any mechanics out there??

Question

i have a 2001 ford ranger 4 cylinder 2.5 with an automatic transmission.

it won't shift into 2nd gear and when i come to a stop, the engine bogs down to almost stalling. plus, my airbag light indicator turned on.

any suggestions??

Answer 1

The air bag light has nothing to do with the transmission. That is a separate issue. I would suggest first checking the fluid level of the transmission when engine is at normal operating temperature. With vehicle running, in park, pull the transmission dipstick out and look at the fluid level. If it is low, add the proper transmission fluid as stated on the transmission dipstick.
Also look at fluid on the dipstick, look at the color, it should be Bright red, not blood red or black, see if you notice any contamination, tiny bits of metal or anything like that mixed in with the fluid on the dipstick. If you do all that and the problem still persists, I would recommend removing the transmission pan and inspecting inside for metal or debris. Ther is always some debris, what you are looking for is anything that is larger than the head of a pin. Larger pieces of debris are indicative of transmission component failure.
It sounds to me from your description, that the transmission may be stuck in 3rd gear and probably needs replacement.

Answer 2

That's a pretty nasty knock. Knocking can come from a few conditions. It can be preignition because of too much carbon build up in the combustion chamber. You hoped that "Tune up in a bottle" cleaned that out but just idling around isn't enough to make it do its job. Spark timing too advanced can make the engine knock, but the knock sensor would have retarded the engine to arrest that and the performance would have been very crappy. If the timing belt slipped and someone adjusted to ignition timing to try and compensate for that, you could wind up with a serious engine knock and bad performance. I don't think your knock sounds like that though. Since the dipstick came up dry there migtht have still been a couple of quarts of oil in the bottom of the pan so the warning light didn't come on to signal no oil pressure. Oil primarily lubricates the engine parts a minimizes wear, but it also helps to cool the engine somewhat. When there isn't enough oil to take the extra heat, it will burn, deposit carbon and sludge and wear the engine more. Your knock sounds like a connecting rod bearing that is worn out and letting th erod wander onthe crankshaft an pound against it. Soon it will get stuck and smash its way out the side of the engine or through the oil pan. Rebuilding an engine after all that damage is often not worth the trouble. You can fully diagnose that condition by removing the oil pan and shaking the connecting rods. The bad one will be really loose compared to the good ones. The crankshaft will need to be ground and refinished and an undersized bearing installed. That's a lot of work that a machinist must do. Here's all the info you can use, since you're going to the shop. They will tell you all the stuff I said and probably ten or twenty more things they can get you to pay for on the way to completely rebuilding the engine for a small fortune. You can run out of oil and still turn the engine over. The last straw is when it seizes after you run it dry for awhile. I wouldn't try to repair that except to completely hot rod it with all new parts and bore it out. You decide.

Answer 3

yep...can you shift it manualy , start in 2 and move to 1 then to D, and when you come to a stop, put back in 2..if this works then you might just need a speed sensor... then again...I really need more info...when you take off..is the truck sluggish...if so...it's taking off in the wrong. gear...check engine light should be on...run computer scan.. and get back to me..

Answer 4

ok on most of these truck, they have a slave master,that work the clutch,, it going to be hard to get to, it in side the bell houseing,,,if it go out are, got air in it i cant push the clutch, also look to see if the master cil for the slave got fluid,

Answer 5

take it to the ford dealership in your area, it also sounds like the ECM may be failing. but before you go make sure that the battery terminals are tight and don't have any corrosion.
it seems any electrical deviation can cause this problem
in ford products. good luck.

Answer 6

if both issues happened at the same time then it could be the clock spring. If not I would need more info to try and help you

Answer 7

Put transmission fluid in. Easy fix.

Answer 8

sounds like the trans or the clutch.