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ah crap, help me diagnose my transmission?

One more thing to check is the passing gear cable and spring on the drivers side.
Cable too tight and it will not allow upshift to 3rd or missing spring will cause intermitant shift problems.
 
"guruatbol" said:
No they had the correct tool which was a wrench that was thinner.

IIRC you just need a thinner cast tool...
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That should be easy to find.
/sarcasm.
 
Just take the right sized wrench to a bench grinder (aka the Jenny Craig) and make it thinner!
 
"guruatbol" said:
Isn't that what I said above...???

Mel
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Because I'm sure Ford designed a system of parts that required their machine shop to grind down wrenches to install. So you're all telling me this is the worlds only exposed $10 part that requires a tool that isn't manufactured??

The long and the short of it is I don't have a bench grinder, so you're either sending me your grinder, you're sending me your wrench, or I'm finding the correct* tool.



* correct being any tool that does the job.
 
Try looking at a bicycle or motorcycle shop. They may have the thinner tool that you need.
 
If you absolutely MUST have the correct Ford tool... I'm sure it's detailed in Ford's drivetrain service manual.... and I'm pretty sure if it's still available for purchase the price would not likely be acceptable.

Try this instead... Bicycle shops usually sell cheap, lightweight, stamped-steel, and THIN wrenches for a roadside repair kit.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
If you absolutely MUST have the correct Ford tool... I'm sure it's detailed in Ford's drivetrain service manual.... and I'm pretty sure if it's still available for purchase the price would not likely be acceptable.

Try this instead... Bicycle shops usually sell cheap, lightweight, stamped-steel, and THIN wrenches for a roadside repair kit.
Click to expand...

I don't NEED to have the correct tool, I was using the Ford assembly line as an illustration that there was probably another option beside grinding my wrench down. With the amount of stuff you guys know about these cars, and the number of people who recommended changing the modulator.......whatever. I'll call the bike shops.

Thanks for the tip.
 
"hbar" said:
Because I'm sure Ford designed a system of parts that required their machine shop to grind down wrenches to install. So you're all telling me this is the worlds only exposed $10 part that requires a tool that isn't manufactured??

The long and the short of it is I don't have a bench grinder, so you're either sending me your grinder, you're sending me your wrench, or I'm finding the correct* tool.



* correct being any tool that does the job.
Click to expand...

Do what the convicts do in the prison....Grind it down on the concrete...May take some time, but hey they got nothing but time....hehehehehe

Take a wrench to a local repair shop and ask them if they would either let you do it or would do it for you....

Mel
 
"hbar" said:
I don't NEED to have the correct tool, I was using the Ford assembly line as an illustration that there was probably another option beside grinding my wrench down. With the amount of stuff you guys know about these cars, and the number of people who recommended changing the modulator.......whatever. I'll call the bike shops.

Thanks for the tip.
Click to expand...

Dude, it was a joke. It was a bust on Ford.
 
"blue65coupe" said:
Dude, it was a joke. It was a bust on Ford.
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Oh. And a funny one, too.

Seriously, though, I got a cone wrench from a bike shop yesterday, haven't had a chance to get under the car again. But if I wasn't certain the modulator was broken before, there can be no doubt now. Tranny fluid all over the garage floor after my prior attempt at removal. LOL?
 
It's amazing how much easier a job is when you're equipped with the right tool. A 19mm cone wrench from the bike shop turned the swap into a 30 second project. Unfortunately, I have the same symptoms as before: late 1-2 shift, 2-3 shift non-existent.

The throttle cable doesn't appear to be bound...I can move the throttle rod and see the movement down to the transmission. Maybe I'm not looking at it correctly, but it would appear that something else is at play here.
 
The throttle rod is for kick down shifting. Up shifting is done by the vac. modulator. Is the cable/rod to the tranny to tight?
 
"AzPete" said:
The throttle rod is for kick down shifting. Up shifting is done by the vac. modulator. Is the cable/rod to the tranny to tight?
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This is where I get confused. My Haynes transmission manual, which we all know to be infallible, suggests that my transmission will have a kickdown cable/rod, but not a throttle cable. The instructions for adjusting the cable are specific to an AOD. Looking at my car, I see this stuff:
  • gas pedal connects to a rod that pivots in a bracket mounted to the firewall
  • the upper end of that connects to another rod, which connects to the carb
  • the lower end isn't all that visible, but seems to connect to the driver's side of the transmission housing via cable. Moving the throttle rod moves the cable at the trans. How tight is too tight?

I don't see anything else that connects to the trans...but it's possible I haven't found it yet. As far as I can see, there is only one connection from the throttle to the trans. I know the kickdown works, or at least it used to work. Since I can't get it into 3rd, I haven't tried to kickdown into 1st. I'm trying to read up on all this, but unless you want to read about planetary gear sets, auto transmission explanations are lacking.
 
Did you inspect the vacuum line running from engine to trans? All it takes is a dry section and a crack to cause you to lose all vacuum. If it is at all hard/aged it wouldn't hurt or cost much to replace. At this point I would change it out just to rule vacuum loss out.
 
"Horseplay" said:
Did you inspect the vacuum line running from engine to trans? All it takes is a dry section and a crack to cause you to lose all vacuum. If it is at all hard/aged it wouldn't hurt or cost much to replace. At this point I would change it out just to rule vacuum loss out.
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I've replaced the rubber hose near the intake, but I haven't done the piece that connects to the modulator. It's tight quarters in my garage, and I was on a tight timeline, so I only got the car up high enough to replace the modulator. Pulling off/putting on new hose seems to be a 2 hand job, and I couldn't get 2 hands on it (that's what she said). That is obviously on my list of things to do.

Wouldn't a cracked vacuum line cause engine problems, too? If my manifold vacuum were no good, what would that look/feel/sound like?
 
I believe the cable should be real loose. I have an AOD so I cannot check it on mine. The cable is designed to pull on the down shift lever when the gas pedal is pressed fairly good.
 
"AzPete" said:
I believe the cable should be real loose. I have an AOD so I cannot check it on mine. The cable is designed to pull on the down shift lever when the gas pedal is pressed fairly good.
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I'd love to have a 2nd opinion on that...I'm amazed at how little useful information there is on the internet regarding fixing/adjusting automatic transmissions.
 
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