this truck and i have a history. i saved it and treated it better than most would have. it's that time again i think. it's got a 4r44e in it. it has some hard shifting going on when cold and soft/lazy shifting when warm and 3rd feels like it's slipping. fluid is clean.. i'm fairly certain that whine i hear isn't the power steering either. i have given it much thought and i think the best thing i can do for it is swap it or maybe fix the issue. i'm not a transmission guy and i don't have any buddies that are. i wouldn't be opposed to trying to fix it but it might be out of reach of my skillset. finding a 4r44e for a 2.3 lima is proving difficult. i wouldn't mind doing a manual swap though. i've done it several times to other trucks. wouldn't be my first rodeo but dipping into the fuel injection side while doing so is. i've read i'll need a computer, harness and the rest of the basic stuff and i've read the computer and harness may not be needed just so the speedo hooked up. something about a cel light flashing being the only issue. if anyone knows exactly what i'd need, great. if anyone has any suggestions about the auto, even better. i really don't care auto or stick, i just want it to be reliable. thanks for any advice on the topic, i'm kinda confused here.

 

Welcome to the forum

1996 Ranger 2wd has the speed sensor on the transmission tail shaft housing, manual or auto

1983 thru 1997 had this, in 1998 it was dropped, and up

But good news is that on the automatics the speedo Gear drive is machined into the output shaft, so all you need to do is swap tail shaft housing, 6 bolts if memory serves
This opens up a few more years you can use

So 1995 thru 1997 2.3l OR 1998 thru 2001 2.5l 4R44E will work for you as used replacement, 4R44E is a model number not what it fits, 3.0l Ranger used the same trans but won't fit on your 2.3l

Yes, the automatic trans computers have added software to run the solenoids for shifting, so if you remove the solenoids(manual swap) the CEL will come on and stay on, but thats all, no running issues

You would use an M5OD-R1 manual trans from a 1988 to 1997 Ranger 2.3l 2WD, it has the speedo hook up, must be 2wd model
Must be for/from a 2.3l these manual transmission have integrated bell housing, so are engine specific, M5OD-R1(M5R1) is just the "model" not what it fits
You need the clutch/brake pedal setup , floor plate and boot for manual shifter
Flywheel and starter
Clutch kit with Master
You don't need a different wiring harness, all Rangers up thru 2001 were wired as Manuals, automatics had an add on harness that can be removed, or left, your choice, there is a safety switch that can be jumped for starter motor activation

You can use a 1996/7 2.3l manual trans computer, its plug and play, but optional, 2WD or 4x4 doesn't matter to computer
Also a manual trans steering column, again optional but gets rid of the column shifter

https://www.car-part.com/
This is a great site to look for local/zipcode used parts

 

funny, the valve body i swapped came out of a 3.0 truck. really just wanted solenoids but pull-a-part had the valve body assembly cheaper than the solenoids by themselves. i think that was a screw up on their end but it saved me some money lol. that fix worked great though and i daily drove that truck for years. it's been good to me. thought about selling it but i just can't do it. it's still running and driving but i know that that transmission is about done. something that doesn't make much sense to me is why they would used differing bellbousing patterns for differing motor and then build the pump into it. you'd think they would have done it differently. anyway, you are the man ron. thanks.