Confused Tranny

J

jhaas_lsc

Registered
Ok folks, I think the answer is simply some new fluid, but I want to be sure.

Got 104,000 on the 96, think the fluid was changed at around 50k (bad me, I know, I know) - the car is shifting like crap, almost like it can't figure out when to let go of a gear - I have to leave O/D locked-out until I'm good and ready, otherwise the car will usually shift in really early - like 35 mph. The other day it felt like the TC locked-up and wouldn't let go unless I gunned the hell out of it, I was going 45.

Needless to say, the thing feels confused. Off a stop if I give it some gas, and then slowly let off, it'll go something like this: bwwaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh-(shift, SHIFT, shift) along with the requisite shaking of the car. Is this the "railroad tracks" I've heard about? It just feels like it's making 3 gear changes in about a 1 second timeframe.

Mercon V is forthcoming anyway - the 1/2 shift isn't hard, just sloppy. 2-3 is pretty freaky, and 3-4 feels like it is "plopping" in to O/D.

Anyway - let me know what y'all think - it has been 100+ degrees here, and it's acting worse the hotter it is. Car temp stays near bottom 1/4 of gauge. Thanks.
 
RE: Confused Tranny

Have you checked the transmission fluid? Is it burnt smelling and/or not the correct color anymore? I hope it's a simple as a fluid change.

Good Luck
 
RE: Confused Tranny

Anyway - let me know what y'all think - it has been 100+ degrees here, and it's acting worse the hotter it is.
Click to expand...

IMO, 'acting worse the hotter it is' in indicative of fluid breakdown, though the line pressure may also be suspect. If it were me, I would R&R the fluid first and go from there. The 2-3 shift may need an accumulator piston to resolve if it is due to low pressure.
 
RE: Confused Tranny

Well kids, I went to my local dealer and had a Mercon V flush/fill. It truly is a different car. You should have seen the fluid - my GOD it was horrible.

New battery too - and I've been treated with some official Ford 5w20 oil - we'll see how that holds up in the 100+ degree heat here lately.

I like my Mark again!
 
RE: Confused Tranny

Excellent!:) Do you have a tranny cooler? Repeat transmission fluid service at 25K miles intervals or less.
 
RE: Confused Tranny

Nope, I don't - didn't even want to have the dealer do the work, but since we've moved to TX and in to this apartment, the garage is a nightmare - very narrow, gets hotter than hell, so next change of fluid - when hopefully we're not in this forsaken dump, I'll do it myself and add the cooler.

Thanks for the encouragement - glad I got it done.

And btw, that new battery? WOW! Cranks so fast, it's unreal. Motorcraft rules! OEM battery went almost 8 years.
 
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