[Aaronj]

Well, I haven't yet been able to do anything to my tranny so I've been very easy on the car. All was well until this afternoon. I was driving home from Walmart, took off from a light and the 1-2 was suddenly shuddering, as was the 2-3. I came straight home, parked the car and let it sit for some time. Later, I was going to leave, and when I put the car into reverse, it didn't engage right away. When it did, the whole car shuddered and jerked as I attempted to back out. I knew that this wasn't gonna work, so I put it in drive to pull back up and the same thing happened: hesitant to engage, jerked while in motion. It was parked until the evening when my dad wanted to drive it and see what it was doing. When he came back, he described what it was doing as "losing power". He checked and found the fluid to be up to his standards, and immediately diagnosed it as a problem with the distributor. After I explained that the engine didn't HAVE a distributor, he suggested it be a problem with a coil. I was insistent that it was a trans prob, but just to please him (and perhaps in an effort to prove him wrong) I went about testing the coil packs with a multimeter. All seemed well until I checked the secondary resistance: ALL of them were between 400 and 800 Ohms higher than the 14k Ohm max listed in the Haynes manual.

Mind you, my dad's never worked as a mechanic. He's just old and has owned a lot of cars.
I'm planning to take the care in to get checked tomorrow morn, what should I be telling them to look at?

 

[392Bird]

Sounds like the problem is the transmission or transmission fluid. Sounds like low fluid. Make sure the car is on level surface, put it in drive for 1 min, then reverse for 1 min, then put it in park. With the engine still running, pull the dipstick, wipe it, put it back in all the way, then pull it and check it. If it is OK, then I would guess your filter is partialy blocked, or a pump going. If you have not flushed this trans and converter and changed the filter, it sure would be a good time. Since the converter holds about 8 of the 13 quarts of fluid, make sure to do pan and converter.

Go here,
http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html#
and read the section about fluids, then on how to flush the trans. On the flushing part, you should use 2 people. One to watch the fluid being pumped out, and the other to QUICKLY turn off the engine when the fluid flow starts to decrease. If the engine is not turned off quickly, it will damage the pump.

 

[Aaronj]

Well, I called the service dept.

at the local Ford dealership. And the guy I talked to told me that he thinks that it's an ignition problem. I have to take it in tomorrow morning. I dunno, I'm just dumbfounded that after all of this, it could be an electrical issue. Okay, I'm done for now.

 

[Aaronj]

I knew it...

My tranny is hashed. The dealership wants $2100 to put in a rebuild. I was thinking there might be some creedence to this ignition thing, until I started the car to take it up there this morning. When I put it in reverse it was jerky as hell. Then, somewhat absentmindedly, I locked it in first and drove to the corner... it was makin' an awful rattling; it's NEVER made a sound before. I just shook my head and said to myself, "I know that sure's hell ain't an ignition problem." I'm probably gonna check around and see what everyone else wants to do it.

Question: What are the odds I could talk a shop into j-modding the rebuild for me? Just hoping maybe I can save myself some trouble.

 

[392Bird]

Here is one that should save you some cash.
http://www.tccoa.com/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?read=27466

 

[WhiteBird101]

I've said it before, and i'll say it again... (repost from another thread)

Jezuz, for a little more money, like i said before, you can get a dennis reinhart rebuilt transmission, which is many times better then a rebuild by some trans shop of the VERY shitty '95 trans. Have you ever read the transmissions 101 article in the tech article section? The dennis trans includes all of those upgraded parts, plus the magical "j-mod". Thus making for a very sturdy trans, which will likely never have to be touched again (other then fluid changes and if you want a higher stall converter, which you can also buy from dennis). $2100 (trans+shipping+instalation included in that price) for a worry free transmission? I'd do it. Oh wait, I already am.

 

[Aaronj]

Whoa!

That's awesome...

One question. How does that $2100 break down? (How much for the trans and shipping). That'll help when I call around to check install prices.

 

[WhiteBird101]

lets see...

Trans=1500
core=300
shipping=250
instalation (my quote)=350
Thats about 2400, but send back the old trans, then you can knock 300 of that price. This is with a stock style converter. If you want a slightly better one, about 250-300 more, then for one of his best, a pi tc, 500.
Expensive, yes, but I won't have to look at the trans untill i put in another converter and change fluid. One other thing, make sure merc v is used and make sure that the shop flushes the trans cooler and lines, or that will happen again.

 

[94T-Bird]

speaking of transmissions...

... I will take this opportunity to let everyone know the trouble mine has been giving me. I have had my T-bird over five years and never have had to spend one red cent on repairs, now all of a sudden everything is going at once. It only has 130,000kms on it i think that is around 85,000miles.
1 month ago I took it in and had the tranny flushed and filled as part of routine maintenance... no problem. Went on a 4100mile road trip... no prob... was home for a couple days and the tranny started leaking from the front seal... took it in and had the front seal redone... two days later it was leaking again... torque converter was hooped... replaced the torque converter and the tranny pump(since was open anyhow, figured might as well) picked it up today and went for a spin after doing the breakin cycle and obdII reset cycle. Parked for two hours and when I left.........puddle of tranny oil!!!! #%* I couldn't believe it. So it will be going in again and now I am done with my days off so they will have to give me a courtesy car.... last time I was forced to drive a Neon!!!!!

Has anyone else had trouble like this with a tranny??????? If you have please let me know.

 

[allan95tbird]

Took my car in (95 Tbird Obviously) for a front pump seal and geroter cover gasket or something. got it back and what do i have but a vibration over 55 mph. oh not to mention the rear seal and the pan gasket leaking. i changed the pan gaket and recently the rear seal and when changing the real seal i find that the bearings on the output shaft are gone. the shaft itself wiggles around way too mucht o be normal. got it all back together drove it around a bit and smoke fromt he fluid thats now leaking out of my outputshaft housing to main housing gasket. well i add 2 quarts every 3 -5 days but it gets me to work for the time being, im thinking ill just throw a manual in there and be happy with a non leaking tranny that is more fun to drive.

but im still taking it in to a tranny shop to get fixed, i have an aftermarket warranty.

but yeah my problem is pretty similar