Not reversing

[adetutu]

Hi ,
I have a windstar 1998 model got into it not reversing was told range switch faulty cos its drives and parks.Had that replaced still not reversing though reverse light comes on.

[wiswind]

At this point, it may be internal to the transmission.
Do you have a good mechanic that you can trust to do a diagnosis for you?

[tomj76]

I'm hardly an expert, but I've rebuilt the AX4S on my 1996. There is a reverse clutch that can fail, that is not involved in any of the forward gears. If you have ALL forward gears plus overdrive, then I think that would suggest that all the other clutches & bands are working (forward clutch, direct clutch, intermediate clutch, OD band, & low/intermediate band). The reverse clutch is controlled by the valve body, so it could be a stuck valve, or the clutch piston, or the pack. I don't think the AX4S uses any electronic controls to make reverse. Only the manual valve and the valve body are used to engage the clutch.

The 1998 might use the AX4N, which is similar but not exactly the same as the AX4S.

As Wiswind says, it's most likely an internal problem. It wouldn't hurt to check your fluid level. If you want to go all out, you could siphon out the transmission fluid into a clean container, then drop the pan to check for debris and pieces of the clutch.

[adetutu]

Thank you for the replies.I had already done the cleaning and as you suggested after a through check discovered it was the valve body issue.My mechanic said the solenoid controlling the reverse switch had burnt out due to bad handling by previous mechanic.What is the possible solution out.The new guy not really a professional mechanic just loves cars (my friends husband)What can I do then?

[adetutu]

Looks like I may need to change the gear .My mechanic says clearly its the valve body and though can be changed he doesnt know the state of the mechanical part of the gear so to avoid any issues need to change.Please any ideas of where I could get the parts to buy and shipped down to Nigeria at a competitive price?

Thank you

[tomj76]

Just so that you're clear, there is no single gear that makes reverse in these transmissions. Instead, the same two gears that are used to make first, second and third is also used for reverse. This is the "magic" of planetary gear systems, and the basis for most automobile automatic transmissions.

There is a website (makcotransmissionparts.com) that has exploded drawings of your transmission. The drawings can help you see what parts your transmission contains.

If the valve body can be serviced without removing the transmission (and the work is reasonably priced), the I'd consider repairing the valvebody without servicing the reverse clutch. However, if the transmission must be removed to service the valvebody, then it is probably worth the incremental expense of a complete overhaul. I will depend on the cost of qualified labor verses the cost of the parts.

I don't know of any companies that ship parts to your country. Have you checked for online companies that serve international companies?