[95XR7]

I've searched but kinda have been able to find an answer to my exact problem.

Lately I've been having a problem with the tranny in my 95 Cougar.

When sitting at McDonalds or something, I always put it in park. Everytime I shift into drive after sitting there for however long, it takes about 5-10 seconds to shift into drive. This seems abnormally long because every other time I start it up, it shifts into drive really quick.

I've also been noticing another problem. Sometimes at stop signs, the car will be in neutral, and I must either rev the engine up, or shift into park, and then back into drive to get it to even shift out of neutral.

Recently, it's also been acting up around corners.

I take this one corner on the way to work at about 45 (country road.) I am in 3rd when going into the corner. I always let off the gas going into the corner, and then get back on it out of the corner. Lately the cars been in neutral a few times, and then all of a sudden slams into gear...hard enough to chirp the tires. It does this even if I do not get on the gas. Even if I tap the gas pedal it does it.

The car has 178,xxx miles on it. The fluid has been changed every 60,000 and I was planning on getting it done soon.

 

[Bangster]

Low on fluid. If it was mine I would get the 96+ pan and filter, it helps with fluid starvation.

 

[Rolling-Thunder]

I second what Bangster says.

The fix for that issue (94-95 T-Birds / Cougars) was to upgrade to the 96 or newer pan and filter. The revised pan has an added well for fluid retention, allowing the pickup tube to stay immersed - eliminating the slippage on right hand turns.

 

[95XR7]

Low on fluid?

See I chcked fluid, and it seems to be fine.

Since the fluid's been changed before, do you think it would hurt to go ahead and change it in the next couple hundred miles?

 

[sc0tty8]

Low on fluid. If it was mine I would get the 96+ pan and filter, it helps with fluid starvation.

Just the pan, or, the pan and filter? Whats the cap. change to with the 96 pan and what is diff with the filter? I ask as I want to do something with the valve body, to fix my hard shifts and to accommodate for my gears.

I had an AOD that did that really bad when I wanted to put it in R(didn't "catch"). Only did it when it was cold, like, below zero cold.

 

[95XR7]

I noticed tonight..

It mainly only has problems after the car has been sitting for awhile.

Awhile as in..two days or more, as I normally drive the car everyday, for a total of 300+ a week.

 

[Bangster]

The pan has a dimple in it and the filter has a tube that goes into the dimple. It is called the deep pan, but it isn't really deep, just has the low point in it lower so that it will be more likely to pick up fluid and less likely to be starved in corners and what used to get me, going across a seriously crowned cross street.

95XR7 it could me that your transmission is going, but those symptoms are also exactly what I have had when 1. My tranny was low on fluid. 2. The filter wasn't properly seated in the bore, and sucking air around it. 3. when the filter was split open due to car going over a median at 45 mph and tranny pan to concrete contact.

If the fluid has been changed a couple of times (every 60k?) then it is due... if it doesn't smell really really burnt or isn't black or realy dark, then you shouldn't have a problem with changing the fluid.

 

[95XR7]

UPDATE...

Tonight I decided to go see if any codes showed up.

Well, I have an MLPS code. (don't remember the exact code, but I know it's the MLPS)

So I guess my check engine light is out. BUT...could the MLPS be causing this?

Thanks for the imput bangster. But about the fluid. I noticed last time I checked it that it was really really dark...pretty much black, and it does smell burnt. Problem?

 

[FordMan77]

IIRC, the MPLS will not set the CEL, but it may turn the OD light on. Could be wrong. Either way get that MLPS replaced. Doesn't sound like it's doing you any good.

And as far as the fluid goes, yes, that can be an indication of a problem on the make. That fluid should be nice and red and never smell burnt. Are you running Mercon V in it? What about a trans. cooler?

If the trans is still acting normal (other than your MLPS issue), then I would change the fluid and filter, give it some fresh Mercon V and add a cooler if you don't already have one.

Not trying to freak you out, but when mine started going, the fluid turned black as old motor oil (yes I already had Mercon V and a cooler in it), I changed it again and all it did was delay the inevitable- dead trans. Good luck!

Jay