[FORDBOYpete]

Okay, here's a new one on me.:sad: I have not experienced this before.
In traffic I'm driving along & A/T slips out of gear when I let off slightly, or lift, or ease up on throttle, but only in 3rd gear.
However if I put it in cruise and let PCM do the driving it does not slip out of gear.

There's no chatter or vibration, nothing to let me know it slipped out, except engine rpm's increasing slightly. If I breathe the pedal down it will just slip, but it I lift & get on pedal firmly it will hook up and be fine until the next time I ease up or go to neutral throttle & it slips out again. Accelerate & put it in cruise and it's fine. . . .:confused5:

Lo & Intermediate are right there as should be, sometimes 3 seems like it may not want to upshift other times it's also right there. Kick
down from O/D (4th) is also right there and solid as usual.

Fluid's fresh, proper level, trans is dry, no loss of fluid to speak of. There are 250K miles on OEM tranny. I work it pretty heavy, but I service it about every 24k. Modulator VAlve started leaking 10K mi ago & engine was ihnaling ATF & I replaced it & end of problem.

Never an indication of any problems, not burnt, no metal, no sludge.
Am I dealing with a worn Valve body, bad throttle valve, my imagination (NOT), something suddenly changed. What was it. . ? :confused5:

I'm at a loss here. Hate to go for a whole trans but if I must I will.
Wish my ol' buddy was still around. He left and I gave up my shop I used as employment. I haven't had A/T Problems for years. I fear franchises and I'm skeptical about salvage yards. . . .:frown5:

FBp . . . . :rolleyes5:

 

[80 maytag]

Welcome aboard! Uhhh, what's this in?

 

[Darkside Dave]

Hi Pete,
Which transmission is it and what is it in???

I know how you feel about stuff from the yards and those flashy tranny shops. I know you are a busy guy but if you can work it in I would recommend doing your own rebuild. There are all kinds of books and manuals on this stuff. My son paid $1,800.00 to have a so-called local shop do his E4OD in his E-350 diesel van. It lasted less than a year. He decided to do his own work the second time around and that was five years ago. It's still working fine. My last suggestion would be to get a complete factory refurb from Ford. They have a really good warranty and they come with a TC and already filled with the right amount of fluid even to the point of compensating for the cooler circuit. They aren't cheap but they are good.

Is your tranny electronic controlled??? It sounds to me like your problem could be outside the tranny.

Later Man...

 

[FORDBOYpete]

Hi Guys,
Dave,
It's 4 gear A/T on a 4.0L Cologne V6, in a '95 Aero XLTN. 4th gear is O/D.
Rather this is a 2 wheel, Rear Axle Drive or 2 RWD Aero. Since it's a mid 1995 Prod # it has to be a A4LD Bordeaux, with an electronically controlled T/C & pressure control shifts using a Vacuum Modulator & Gov. It's Not All Wheel Drive Aero or "AWD" which is doubly electronic, I have 2 of those. Both are good, 1 ate it's transfer case, [ as they often do]. Rather this is a 2 wheel, Rear Axle Drive or 2 RWD Aero.
96 & 97's were had newer Bordeaux 4R44, "O/D" set up, Ahh ? If I remember correctly,
you may be onto something with electronic diagnosis. Cruise Overrides Torque Converter signals from the EEC if I remember right.

AWDs have electronics on Both Ends, Torque Converter & Transfercase it's a major PITA
but worse it breaks drive chains if it's "overworked". That means driven long & hard often.


< < < < > > > >

Maytag,
Nice Slick, what's with photo in your album with a '66 Grille? A different truck or a different look in the same truck?

I have a 66 on a 79 SWB F-150 Trailer Special Chassis & a 460 D2VE with different parts than normal. My '66 has a "built" C-5 from a 351M/400 also.
Best pass to date was a 12.60 @ 120+ @ 1320. I run a "tall" rear gear so my ET is a tad high for a 12.6 index. That extra TE has it's moments at the lights & in the traps tho', Guys don't like being caught just before finish line. LOL. .

CIAO

FBp

 

[80 maytag]

That pic is the same truck that's out in my driveway, before I bolted straighter sheetmetal on her. When I got Lurlene, she looked like she had a stroke or something. The p.o. was kind enough to scrounge the junkyards for an impossible to find '65 grille and fender. He lost interest after he couldn't get the play out of the power steering he also put on her. You shoulda seen his face when I handed him the cash, walked over to my other truck, dug out a can of tranny fluid and filled the p/s pump. The devil's in the details, I tell ya what. She's a '66 built in june and delivered to the memphis area, where I was born. I found her sitting in a driveway in south St. Louis 3-4 years ago. I bought her to fix and sell, until I drove her more than a few miles. The only options she got was 352 and a three speed. The three is long gone and an np435 slid in its place. If you shift outa first over 4000, she spits u-joints and pressure plate bolts. Third gear is kind of a dog, I'm looking for a 4wd 435 so I can bolt a u.s. gear underdrive I picked up to split third but 0-40 mph happens as fast as I can shift and most kids just give up when the front tire stops turning. I haven't had her at the track to get an et, but everybody that rides in her grabs for the dash and screams something about that not being a 352 and I need to stop NOW. She's good, cheap fun and never fails me. The best $750 I think I've ever spent.
back to your tranny, I'm kinda lost on the newer stuff, but I had a '97 c/v interceptor that did the same thing, o/d light would flash and direct would slip and it would downshift if I lifted the pedal. New solenoids in the valve body fixed it for a month or two, but needed a rebuild not too long after. Rich

 

[Darkside Dave]

OK,
Now I'm even thinking more that it is either electronic or like Maytag said about the solenoids. Although in your case it may be just one. On some of those you can get to the solenoids while its in the vehicle.

I have a '97 4.0L Electronic AWD Aerostar I bought for a donor but it will run only when you just start it up. If it runs for 5 minutes it's like every gear is neutral. I have heard several cases where this was fixed with a new filter and blowing out the cooling circuit. I may try that before I tear down the tranny. I'm kind of sorry to hear about the transfer cases though. I had plans for using that drive line in my other '53. I was planning on putting it all into a custom built rolling chassis. I know there are beef up remedies for the 5R55E tranny but I don't know if there is anything to help the transfer case. Maybe it needs programming mods.

Later Man...

 

[FORDBOYpete]

Update on my A4LD adventures & stuff

I'm going to try swapping another valve body assembly with working solenoids et al today, along with a fluid & filter change. We're kinda thinkin' I may have a bad solenoid more than a mechanical problem.
I know Valvebody I'm using was in great shape when I last ran it. ATF was pretty & sweet. Inside of unit is "Pristine". The Aero was rotted away & rear springs had come thru cargo area floor. I only got it for powertrain it had as it was moderate mileage & ran strong. I crushed the rest. It's still got a good transfercase. I'm done with AWD drivelines myself. Don't need 'em in the BiKiNi State right ?

I'll let y'all know how this goes. Hopefully it will be a cure. But if it's not I will makeover a A4LD with AWD tail section into a RWD A4LD using a 2Wd tail & output shaft. Then we'll all know, Huh? :smilewinkgrin:

CIAO
:mad2:FBp . . . .:thumbsup:

 

[Darkside Dave]

I'm going to try swapping another valve body assembly with working solenoids et al today, along with a fluid & filter change. We're kinda thinkin' I may have a bad solenoid more than a mechanical problem.
I know Valvebody I'm using was in great shape when I last ran it. ATF was pretty & sweet. Inside of unit is "Pristine". The Aero was rotted away & rear springs had come thru cargo area floor. I only got it for powertrain it had as it was moderate mileage & ran strong. I crushed the rest. It's still got a good transfercase. I'm done with AWD drivelines myself. Don't need 'em in the BiKiNi State right ?

I'll let y'all know how this goes. Hopefully it will be a cure. But if it's not I will makeover a A4LD with AWD tail section into a RWD A4LD using a 2Wd tail & output shaft. Then we'll all know, Huh? :smilewinkgrin:

CIAO
:mad2:FBp . . . .:thumbsup:

Pete,
I guess you don't need the 4WD if you say out of the swamps and out of the sand on the beach. Up here it comes in handy in the winter and it keeps me from messing up the grass in the back yard. I'm not into severe off roading but I do like the convenience. Our front wheel drive Taurus's do pretty well though. Having 4WD on my F-350 dually diesel has proven to be a real plus even down in your neck of the woods when I am trying to manuever that monster enclosed trailer around with a load on loose gravel or on wet ground. It seems these little treasures I find are always stuffed back in the worst places and I have to get close enough to winch them into the trailer. I always laugh when I,m down South and see all those 2WD Explorers. I have to wonder why people don't just buy cars or even better, small vans. My some in Atlanta has one of those 2WD Explorer's and I always ask him why. I suppose Ford makes them because people down there want them. They were made to be 4WD vehicles. I can't figure out why anyone would want a 2WD Explorer.

I think you are on the right track with the tranny problem but I still would have gone over the external electrical controls first. I can't see how it would hurt doing what you intend though. It really shouldn't take that long if you have all the stuff you need to do the job. I agree that the problem almost has to be electrical but I still think it's external going by your description of the symptoms. The reason I say that is because if it were the solenoid valve it would not work in cruise. I'm almost sure it is going to be external in a bad connection or a bad module. Do you have an extra ECM? It would be interesting to try switching it. If it worked it would be a whole lot easier than doing the solenoid switch.

Anyway, good luck. You are probably already started on it by now and this is all pointless on my part.

Later Man...

 

[mmerlinn]

Hi Pete,
Which transmission is it and what is it in???

All Aerostar automatics 1986-1995 were A4LDs regardless of application.

1996-1997 all Aerostar automatics were 4R44E/4R55E.

 

[Darkside Dave]

All Aerostar automatics 1986-1995 were A4LDs regardless of application.

1996-1997 all Aerostar automatics were 4R44E/4R55E.

My '97 Aerostar AWD has the 5R55E in it.

 

[FORDBOYpete]

Dave,
I may be wrong but with A4LDs I think OD has it's own solenoid to facilitate shifts etc so once it's in 4th/OD it's sort of independent, or so I believe.

My glitch is getting up to that point in a stable manner & fashion without slip out or drop out symptoms. It began to slip out of 2nd now also when "light pedaled". 1st I thought it was low pressure problems from @ front pump or T/C but it's not the case. I put a valve body & servo, new filter and fresh ATF in it and it's better but not really right. It may just be really getting tired. It does have huge mileage. We'll see about converting one of the AWD/s to a RWD Configuration and how that works.
Thanx for all the help on this guys.
Y'all are truly appreciated.

CIAO
FBp

 

[Darkside Dave]

Pete,
I guess it could be a tired tranny but I keep going back to the fact that it works OK in cruise. I can't get by the fact that it could be something external. I'd really like to know what it would do with another ECM. I once had a tranny problem in my van that was finally traced down to a faulty connection in the connector on the ECM. I just pulled the connector, sprayed a lot of contact cleaner in both the connector and the mating plug. I put it all back together and it fixed the problem.

Later Man...