I have a 02 ranger edge 4.0 and recently put a 96 explorer transmission in everything worked great until i took the truck offroading now the truck high revs in drive and redlines and won't shift into second but 2 now when I put the truck in 1st or second theirs no problem so I know it's not because 1st and 2nd gear went out any help and chance that water or mud got into the transmission is slim I did lose the round canister on the passenger side wheel well so the vacuum lines are off but idk if that would cause this kind of issue. Sorry for the story but trying slim down some possible causes. Thanks

 

A 1996 5R55E shouldn't working in a 2002 Ranger, its missing the ISS sensor that was added in 2001, but it would just throw a transmission code, it would be drive-able

Lets skip over that, there is no 2nd "gear" the computer just turns on OD in 1st to get an in between ratio for smoother shifting

But from your description the one-way clutch(sprag) and/or OD sprag is failing
When you drain the fluid it should have metal bits in the fluid and pan

Read post #4 here first: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...d-reverse.html

 

I hooked truck to scanner and it's saying throttle position sensor is out of ranger and truck did stall before and earlier today I put the pedal to the floor and the truck hesitated at first and I'm no expert but online it says that the sensor can cause the transmission not to shift right also noticed today truck in drive did shift to at least 2nd butonce I left out gas it it's like it went back into first

 

Any failing engine sensor can put transmission in "safe mode" it just shifts hard in safe mode, doesn't miss gears or not go into gear

The computer just controls the solenoids, thats all it does, or can do, computer can NOT prevent transmission from going "into gear", that's a mechanical processes, by the shifter moving
If a sprag has failed then the coast clutch can often get vehicle to move in 1st and then second

But its for sure not a computer issue, or engine sensor issue

 

Alright thanks the tranny went great until I went mudding and trail riding so I'm not sure but I highly doubt I got water or mud in the transmission I'm going to try to replace the throttle sensor and pray it works even though odds are that it won't help of not I'm going to replace filter and fluid and put some Lucas in it and see where that gets me I'm just trying to get the truck to the 140 Mile drive I got on Friday or Saturday but I'll update on whether I get it fixed or I it's going to be another tranny swap and if it makes it to where I'm going
The tranny fluid is high for some reason I havent checked it much since u put it in so that was probably my first mistake

 

Well "mudding and trail riding" are a little harder on a transmission than daily driving, not that you shouldn't do it, just that its often when things break, "that worked fine before"
I think most off-roaders would have similar stories, I know I do, lol

You can just unplug the TPS, then trans would be in safe mode for sure and it couldn't effect anything

TPS sensor is tested by the computer using the MAF sensor, air flow comparison, so could be MAF sensor needs to be cleaned
Unless its a TPS circuit malfunction code, then it can be wiring or the sensor itself, but out of range can be as well computers are not all that good at being specific, lol

 

Little update today I siphoned tranny fluid out and put some lucas in ad drive it didn't notice much of a change so I took of the rubber hose for the air filter spayed the throttle body with some carb cleaner and took the tps of the 96 explorer and put it on the ranger and drove it a little but with wet roads typical ranger they tend to slide so j didn't want to put it to the floor but I did notice some improvement it shifted and wasnt running high rpms so I think it's worth dropping the $30 on a new tps and seeing if it helps out better if not then I can always return it but I think the new tps is going to be my first attempt and we'll see how things go from their and I get a new boot for the air filter since mine has like a cut in it where it goes into the throttle body but I'll update it tommorow after I put the new tps on