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This is a question in general about Fords. My 98 Ranger doesn't do it. He's got a 1987 Ford Mustang 5.0 with original factory a/c. He changed his compressor to a used one and it started running all the time whether the swtich was off or on. He said he switched back to his original compressor and it still does it. I figured it might be something common for Ford a/c systems so I figured I would ask. I'm not sure why it would be unless the mode switch was bad.
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Sold my mazda and got a nice 2000 2wd Ranger XLT with a 3.0L. Today the wife I and took it to town, 10 miles on the highway there, a couple in town and 10 back, didn't notice anything unusual. However I haven't this truck long so I'm not sure what is usual.
Parked it for a few hours and when went out to change the front turn signals to LED I noticed the ABS light was on when I drove it into the garage...
I checked fluid, connections and fuses, no change.I go ahead and swapped the bulbs while letting things simmer, I've had so many of these Fords sometimes the easy fix comes to me.
I backed it out and took it down the road, right away I noticed my speedometer wasn't working, so I let off the gas, when I re-applied the pedal I got nothing, like it was in neutral.
I downshifted to second and got her down and turned around as the O/D started flashing... (so glad because I would have hated walking back), then pulled her back in the garage to check transmission fluid and recheck fuses, including the ones I forgot earlier under the hood. I added a 1/4 qt of fluid then tried a road test again, this time there was a real long pause before it upshifted hard and the CEL came on.
I pulled the codes with my scangauge and got:
P0500
P2120
P0028
And decided I better look some things up and consult the gurus here before I do anymore damage tonight. I'm guessing that I'm looking at a tranny replacement possibly, but with the ABS light and speedometer failure I'm not 100% sure what is going on here...
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I have a 2002 Ranger with a 2.3 lt engine and a 5R44E Transmission. Has 120,oookms (75,000 miles) I have an issue.
Here is what was happening: Would not shift into Drive...took a long time to do so.... and had a 2 to 3 gear flare.
Here is what I did: Replaced the valve body gaskets. Improved a lot. The 2 to 3 shift flare has gone. The delayed shift into D is mostly gone BUT still takes 15 to 20 seconds to shift into D. Once in gear no problems shifting. Does not slip and NO OD light flashing.
What do I need to do to fix the delayed shift issue.
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1997 2.3 5 Speed. My poor truck is having a hard time shifting into gears. I have bled the master off the truck with the correct method, bled it on the truck with the hose on the slave method while pushing the pedal and multiple times with no bubbles coming out at all, no leaks, etc.
Here's the breakdown -
- Clutch, slave cylinder and shifter bushings replaced about 3 years ago (everything has less than 7000 miles on it)
- While driving and pushing in the clutch, it clearly disengages, although quite a ways down.
- Only shifts hard while running. If I sit with it off with the clutch in, I can shift through all the gears with no effort whatsoever. At times while driving, it gets so hard to shift that it may become dangerous.
- Only things I haven't replaced are the master cylinder and the flywheel.
Should I just assume a bad master and just replace it? It's the original with 188,200 miles on it.
Forgot to mention there are times that when I am at a standstill trying to go into reverse, it grinds like the transmission is still engaged.
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The Problem: When I start my Ranger it dies right away, I do this about 10 times or so (worse when it is wet or has rained) then I can finally keep it running, by hitting the gas. Once I get it running it will cut out while driving as well. The idle is normal and if fires properly, I just took it in to the shop (non-dealer) and they said it fires normal and has normal fuel pressure, and the their computer returned no error codes. Their sugestion was replace the throttle position sensor. Do you all think this part could be the cause and where is the this sensor and is it hard to replace?
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What would cause my 4x4 high and 4x4 low lights to flash intermediately together on cold mornings while driving? It won't switch into 4x4 when it does this either. When it sits and warms up later in the morning all works as should. It doesn't do it all the time but when it does its annoying not to mention it's sucks when I need 4x4.
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2000 Ranger 2wd 3.0 ... I bought my truck last summer for $1k from my neighbor, it has hit a deer so the grill is busted,front drivers fender bent up and bumper is bent all to heck. The old girl is rock solid reliable though and gets decent mileage with cruise heat and ac so I'm happy.
Anyways on to the point, I am having two big issues with it, the check engine light randomly comes on and causes it lose power sometimes at others you don't notice it. I have not been able to get codes read because it goes off every single time I go to someplace with a scanner. The light will usually go off if you floor it for a long stretch maf maybe?
The other issue is the transmission, I don't know for sure which tranny it is but the overdrive button does not work at all even though the fuses are good and when I drive down the highway second gear you have to let off for it to shift sometimes ( I've been leaning towards the valve body gasket for that) and lately it has started a horrible vibration kicking out of overdrive or just downshifting on hills etc.?
I forgot to mention it has 255k miles on it and I don't know the history besides the balljoint I replaced this week and radiator when I bought it.
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This has happened before on my 98 ranger 2.5. You can drive it 10,000 miles without any issue and then all of a sudden you take off and there's no power but it quickly returns. Within the last year I've changed fuel pump assembly, fuel filter, injectors, cool packs, and plugs. Is it mass air flow? It seemed to happen a lot more after I cleaned it. My scan tool is amateur but it has a maf reading in lbs. What should it be while driving? Fuel pressure is always between 65-72 when I check it within specs according to my book.
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