Need help on transmission issue '96 ranger xlt 4r55e

[KevinT]

Hi all, can someone help diagnose a transmission problem for me. I have a 1996 Ranger XLT, 4.0l, 4r55E transmission. The transmission started out by slipping on the 2nd to 3rd gear shift in the overdrive circuit. If I pulled the selector down to 2 it would make the shifts ok. Now, it feels like the shift cable is totally slack when you make a gear selection, only locking into 2 positions on the column selector, but I only get the overdrive circuit or the 2 circuit, no reverse or park. It became difficult to start the vehicle, essentially starting it in gear with the gearshift selector in the park or as close as you could get it to the Neutral column position. This could only be achieved by trying to adjust the shift cable til you could get it to start, and again only having the two forward gears available. I had previously replaced the column shift tube and bushings, which were worn out (the truck has 200k miles on it). The transmission fluid is dark, and I have been flushing fresh fluid thru to get nice clean fluid running thru it, but that didn't improve the shift situation at all. A friend let me borrow his scanner that also reads transmission functions, and it reported that it did see the solenoids, and didn't find errors there. A friend stated he knew someone that had a similar sounding issue, and it wound up being the transmission range sensor. I looked up the range sensor, and everything I found pointed to a lot of the same symptoms I am encountering. The only thing that throws me is the seemingly very slack shift cable. I checked the nylon lock feature, and it is holding the adjusted cable just fine, so it shouldn't feel like the cable is slipping thru. If the range sensor failed, would it create this condition? If the sensor is bad, does anyone know where I can find a replacement? I am at the end of my ability to try and diagnose this. Any help is greatly appreciated. I really want to get my truck back!!!! I have included screenshots from the scan tool if it helps. Thanks in advance.