Hello all,

I just purchased a 2003 Ranger XLT 4.0L manual 4x4 for $800. It will go into gear and the speedo will show a corresponding speed depending on what gear I'm in (5th gear shows 20mph) and the speed will increase if I press the gas pedal, but the truck doesn't even try to move. It's like I'm in neutral. There does appear to be a lot of fluid leaks from just about everywhere (transmission, rear diff, front diff) so I'm sure something crapped out, I'm just not sure what. The only thing that doesn't have leaks is the transfer case, though from what I've read that's electronic so it should have anything to leak.

Any ideas on where to start?

 

Welcome to the forum

Does the truck roll with engine off and in gear, it should from your description, no connection to rear wheels

Can you have someone look under the truck to see if rear drive shaft is turning when you have engine running and are in any gear

2003 Speedometer signal comes from rear of transfer case, where rear drive shaft attaches, so drive shaft should be moving, if so then rear differential is bad

I assume the 4WD control doesn't work?
If it does then put it in 4WD and see if truck moves using the front drive shaft

Have a look here, same as Ranger transfer case setup: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-motor.123542/

In the 1st ad 2nd pictures you can see the speedometer sensor hole
In the 3rd and 4th picture you can see the Shift Rod , it is point at 2WD in 4th picture
Just opposite of that, 2H, is NEUTRAL, its not marked, but is there
I doubt this is the issue since speedometer is moving but only 3 or 4 bolts to remove the shift motor to find out

You can manual shift it to 4H to see if truck moves

 

So I decided to just pull the t-case and tear into it to make sure it was the chain. Turns out it's not the chain. The spline shaft coming out of the transmission and into the t-case sheared off. Is that replacable or do I get to put a transmission in?

 

It's replaceable, but in order to replace it you'll have to pull the transmission out of the truck and remove everything inside the transmission to get to it,

Much easier to just replace transmission.

 

Well crap. Glad I only paid $800 for the truck.