Got a '96 Ford Ranger 4.0L 4x4 Auto (I have the 4r55e tranny right?)

It has 159,500 miles on it. (yeah....) The engine is in great shape surprisingly, but when I take off/come to a stop, the truck jerks. The rpms don't rise/fall sharply, when I take off it's not like it hesitates. I mean it takes off like a bat outta hell, and on the dryest day I still have trouble not spinning the tires, even when barely giving it any throttle at all.

I've been told that it may be the torque converter. If it is, how much "life" do you think is left in it, given there are no other symptoms?

I'm not doing so hot financially, school's taking alot of my time, and I couldn't afford a 2000$ rebuild price, especially needing an alignment, tires, and a tune up.

If it's just the torque converter (which I can afford) would it be hard to replace myself? I think I'd be fairly confident changing out a torque converter, but not rebuilding a tranny, if there are no special tools required.

This is of course, assuming the torque converter is what's bad.

Also, when I put it in Drive or reverse, it jerks the car and goes thunk. I've read that greasing the driveshaft fixes this usually...how on earth to you grease a driveshaft yoke?

By the way, what should my rpms be with a 3.73LSD rear and 31" tires at 70mph?

 

i dunno about the rest


my rpms are areound 2500, maybe 3000...i think...i rarely go that fast

 

a trans rebuild maybe in the future anywho thats alot of miles for an auto. but you ever replace the U-joints? probly not

 

Sorry, I'll be the first one to admit I have absolutely no desire to ever touch my suspension, engine mounts, tranny mounts, etc. The whole thing just daunts me. I'll do spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, intake work, but suspension works seems so hard.

Would it be easy to check that out? And may the U-joints be the cause for that clunk when I come to a stop? Or put it in gear?

TippnOver, thanks for your reply. My rpms are 2300-2400 at 70 mph.

 

when your stoping does it feel like your rear tires a messed up? then its that U-joint...It will usually make it shake but it can go for a while...just have to put up with the shaking...as for the accel I have no Idea

 

Well when I take off, even when it doesn't spin...it feels like they're spinning.

I don't really have any weird feelings when I stop, just when I come to a complete stop (Although sometimes if I go at like 5 mph itll jerk then, and it wont do it when i come to a stop.)

And what would the average price be (I know a really good, honest tranny guy) for rebuilding a tranny?

 

My 1993 Had the same problem. WHen I came to a stop, it sometimes felt like someone bumped my from behind. The trans. was going, so I put a new one it it, but it still does it. The only thing I can figure is that its the Rear-end. Sometimes it will skip when driving, like the tires are spinning, but they are not. Then when I take off again it will rev, then catch and go, like someone just dumped the clutch (Its an auto, btw) Thats the only help I can contribute, maybe check your Rear Diff-Fluid for metal shavings or something the like?

 

Did you replace the torque converter as well?

 

That could be all in the U-Joints if they are really bad. I've had worse at work. Try replacing the U-joints since lubing a yoke would just be dumb. If you have to replace a torque converter you're going to have to pull the transmission so I hope you have a lift. If you're going through that extent zip off the four bolts on the flywheel and replace the rear main seal since with 159,000 miles it is definitely leaking for the simple fact that it's a Ford. The transmission isn't too hard to get out on a lift. Just heavy more then anything else.

 

A lift? Like...a hydrolic bzzzzzzz 5 feet in the air lift? Nah, I got jackstands and a 2 1/2 ton floor jack.

And of course I'd replace that, just like I'd replace the tranny mount, probably even the driveshaft too. But it isn't leaking if you can believe it.

What kind of $$$ am I looking at in a U-joint replacement if I do it myself? What about a shop doing it?

 

U-joints are cheap and pretty easy to replace. Never replaced them on the Ranger I did on my S-10 though, didn't take too long.

 

You owned a chevy? :(

Haha, just messing.

What does it take? Just take off the driveshaft and bolt it in?

 

K, it's definitely the tranny.

How much am I looking at for a rebuild and a new torque converter? Labor and everything? ~1500$?

This truck is in absolutely perfect shape mechanically, and 90% cosmetically. So it would definitely be worth it.

 

You're gonna spend about 2500 rebuilding that one. Get the same tranny from a junkyard with a warranty on it for about 800 at most.