Weird shifts, anything to worry about?

[Fourth Horseman]

Last week I had a couple of odd shifts from my tranny. Both happened with the car up to normal operating temp and just having been restarted after being parked for a short time. First, as I was pulling away from the parking lot it stayed in 3rd an usually long time. It shifted about 1,000 RPM higher than normal. Then, about 5 minutes later when I was on the highway it kicked back down into 3rd when I lightly gave the car more gas. It normally wouldn't have shifted down for that. Later that day it worked fine. To be safe I checked trans fluid level and reset the car's computer. I haven't driven the car since (medical problems have me laid up). Is this something I should be concerned about, like maybe my tranny is getting ready to lose O/D? Or perhaps just a little glitch that shouldn't concern me?

[SergntMac]

I would consider having the tranny flushed and replacing the filter. Once tranny fluid starts to break down, it goes fast.

If you want to test for a bad OD, or slippage, find a highway with a mld incline. Drive the car up to a speed where it is pulling it's own weight and set the cruise control with the OD on. Watch your tac, if the cruise adjusts throttle to maintain your speed on the incline, you're probably okay. If you lose speed, it's slipping. Don't pick an incline so steep that the cruise directs a down shift, or, unlocks the convertor, this will give you false results. BTW, hope you're feeling better soon.

[dflynn5]

To be safe I checked trans fluid level and reset the car's computer.

How do you reset the computer? Disconnect the battery?

[Fourth Horseman]

Sarge - I had the trans fluid and filter changed about 5,000 miles ago. I did not have them do a complete flush, though. Think I should pony up for the full flush now? I was planning on a full flush next time. I'll try your slip test when I'm able to drive again. Thanks for the help!

dflynn5 - Yes, I unhooked the battery for 10 or 15 minutes and then hooked it back up.

[RF Overlord]

I had the trans fluid and filter changed about 5,000 miles ago...

Scott:

I didn't know you were laid up...hope it's nothing serious...can't let the MM get rusty rotors from not being driven!

How many miles are on the car? Doing a pan-drop only gets about a third of the fluid out. If the ATF was burnt or contaminated when you last changed it, a flush would be beneficial. Either do it yourself, or find a shop that uses the "T-Tech (http://www.cloreautomotive.com/site_prod.asp?sku_pk=152)" machine. This is not a "power flush", it uses the transmission's own pump to replace the old fluid with fresh. Most places get between $80 and $100 for this service, so doing it yourself can save a fair amount.

If you've kept up with regular ATF changes, then disregard ^^^...

[Fourth Horseman]

Scott:

I didn't know you were laid up...hope it's nothing serious...can't let the MM get rusty rotors from not being driven!

How many miles are on the car? Doing a pan-drop only gets about a third of the fluid out. If the ATF was burnt or contaminated when you last changed it, a flush would be beneficial. Either do it yourself, or find a shop that uses the "T-Tech (http://www.cloreautomotive.com/site_prod.asp?sku_pk=152)" machine. This is not a "power flush", it uses the transmission's own pump to replace the old fluid with fresh. Most places get between $80 and $100 for this service, so doing it yourself can save a fair amount.

If you've kept up with regular ATF changes, then disregard ^^^...

Yeah, broke both my wrists playing hoops. Dude stepped on my foot, I fell backwards and landed on my wrists at a lousy angle. They're just hair-line fractures, nothing serious. Oh well, hopefully I'll get my casts early next week and be able to drive again. *fingers crossed* Thanks for the concern, guys. :up:

The car has only just under 23,000 miles on it, and the trans service was done at 17,500 miles. I like to be pretty agressive on trans service and stay ahead of schedule. Assuming that those weird shifts were just glitches and everything is ok, then at my next trans service I'll look for a shop with that T-Tech machine. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Mad4Macs]

Last week I had a couple of odd shifts from my tranny. Both happened with the car up to normal operating temp and just having been restarted after being parked for a short time. First, as I was pulling away from the parking lot it stayed in 3rd an usually long time. It shifted about 1,000 RPM higher than normal. Then, about 5 minutes later when I was on the highway it kicked back down into 3rd when I lightly gave the car more gas. It normally wouldn't have shifted down for that. Later that day it worked fine. To be safe I checked trans fluid level and reset the car's computer. I haven't driven the car since (medical problems have me laid up). Is this something I should be concerned about, like maybe my tranny is getting ready to lose O/D? Or perhaps just a little glitch that shouldn't concern me?

Listen closely... determine whether or not you can hear something akin to a hydraulic pump "whining" as you put your foot into the pedal.
The symptoms that you described here have preceeded all 3 of my transmission failures.
God luck!

[jgc61sr2002]

Scott - Glad to hear you are feeling better. :D I plan on getting the extra capacity oil pan with a drain plug. I will change the transmission fluid on a regular basis. With the removal of 3 or 4 quarts of trans fluid each time the fluid will stay clean.

[ctrcbob]

If anyone does use a T-Tech machine, (or any transmission flush), Make sure they use Mercon-V not regular Mercon. Most of those places just use DexronIII/Mercon which is the wrong fluid.

I have asked various places that do the flushing about this. Told them I have both a Mercury (Mercon-V) and a Chrysler (ATF+4) (I lied about the Chrysler) and they always say the same thing. "We use DextronIII/Mercon and have not had any problems". Shure they would not have problems. They don't own the car and could care less.

My favorate Ford Dealer does the flush, using Mercon-V but they charge $150.00 ("discounted to me" for $132.00). My buddy in Thousand Oaks California says his dealer charges $175.00.

The point is, make sure they use Mercon-V.

[RF Overlord]

The point is, make sure they use Mercon-V.

^^^what he said^^^

Don't let anyone tell you it's alright to use anything other than Mercon V...although I believe Amsoil has a synth ATF that's dual-rated and is OK to use, as does Red Line...

[RF Overlord]

I plan on getting the extra capacity oil pan with a drain plug.John: your first mod?! It's about time!! :P :D

[Bradley G]

Hey Fourth Horseman,

Sorry to hear of your injury:( .
I am having two wierd shifting behaviors.
The 1st one happens on 3-4 shift featherlight throttle.trans revs and takes x-tra long time to shift.Lidio said he had a member at a recent open house,had the same symptom.
He said he raised the trans line pressure by 8% and it went away.He offered to do the same for me, so I sent my SCT9100 to him.
The second Quirk is ;on take off, the trans downshifts.
I can feel the Bump and then it goes.Again only on normal take-off,not stomping on it. If you stomp the go pedal no bumping?:confused:
Bradley G

[jgc61sr2002]

John: your first mod?! It's about time!! :P :D

Ha Ha :lol:

[Fourth Horseman]

Listen closely... determine whether or not you can hear something akin to a hydraulic pump "whining" as you put your foot into the pedal.
The symptoms that you described here have preceeded all 3 of my transmission failures.
God luck!

What ended up failing in your transmission, and was it the same all three times? I'm hoping I'll have a chance to test it this week and I'll listen for the sound you describe.

[Mad4Macs]

What ended up failing in your transmission, and was it the same all three times? I'm hoping I'll have a chance to test it this week and I'll listen for the sound you describe.
Hard for me to say "what failed", as all 3 times required replacing just about everything, but as near as I can tell, the noise was from the torque converter.

[Bradley G]

It should say on your repair order,If anyone can interpret the op-codes and hieroglyphics that Ford uses.
I wonder If ;After that many failures, your old car got some of the '04 upgrades?
Bradley G

Hard for me to say "what failed", as all 3 times required replacing just about everything, but as near as I can tell, the noise was from the torque converter.

[Mad4Macs]

It should say on your repair order,If anyone can interpret the op-codes and hieroglyphics that Ford uses.
I wonder If ;After that many failures, your old car got some of the '04 upgrades?
Bradley G

It's just that it's hard to tell what failed first. I mean, take a look at this, then multiply it x3;

F8AZ-7153-AC KIT GASKET
F6AZ-7A098-A SCREEN ASSY
F6AZ-7F283-AA CYLINDER
3L3Z-7A262-AA PISTON
F6AZ-7B442-AA DRIVEN PLATE
F8AZ-7B64-BA PLATE ASSY DRIVE
F7AZ-7H292-AB PISTON
XT-5-QM FLUID
5W1Z-3F749-A COIL COOLING
XC3Z-7B155-CA FILTER ASSY
4L3Z-7D234-AA KIT
2W3Z-7902-AARM CONVERTER ASSY
XC3Z-7B155-E FILTER ASSY
I mean, that's got to be the whole tranny, right?
Anywayz, like I've said before, this car, while driven hard, has never been raced or anything. I don't drop shift or shift manually and I've never brake torqued it. I'm at 49k now, so most of my milage is on the highway too.

[Fourth Horseman]

Hard for me to say "what failed", as all 3 times required replacing just about everything, but as near as I can tell, the noise was from the torque converter.

Interesting. I killed the torque converter in my '97 V8 T-Bird's 4R70W as well. Hope I'm not in for a repeat of that. Got my casts on today (yay!!!) so I'm able to drive again. I took my car out for a short spin and all shifts seemed normal. I'll keep an eye (and ear) on it for a while, though. Here's hoping it was just an odd-ball glitch.

[jstevens]

Hey Fourth Horseman,

Sorry to hear of your injury:( .
I am having two wierd shifting behaviors.
The 1st one happens on 3-4 shift featherlight throttle.trans revs and takes x-tra long time to shift.Lidio said he had a member at a recent open house,had the same symptom.
He said he raised the trans line pressure by 8% and it went away.He offered to do the same for me, so I sent my SCT9100 to him.
The second Quirk is ;on take off, the trans downshifts.
I can feel the Bump and then it goes.Again only on normal take-off,not stomping on it. If you stomp the go pedal no bumping?:confused:
Bradley G

Bradley, that was me at the open house. That featherlite shift is not good and makes me worry. Glad the boost pressure was done.

Mine shifts into second right away on soft take off, probably better for gas mileage. But, if I get on it, it doesn't shift until way up there.

John

[MENINBLK]

Just to clarify....

Mercon is ATF made from Dino Oil...
Mercon-V is ATF made from SYNTHETIC Oil...

So you DON'T want to mix the two...