Hey guys im new to the forum and to rangers I have a 1996 ford ranger 2.3 automatic that slips out of drive when coming to a stop at a light or sign. Hoping it's just the valve body gasket is bad or the valve body itself is loose and that I don't need a whole new transmission. I also have a p1443 code even after I've replaced the solenoid and the sensor about a week ago. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Welcome to the forum

Please post code definitions with the code since you already look it up, lol
No one knows them all by heart

"slips out of drive"?
Not sure what that means
So do you have to shut off the engine and restart it in Park and then shift to Drive again, or does the shifter just slip to Neutral so you just need to move it back to Drive?

Google: Ford Ranger column shifter loose



P1443 Evaporative Emission System Control Valve (low/no flow)
This is a pretty generic code like ALL codes, for sure doesn't mean a valve is bad, might be a valve is bad but no specifically, codes can't ever be used that way


EVAP system seals the gas tank from the outside air when you are driving so splashing gas in the tank doesn't pollute the air

When you are driving the Computer opens a valve that applies a bit of engine vacuum to the EVAP system, then it monitors the negative pressure in the gas tank
If pressure doesn't hold then there is an air leak, could be loose gas cap, could be a valve, could be a cracked vacuum hose, could be.........................well on and on, lol

You should always look up ANY code on a full list of codes so you can see what Computer has to choose from, like these
P1444 Evaporative Emission System Purge Flow Sensor Circuit Low Input
P1445 Purge Flow Sensor Circuit High Input
P1446 Evaporative Vacuum Solenoid Circuit

P1443 was a FLOW code(low/no flow), the above are CIRCUIT codes, circuit is wires and valves, electrical parts, if a valve or sensor was bad a "circuit" would usually be bad and you would get a circuit code

Replacing the valve and sensor is fine, they were old, but to fix a P1443 code you need to find the Leak, the "flow" problem

 

In answer to your question about a possible gas cap leak, etc. RonD I've noticed when I fill up my tank, it starts to leak a lot of from where the tank and filler tube meet. Could replacing that fix the issue with the code?
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And for the "slips out of drive", it happens when I'm stopped it will slip out of gear while still in drive but as soon as I give it a little bit of gas it locks back in.
It has never happened while I'm driving and the shifts are harsh sometimes. Could it be low compression from a loose valve body or a bad valve body gasket?

there's also a few second delay when putting it in drive or reverse and when it's does finally engage it's jars the whole truck. Could I need a new transmission?

 

How many miles on the transmission now?

All automatics run on ATF fluid pressure, ALL, not a Ford thing

The Main/front pump provides that pressure, it is mounted at the very front of transmission, and is power by torque converter spinning at engine RPMs
The Valve body routes the pressure by using..........wait for it......................valves, lol
Since the 1990's the valves are operated by electric solenoids

You have a 4R44E automatic in a 1996 Ranger, also called 4R55E, 5R44E, and 5R55E, and A4LD, these are all pretty much the same transmission internally, so troubleshooting for one applies to all

Automatics also have Clutches, and Bands, bands are the BRAKES, they stop and hold sections of the transmission from turning so a single "gear" is selected, there are no "gears" like a manual trans has, just a planetary gear set that has different ratios.
And the clutches and brakes wear out, and wear out faster if they are slipping

Slow to go into gear and slipping is a Pressure Problem, so that would be a Valve Body problem, leaking seals on valves or gaskets, bad solenoid(s)
But if trans has 200k miles it would be a shame to put in a new valve body and then start to have clutch or band problems.

 

It only has 80,000 miles on it but it sat for a while judging by the smell of the interior and the tire's that were on it.

 

At 80k clutches and bands should be OK

I assume you have changed the ATF and filter, if not then I would start there, could just be filter is dirty so pressure is lower than it should be

If you have changed the filter then yes, new valve body with solenoids and a new separator plate would be the next step.

The computer stores Transmission codes in memory, P0700-P0799 is the range for transmission codes, these don't always turn on the CEL(check engine light)
Most OBD readers can see this code range but some can not, auto parts stores will read codes for free, WRITE CODES DOWN!!!!!
But ask them if their reader can read transmission codes first

You could have a pressure test done on it, there are places on the outside of all automatic transmissions to test pressure as it shifts thru the gears, it can pin point where pressure is being lost better
It may tell you that just a specific valve/solenoid is the problem so you just need to change that.
Call a trans shop to see what they charge to do the testing
Trans pressure gauges need to go up to 300psi so not cheap to get the gauge sets but some times you can rent them, problem is reading results is an "art" unless something very specific shows itself, lol.

Diagnosing automatic transmission problems when you have the transmission in front of you is hard enough, lol, so I am just making suggestions based on your comments