First off, this forum is great. I only visit this site when I have problems, but there's a lot of good help available here and members share their experience freely and respectfully.

My son's 2006 extended cab 2wd Ranger with 3.0l engine, automatic transmission has 193k miles on it. He's put about 40k miles on in the last 5 years.

The transmission was driven quite a bit while low on oil a couple years ago, the oil pan bolts had come loose. At that time, it was acting up quite badly. A local transmission shop checked it and recommended removing and disassembling the transmission. Being between jobs, we replaced all the fluid and the filter and added some snake oil to keep it running longer. There were bits of metal in the pan at that time. For a small amount of money, we got a couple "bonus" years of good use out of it. The transmission is now acting up pretty badly again, so I think this time it's finished. It is still full of oil and not leaking, by the way. The plan is to keep the truck stock and just repair or replace the transmission.

The symptoms are:
1. It always shudders in reverse if put under any kind of load other than idling or light throttle on level ground. About all it can do "nicely" is back out of a flat parking space. Backing uphill is kind of scary. It's been doing this since before the big oil change, so we have just been avoiding doing that.
2. More recently, it sometimes slips starting from a stop in first. This is occurring at least once every trip now, and we don't go far from home in this vehicle. We live on top of a hill, and the last time I drove it I thought I might have to walk up the hill to get home.
3. It will occasionally fail to upshift unless the throttle is worked a couple times. The OD light starts blinking when this happens. I believe this indicates an error code was generated. The light stays off when the engine is shut off and restarted.

I've done some searching on this forum and picked up a few tips, but I only found one post that provided any information on remaunfactured transmissions (swap to manual, and no to Jasper!). I've searched the web and found Ford rebuilds for $2400, Jasper for $3800, Rock Auto (Transmission Authority) for $1400, and a couple others for less than $2000. What do you experienced Ford owners here recommend? I would really like some input on this.

There seem to be several options for fixing this unit:
1. Have the existing transmission rebuilt at a local shop. I've seen the advice recommending to use a new Ford pump and torque converter. I don't have a line on a shop at this time, so there would be that "lack of trust" feeling when breaking in a new service provider, and I'll be going in with an expensive repair.
2. Purchase a remanufactured transmission and swap it myself. Transmission Authority rebuilds the torque converter to "better than factory specs". What does that mean? This is the path I'm leaning toward.
3. Take it to a Ford dealer and have them swap the transmission with a factory rebuild. I'm inclined to believe there are more cost effective approaches than this one, and I don't like our dealer's service department based on past experience.

The rest of the truck is in good shape, so I really want to get this fixed. All input will be greatly appreciated.

 

Mine had the beginning signs of this when I swapped it over to a manual. The 3.0 autos are all prone to reverse failure. If I were you, I'd buy a reman tras and swap it in over a weekend unless swapping to a 5 speed interests you.

 

Short update - weather in north CA, sick dog, pressure to get the thing running all conspired to have me decide to take it to a shop and plop down a bunch of cash for a local shop rebuild. Comes with a 2-year warranty, and someone to point to besides myself. Truck's running great again.

 

If you get a rebuilt auto, make sure that it's been properly rebuilt and by that, fully disassembled and gone over.
Some rebuilds are "quick" jobs or "soft rebuilds"
Read this post from Ron.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/drivet...6/#post2105652

If you go to a manual, you will have to replace the ECU, your present one wants an auto trans.

 

You don't have to change the computer. There are ways around it.

 

If there's 1 thing I learned about reman engines or tranny go with OEM or Jasper....period, everything else is a huge gamble...the only other option I would say is if u know a really good local rebuilder....and I don't mean one of those National shops either...

 

jasper uses relined bands I have seen two with band friction matirial laying in the bottom of the case. scored the clutch drums bad.