fuel injuection or transmission ???

[Deanna026]

Hi
I have a 1994 ford thunderbird with a v6 auto transmission with about 140 miles on it. Anyways I’m having a problem with. It seems to drive fine on the highway where there is not so much stop and go. When it’s on the street where there is heavy traffic and lots of stop and go it acts up. Lol by that I mean it seem to rev really high but not accelerate then it jumps up to speed. I’ve noticed that when this (jump) happens my tachometer reads 3-5, while car is driving normal my tachometer reads some where between 1-2. I’ve taken it to two shops one man told me it was my fuel injection, the other told me it was the transmission and that I would need a new transmission. I don’t think it’s the fuel injection but I also don’t think I need a whole new transmission. I just think it would be quicker for him to just put a new transmission in then fix what is wrong with it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks
dee

[THUNDERIN'bird]

My 96 does the seem thing, but only in the summer time. When I step on it at 25 mph or so, the motor winds up like its in neutral, then something catches and violently downshifts and chirps the tires. I changed the tranny fluid about a year ago now, but I'm gonna do it again this spring to see if that helps....I think the tranny might be getting too warm and maybe the fluid is get aerated and not picked up like it should, or sumthin'. Hopefully someone can help us

[shyaztecguy]

I have the same problem with my 90 t-bird. It happens when It is going 40mph. I have also noticed that it sometimes happens when I shift from the first D to the Second D.

[RavenProjecT]

Deanna, it's your transmission. I have a 94 4.6 and the same thing happened to me. Ford isn't known for its tranny quality; it sounds like the clutch plate is free-wheeling like mine was. I think Ford even had a recall for the 94-95 trannies, same year Explorers had the same problems. I got lucky and was able to pull a "new-to-me" tranny from Pick-n-Pull auto dismantlers for about $250. My father, his friend and I installed it in our driveway in one day, total cost $450.

I got lucky tho, if you don't have anyone to help you out, expect to pay a good grand or more for the tranny and labor for install. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT let a tranny shop charge you for a new or rebuilt tranny, it would cost you WAY more than the car is worth.

[94speedboat]

hey everyone, i'm new. i have a 94 4.6 and i had the same problem. but instead of buying a new tranny i got a $30 shift kit, it took me 40 min to install and all my problems were fixed. all of you are probably right, because ford transmitions seem to suck but i think its just that the stock settings get worn out so it takes a while for the trany to shift into a different gear. i really dont know. but i installed the shift kit, turned everything on, and no more transmition trouble. it shifts incredibly. and when i turn the shift kit off it shifts like new. so i really dont know if it really was the settings or what but for $30 i think its better than getting a new transmition.

[shyaztecguy]

I have seen those shift kits also. There are two different types that i have seen. One is for the newer models which is like the one you got. It is all electronic. The second one is for the older transmissions like mine, which is a 90 t-bird. I was reading the instructions for the second one and it requires you to get into the tranny and change a lot of things. It just seemed way to complicated.

I have also heard that there is a valve on the older ford trannys that needs to be removed and that it improves the tranny.

[thunderbird muscle]

My old 3.8 did that but it was because the seals were hard which caused problems mainly when it was cold normaly around 3 times when it was cold after it warmed up it was alright. Seals aren't hard to replace and it could be the problem.

[RavenProjecT]

The B&M electronic shift kit splices into the ECU and simply changes/adjusts your shift points electronically just like any other Chip mod would do. Work wise, its a lot easier since you don't have to get "dirty". My old tranny had a Trans-Go Kit which is just a gasket set that manually changes your shift points (which worked wonderfully). The shift kit was installed at 70K miles and the tranny was replaced at 145K, so it served its purpose.

My tranny was way too far gone to fix it with a kit as mentioned before, a trans check found slag in the pan/trans case. My EEC was custom burned by the Ford Mech I bought the car from and that in combo with the TG kit gave me the cleanest, hardest shifts ever. From 1-2, 2-3 shifts would chirp the tires at 45 and 70mph. I'll be installing a TGK again once I get new 3.55 or 3.73 gears to go with it.

[ModMech]

Folks, for the REAL deal on Ford AODE/4R70W/4R75W transmission tech, see Ford Overdrive transmissions 101 at: http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html#

The fella that wrote this stuff was on the design team for the 4R70W some 15 years ago, he KNOWS how to make these transmissions last.

BTW, the AODE/4R70W are about the best RWD A/T out there right now. Be glad you don't own a GM with a 4L60E!

It sounds to me like your seals are burned and you have a lot of leakage so your trans cannot clamp the elements enough.

I would NEVER install, or suggest a "shift kit" for an AODE/4R70W. Read the stuff on the tccoa site listed above, you'll see how to accomplish a "shift kit" without buying anything, and how to do it PROPERLY. NEVER modify the line pressure solenoid, or the valve body itself.

Also, using the wrong trans fluid will KILL these things, and any reputable shop knows it. ALL AODE/4R70W transmissions, and most FWD transmissions from '98 up MUST USE "Mercon V" ATF.

Heat kills ATs. Keep it cool, and keep fresh fluid in it every 25,000 miles or so, and they will live a LONG time even on a blower car making 350 RWHP (about double of the stock rating).

There is a TON of mis-information out there, the info on the tccoa site is considered the "bible" on Ford RWD transmissions, and there are LOTS of very knowldegeable ppl on that site (A-Train is the BEST).

[ModMech]

If you want to hear from the EXPERTS on Trans-Go (or other "shit kits") here is a link to the facts, posted by THE fella that knows these transmissions better than anyone else. He chimes in about 10 posts into the thread....

http://forums.modulardepot.com/showt...adid=4121#2121

[RavenProjecT]

LOL, thanks for the link mod, now I feel like an asshole, haha. Though it doesn't competely prove the shift kit was the problem the whole time, it certainly does explain a lot. I just figured it was the crappy factory trans, because I do remember there being a recall, but who knows. Do you have the Jerry Mod and how simple of a procedure was it?

[Michael Foote]

Originally Posted by Deanna026

Hi
I have a 1994 ford thunderbird with a v6 auto transmission with about 140 miles on it. Anyways I’m having a problem with. It seems to drive fine on the highway where there is not so much stop and go. When it’s on the street where there is heavy traffic and lots of stop and go it acts up. Lol by that I mean it seem to rev really high but not accelerate then it jumps up to speed. I’ve noticed that when this (jump) happens my tachometer reads 3-5, while car is driving normal my tachometer reads some where between 1-2. I’ve taken it to two shops one man told me it was my fuel injection, the other told me it was the transmission and that I would need a new transmission. I don’t think it’s the fuel injection but I also don’t think I need a whole new transmission. I just think it would be quicker for him to just put a new transmission in then fix what is wrong with it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks
dee

I used to work at a transmission shop and I happened to buy a 94 TB that had a problem like that. It wouldn't happen very often and sometimes it would just drop out of gear while driving along then catch again. We put a shift kit in it that if I had not been working at the shop would have cost about $750. It cured the problem but after the work was done I also had to go back in to retorque the valve body bolts (this should be done any time you get a TB trans rebuilt. The gasket on the body shrinks and the bolts need to be retorqued.) Long and short is that if you have 140,000 miles on it, it's better to go ahead and rebuild the trans and have the shift kit to upgrade the overhaul done right. Just make sure that they will go back in and retorque the valve body bolts as part of the job.

[ModMech]

Raven,

How simple? Drain the pan, remove the VB (easy), drill a few holes, install and properly Tq VB, install pan, fill.

On the pre'96 transmissions, you also need two accumulators, the 1-2 and the 2-3 as they have been significantly upgraded. Ditch the appropritae springs, and that's it. When you are done, you get FIRM but NOT harsh shifts. The way is SHOULD be.

[Michael Foote]

Don't forget to retorque the valve body after about 200 miles. If you don't it might act up again, as I said the vb gasket shrinks

[ModMech]

You should never "need" to re-torque the VB. Why do I say that? Because the factory never does, never. None of the transmissions I've done have needed it either (not that I removed the pan and checked though).

It's not a bad idea to chack the bolt Tq any time the pan is off. Just PLEASE use a Tq wrench!