I have a 1986 Ford Ranger with the AL4D. My instrument cluster totally died, speedometer, RPM guage, etc, only the water temperature gauage was still somewhat functioning. I replace the instrument cluster with Speedhut 4 guage cluster and GPS Speedometer. As a symptom of that, my AL4D has begun to not shift properly when asking it for power up hills etc and is missing shifts. Can anybody provide me any recommendation of how to enable the Vehicle Speed Sensor to provide the proper signal to the ECS to have the ALD shift properly again? Thank you for all the Ranger info on the forum, you guys all kill it, well, most of you!

 

Welcome to the forum

1986 may have still used a VSS on the speedometer cable on the back of the cluster, if you have the old cluster have a look
A device with 2 wires on it, and ON the speedometer cable connection

In 1987/88 the VSS(vehicle speed sensor) was put on the transmission or transfer case with the speedometer cable, looks like this: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...s_withgear.JPG

Speedo cable was used thru 1994
VSS was used for computer and cruise control

BUT................................
1986 A4LD and its computer ONLY used speed signal for early lock up of the torque converter, there are no shift solenoids until 1987/88 A4LD and it was just for shifting in and out of overdrive, nothing to do with 1, 2 or 3 ratios, the 3/4 shift solenoid
So your shifting issues wouldn't be speed signal related

The torque converter will lockup on its own, the TCC(torque converter control) solenoid could just lock it up earlier for better MPG when cruising at a slower speed, i.e. before torque converter would lock up on its own

Torque Converter lock up is called it's "stall speed" just FYI

Maybe someone swapped in a later model A4LD and its computer?
But again it would only effect 3/4 shifting

 

Thank you RonD for the quick reply. Yes, I believe I have some type of year ? AL4D/1986 Ford Ranger mismatch going on. I previously had a VSS that looked like the one you provided in the picture on my old transmission, that AL4D was brought to AAMCO for rebuild. When they installed the rebuilt AL4D back into the truck, they installed a speedometer cable that looks almost 'flush' with the transmission with just the cable coming out, no "VSS" where the speedo cable "should" clips into, the speedo cable doesn't clip into the transmission anymore, it's just a single unit coming out of the transmission now. The 'old' instrument cluster looks exactly like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/224872558287

If I install the right VSS, I am wondering if I can wire it back into the correct wires 'behind' the new cluster? And again, thank you for your time.

 

You just need to get one of the "pictured" VSS units and put it in to trans and hook speedo cable to it
They were used on most 1994 and earlier Fords, not a Ranger thing

If the 2 wire hook up is not there for the VSS then you will need to get the model year of computer
There will be a label on it by the 60-pin connector
YEAR number will start with an E, like E87Z-12A650
E8 is 1988
E6 is 1986
ect...
F = 199
So F0 would be 1990, F1 1991, ect......
This is the model year of the computer

Wires should already be run if it was shifting OK before the cluster change

And as said, 1988 an up A4LD only had 1 shift solenoid, 3/4, all other shifts were pressure or mechanically controlled like all previous automatics

 

ok go it. Let me go troubleshoot and I will get provide the results. THANK YOU for your assistance RonD

 

Thanks fro the reply RonD. So looking at the old cluster, the speedo cable plugged directly into the back of the instrument cluster (no big black VSS with wire harness was connected to the instrument panel), just direct speedo cable to speedometer guage. Doesn't mean it wasn't ever there, just means thats the way it was hooked up when I got it.

The AAMCO guys are saying they are getting a VSS sensor code and that it must be the cause of the transmission behavior.

If I summarize your comments above:

1. Even though there is a VSS code error, there are no shift solenoids in 1986 A4LD, ipso facto, the VSS doesn't have anything to do with the transmission lurching up a hill. The 86 year A4LD changes gear with vacuum and mechanical, not electronically controlled shift (i.e. no solenoids).

The AAMCO guys tried to get and install the VSS sensor with the two prong electrical output and it doesn't fit that transmission, they tried to put it in and it doesn't fit. They are looking for the right VSS for that AL4D.

I just want to establish with them that the VSS is not the cause of the symptoms of that transmission.

 

Look at driver side of transmission just in front of the shifter linkage
Should either be a 2 wire or 3 wire connector
2 wire has no "shift solenoid" 1986-1988
3 wire has a 3-4 shift solenoid 1989-1994

Any year fuel injection computer may need a VSS signal

Look on the computer wiring harness, pins 3 and 6, if there are wires on those 2 slots/pins then there should be a VSS hooked up

The wire colors will tell you what 2 wire connector to look for, either behind the dash or under drivers side of vehicle near speedometer cable hook up