1996 Ford Explorer changing transmissions

JOHNATHEN

MEMBER
1996 FORD EXPLORER
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
68,000 MILES

I recently purchased this vehicle. The previous owner had the transmission replaced by the junkyard mechanic. It was never fully functional again. It has problems shifting. Shifts at very high rpms or feathering the throttle. I inspected the transmission and descovered two things. The identification tag reads 98gt-aaa-? And at the rear top of the transmission there is a plug socket with nothing pluged in to it. Could that be for a speed sensor. I have a few questions. 1. Is this the right transmission for this year of explorer. 2. If not what is the right one. 3. I have a 94 explorer v6 4x4 auto will that trans work in it?

2 Replies

JGAROFALO

MECHANIC
489 POSTS

You could be correct that this may not be the right transmission for the car. I'm not sure exactly when the change was made to electronically controlled shifting. If your transmission has a large black shitch on the side of the case where the shifter linkage connects, then it is electronic. If not, it is mostly mechanical.

If the transmission is electronic, it will use two sensors for speed. One is toward the front of the transmission, and tells the computer the input (turbine) speed. The other is on the transfer case, and tells the computer the output speed. By comparing the two along with engine load, the computer decides which gear to command, and activates shift sensors accordingly. Late shifts would point to a failed or erratic sensor.

If the transmission is NOT electronic, this is a classic symptom of a bad vacuum modulator or a vacuum leak in the line leading to the modulator.

I might also suggest scanning the system for transmission codes.