A4LD Late Shift, 170Fairlane? Anyone Else?

[Guest]

Bought a 91 Mustang 2.3 vert, real nice, slight exhaust leak.

A4LD shifts late, I can let off of gas and itll shift. Fluid isnt really red, more orange, smells slight burnt and some metallic. Doesnt slip one bit or pause etc.

Someone told me the vacuum actuator on the trans itself can be adjusted by putting an allen wrench in it after disconnecting the vacuum line, and turning it a couple of turns one way, and if not, a couple of turns the other way. Is that a plauseable idea?.

Obviously dropping the pan and changing the filter and fluid is great for now, then again and again every thousand or two miles, lubing the gasket with grease on the trans side so I can flip it now and then. Id prefer to do a full flush of the converter, but obviously Ford doesnt want you to do that, leaving out a converter plug.

Any other suggestions, or a confirmation of what I had said?

I am VERY familiar with this car, this trans, etc. I always hated the A4LD (Auto Overdrive Light Duty). Never had a late shift problem, but on my old 92 2.3 vert, solved the OD problem by changing the fluid every 1000 until the OD worked again...aint that something?

Thanks, guys.


Joe

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

I say pull it for a T5....

I had a buddy that has been going through A4's in his 88stang off and on for about 7 years now. last time it went I told him just put in a T5 (it had cracked the bell somehow) I guess when it got welded some bearing stuck in it and locked up the trans and cooked it. so out it FINALLY came for a T5 (he already had the parts on hand)

as you know those trans are junk. I would seriously start working on locating a manual to put in. if you want I have a 4 speed from a 84 stang (with a driveshaft) you could have for CHEAP\


EDIT:

here are some good A4 links

http://www.turboford.org/ubb/ultimatebb ... 2;t=038714

these are mostly fo rrebuilding but the idea of a late model 5 speed auto is kinda cool sounding.

 

[Guest]

Oh no, I have a T5 and all parts, incl 2 driveshafts for the mustang. I just dont want to go through the ordeal of swapping it. Just seems like a pain, though relatively easy compared to swapping it to a 200 or other engines.

If you want, you can help me. Housing and food included. Sorry, I have no torches.

Anybody else have suggestions on the A4LD, why its shifting at higher rpms than it should?

 

[Guest]

Bump.

 

[SVO42]

Do some searching over at the Ford Explorer forum (http:www.4x4central.com). There are a lot of discussions on the A4LD there since the 1st gen Explorers also used them.

 

[Guest]

Anybody else on this topic that may be able to suggest? I looked through those sites, but didnt really find any "late shift" info.

Doing better, had a quart low, and a fresh quart helped already.

Fluid is orangeish and slightly burnt, considering a full converter flush for $90 to see how it fairs.

I can also pull the pan, change or flush the metal filter with paint thinner, buy a gasket. Installing the gasket requires some decent grease on the trans side of the gasket, so I can pull it every thousand miles and still keep the gasket intact.

Like I said, I did that with a "no OD" status on this same trans, and it worked after 6 months of doing that. OD came back, and stayed, kept flushing the pan every 1000 miles

Why the F dont they put a converter plug on modern transes? I kinda know why, but I dont want to be downed as a "conspiracy theorist".

OK, thanks for the links so far, all.


Joe

 

[MustangSix]

Why the F dont they put a converter plug on modern transes?

It would cost another $0.50 in parts and labor to add the plug. If you make 3 million transmissions a year, thats $1.5 million dollars for a plug that's not really required for manufacturing or normal maintenance, since you don't need to drain that often.

Why do you think they stopped installing vent windows? They cost $17 each on the Mustang.

More info at www.baumannengineering.com