Ford began producing its rear-wheel drive light-duty gearboxes in 1995 known as the 4R44E units. These were mainly produced for insertion into vehicles that used variants of the V6 motors at the time. Since the four-speed 4R44E went out of production in the year 2001, finding a used 4R44E transmission for sale is the best hope for a truck or minivan owner.
Ford started pairing the Cologne engines in the Ranger and needed a better gearbox than the A4LD. While overdrive gears were added, the A4LD was too big of a gearbox to use in the Ranger trucks. The 2WD and 4WD platform was supported with the development of the 4R44E. Although production only last for 6 years, automatic gearboxes from this period of time can still be found retailed online.
4R44E Transmission V6 Compatible
There were 2 motors that were supported with the 1995 to 2001 4R44E gearboxes. The first was the Cologne 3.0. This was used the most inside of the trucks and minivans although can be found used in Mazda trucks. The second was the bigger 4.0-liter motor. People liked the light-duty gearbox design because it featured electronic controls. Pulse activation of the torque converter was a unique feature for Ford Motor Company.
How do you identify the automatic 44RE? On the bottom of the housing, a series of numbers will be printed. A special code number is always used in Ford gearboxes to identify the type. If a letter T is available, it means that it is from the A4LD family. Since the automatic overdrive is a mid 1990s technology, the 44RE and 45RE are both identified using the letter T.
What’s Wrong with My 4R44E Transmission?
The C3 was the initial build design that the later four-speed units were based from in the U.S. A common issue that someone can have with an automatic is the lockup between the first couple of gears. It is common to feel slipping during shifts between gears number 2 and gears number 3. This can be from a bad servo pin or from hollowing out of the bore.
Some people have reported the loss of the shift valve rings. These can wear out and fall off or they could be missing from an installation. Because the 4R44E uses solenoids, a mismatch between the unit and the regulator could be the problem. Simply adding a new shift solenoid might not solve the issue. A full replacement transmission might be necessary.
Low Cost Automatic Ford Transmissions
Sale prices are not hard to find when the right dealer is present. Sorting through what is offered in a salvage yard is one option although quality is sometimes lower. GotTransmissions.com is one of the only U.S. sources providing true sale prices for used 4R44E automatic transmissions from Ford Motor Company online. A search of shippable inventory can be made when using the search box that appears right on this page.
