I have a 1992 1/2 ton with the 351 V8 engine with around 170K miles. A squirel chewed up several wires in order to build a nest in the engine compartment. After the family moved out, I spliced in new wire. I think I got everything, but it has some problems. Some are new, some are old, but worse.

The transmission always had intermittant problems in shifting. I can't remember if it was from first to second or from second to third. Now, it wants to stay in first gear for ever, no matter how fast or the postion of the throttle. If I move the shift lever from D to 2, it will shift into second. If I then move it back to D, it will shift back to first, no matter how fast I am going or the position of the throttle.

As I said, it sometimes did this pre-squirel, but is much worse now. I think the difference is that the vehicle sat for over a year without moving. I also replaced some damaged vacuum lines. I really think that I got all the wires correctly repaired and also the vacuum leaks.

The damage was 95% in the area near the windshield washer tank. That it the very front of the compartment, on the passenger side. I don't see anything transmission related there, but I don't know.

It has other problems that are probably unrelated: air bad light flashes, and alternator light comes on occationally. The last couple of times I tried to start it, it wouldn't fire. Sprayed starting fluid into air cleaner and it took right off so I think that is a fuel related issue. The voltage meter sometimes goes to 18 volts, so I am going to rebuild the alternator and put in a new regulator. I'm guessing that those are not related to shifting.

What can I do to diagnose/fix this?