i got a 2000 ford ranger with a 3.0l flex auto with O/D well my problem is im not sure if its my transmission or not and i dont want it going out right before i get my truck regeared cuz that would be real bad!


well the issue is my first and second gears my truck is being alot more sluggish then usual it sounds like a woooooeee!!! sound when i accelerate but the sound almost completely goes away on 3rd and 4th gear its realy concerning me.. but it doesnt shift hard its shifting completely perfect besides being realy sluggish

im running 33's with 3.73's but it didnt start doing this until friday night and i have been babying it since i got my 33's a few weeks or maybe a month ago trying to be realy gentle till i got my gears..

does anyone have any ideas or tips on what to do!?!?! im running royal purple full synthetic automatic tranny oil with LS

 

I'd change the filter and top off the fluid.

Rich

 

well i just had it rebuilt a month or so before i got my tires so... id expect the filter to be perfectly fine and i check the fluid while it was running and it was perfectly clean well it all was perfect.. lol i mean i might just wing it and pray till i get the gears and hope all this crap goes away when i finish the rearend

but i might consider a tranny flush when i get regeared..

does anyone else have any ideas?

 

bump

 

I had a simliar problem...mine was a little different.

When I put the 35's on w/ 4.10's, I drove it for a few days, and I noticed it was slow as HECK, and it was shifting weird. No o/d light..nohting. So I just idnored it, had the gears installed, and it was even worse after the gears. Then it finally gave out...but it was just a servo...so no biggie.

If anything, sounds like a servo or slipping clutches. Do you know your trans temp? That is pretty much a tell-all. If it's heating up past about 180 (or anything abnormal to your driving/truck)...your going ot have to take it in.

 

dont know my tranny temp but im kinda in the same ballfield as you were i have no od light and im running 3.73's with 33's the 8.8 rearend im picking up this weekend has 4.10's in it so it might help! might.... lol

did you ever hear any odd wind like noises coming from the drivers side while accelerating?

 

No.

Just a thought...it could and possibly is your wheel bearing. The noise from the bearing tends to go away at higher speeds.

If not, it could be something like your flex plate or driveshaft. Check the simple stuff.

Get that rear end in ASAP!!!

 

I don't have any idea what the problem may be but I have a 2000 3.0L Flex 4x4 with 4:10's and 33X10.5's. Since getting the 33's my truck has been completely gutless. My gas mileage also dropped from mid 16's to low 14's. My guess is that the 3.0 L engine is underpowered for the weight of the truck with the larger tires. I plan to regear to 4:88's at some point.

 

ooo actualy to tell you the truck when putting the rearend 3in blocks and 2in shackles on the pin wasnt ligned up correctly on the driver side and i didnt notice because it look and felt like my truck was driving perfect and my friend was following me and said it looked like the rear of my truck was driving off the road lol not funny but still could that have caused damage to the wheel bearing?

and could it cause the truck to become sluggish?

 

Could be your U-joints.

Honestly without looking at the truck, it could be anything.

I would start with looking and making sure the pin is centered on the leafs. Then check your U-joints, then your driveshaft, then brakes, then wheel bearings, ball joints, etc, etc. Just check everything.

 

u-joints brand new "brute force" driveshaft powerwashed it and everything underneath so not much that could be outta balance brakes checked mechanic said front right inner bearing is going bad and is causing a tire lean but not bad enough to give premature wear on inside of the tire so i can hold off with that to get all new wheel bearings installed ((profesionaly )) after 4.56's installed

im going to the transmission shop that rebuilt mine in the first place to get them to test drive it and see if it is the tranny after i get the rearend regeared because their warranty states that if i change tire size i have to have the vehicle regeared to the proper ratio to be elligible for warranty coverage so if it does decide to poop on me i might get lucky and get a free rebuild =\ i hope

 

Well...just to let you know...wheel bearings are SIMPLE as cake, and should be changed ASAP.

Kevooo waited on his (he has a 4wd and they are almost 200each), and his failed on him and fubared his brakes and bearing.


If your wheel is tilted, your bearing has already failed. Change that ASAP, and i would bet thats almost all the noise...bearings are noisy.

 

well i need new rotors and brake pads too.. do they install new wheel bearings when they install the entire shibang? im taking my truck to a shop that my family are realy good friends with so thiers almost no labor when they charge me to fix stuff

and could a wheel bearings be the cause of my truck being sluggish? and if left long enough without taking care of the issue could it bend or break the spindle?

 

If your tires are leaning, then yeah, it could cause it to be slow. And if left alone YES THAT STUFF WILL START TO BREAK!

Get the bearings fixed first, then see if that's your problem. That sounds like a bigger issue then the tranny.

 

Yea...bearings will cause your rotor and pad (maybe even caliper) to get ruined. It can/will also ruin your spindle shaft, and if it locks up...your in a load of trouble. I just did kevins 4wd and it was 500 or so for all the damage, and his only locked up in the parking lot.


If your tire is leaning, don't drive the truck. I hate to say I told you so, but it's not a transmission problem (thats my bet). Wheel bearings can get loud and quiet down at about 40-50.

The 2wd rotor is a "hub". It has wheel studs and a race for the inner/outer bearing and seal. It is VERY easy to do with minor hand tools. I use a 15mm socket (for caliper), anti-sieze grease compound, pliers, channel locks, grease, and new bearings/seals.

It's very very very simple to do. I can't stress that enough. It's about 10-20 dollars (depending on make) for parts...and it can and will cause a lot of damage if it goes bad.

 

Does nyone have a write up or how to change wheel bearings on a 2wd? possibly with pictures ((pictures make the world a easier place)) im going to change rotors pads and wheel bearings..

but it kinda seems like tranny issue cuz first gear makes that noise pretty loud when accelerating and when im in second if i give it a little more gas then its almost not wanting to shift into third and its holding out and holding outand i have to let off the gas for it to shift into third because it sounds like it is getting into to high of rpms..

 

Might be a mix of both. I'm digging up my pics now.

 

well im going to baby it more then i have been lately and try to get ahold of some stock wheels and tires to see if it still does this with the stock sized tires

and if the new rotors wheel bearings and pads dont fix it then AFTER i get the rearend regeared god wish me luck on having a big enough paycheck tomorrow to pay for the regear!!

then i will take it to the transmission shop and see if they know whats going on with it

you know it kinda sounds as if the fan is sticking well thats the sounds that i could compare it with it sounds like the fan is completely locked up and spinning with the enegine as fast and the engine is accelerating

 

still could be the flex plate. like i said, you can't diagnose it until the wheel bearing is fixed. Rear gearing shouldn't have anything to do with it...although it could be a diff bearing :)

 

well the noise and odd shifting times changed with the temperature... because i went to the mall today about a 12 mile drive in about 95 degree weather today and it was acting up same ole bull and my truck set for about 3 hours and cooled off at my girlfriends house and on the way home it was perfect no noises no odd shifting ect.. was perfect..