I have a 2004 Ranger XLT 4x4 with a 4.0 V6 and automatic transmission.
I have owned the vehicle since new in 2004 and the vehicle now has 166K plus miles.

This past September I had the vehicle in the shop to address a leaking valve cover gasket.
When I got the truck back it would have low RPMs when shifting into reverse, to the point that the motor died two or three times.
That issue seemed to have cleared up but then when shifting into reverse shifting became delayed and then it shifted hard into reverse.
Now the shift into reverse has become delayed by several seconds.

I have read this could be a 'pressure' issue. Is that because of the torque converter or?
Does this phenomena sound typical with 166K on the vehicle?
How much to $$$ fix for a ballpark guess?

Thank

 

Any transmission maintenance performed?
Dropping the pan to find a clogged filter, while not ideal, could starve the pump for fluid and could be the answer to a prayer.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Trans has never been serviced except for draining old fluid and putting in new fluid; that was 2 years ago but no filter change at that time.

I wonder if it could be the neutral safety switch possibly getting stuck?

I did price a fluid exchange, dropping the pan, replacing the filter and gasket; they quoted me $475 for that. Ouch .......

 

All automatics have an internal pump, the pump is powered by the engine spinning the external housing of the torque converter, so torque converter internals are not involved
All the internal pressure of the ATF Fluid in the transmission is provided by this pump

Forward gears require 80-100psi ATF pressure to engage
Reverse requires 130-150psi ATF pressure to engage
If there is a pressure issue starting, you will notice it when shifting into Reverse, delayed engagement or you have to raise engine RPMs(pump speed) to build up more pressure to engage Reverse
Pressure issue can be a dirty filter, the pump sucks in ATF thru that filter, so limited flow would be limited pressure
Pressure can also be lost thru leaking seals and gaskets in the Valve body
There is not "one thing" that can be diagnosed from the delayed Reverse engagement symptom, might not even be a pressure issue


A DTR(neutral switch) sensor misalignment could cause engine to stall when shifting into Reverse, or Drive, because computer is not getting the signal from the DTR to increase idle when "in gear", computer should bump up idle RPMs by 50-100 to compensate for drag on the engine when trans is in gear, turning on AC should do the same "Bump"
But outside if the lower RPMs(pump speed) it wouldn't be the cause of a delay in engaging Reverse

 

One other item of note:
The issue of the transmission not wanting to shift into reverse occurs mainly after the vehicle has been driven just a few miles; after the transmission fluid has become hot.
Would that indicate anything in particular?
Thanks

 

Yes, thinner warm fluid = less pressure

 

makes perfect sense; thank you

166K plus miles, throw in some heat and ATF viscosity breakdown is a likely result

 

Add some "Trans Fix", there are several makers/brands
They all have chemicals that swell gaskets and help seals to seal better, also reduce clutch and band slipping
That should get some of the lost pressure back

Automatics should last 250+k miles if maintained
But anything mechanical can break early, Laws of Physics, with no appeal courts, lol

 

Taking a gamble on the issue today by putting the Ranger in the shop = full ATF exchange, new filter, replace pan gasket.

Hopefully this does the trick but I know this is pretty much a 50/50 shot so, I'm rolling the dice here .......