87 Sport tranny?

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87 Sport tranny?

October 07, 2008, 05:55:02 AM

After all these years of wanting a T-Bird Sport, I finally found one for sale. I took it for a test drive & got sick instantly! It took way too long to shift into 2nd & when it finally shifted, it about broke my neck! Then it took awhile to go into 3rd.

I stopped, pulled the shifter down to 1 & got on it a little bit & shifted to D & it went into 2nd, but didnt shift to 3rd until I let off the pedal. I never had a chance to get it to cruizing speed to check OD. Does this sound like a TV adjustment or am I looking at bigger$$ problems? The dealer wont go a $ below $2500 if he has to get it fixed, but I think he will let it go for about $1600-$1700 as is. He said he has had it for 4-5 months & he wants it gone.I figure for as much as he wants to charge for the repair, I could do a 5spd swap myself, but I need another DD now.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #1 – October 07, 2008, 07:12:05 AM

Sounds like it might not have the tv even hooked up.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #2 – October 07, 2008, 10:25:17 AM

I'm not sure about the tranny end, but it was hooked up under the hood. http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=252368396&dealer_id=63310961&car_year=1987&model=TBIRD . Here is the link for it. What do you think I should offer him for it as is? He told me $2500 if he takes care of the problem, $2000 as is. He also told me that he was not aware of the problem, but I'm sure he ran this ad before I made him aware of it.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #3 – October 07, 2008, 01:06:13 PM

1 question. how didnt you get above 40 mph for OD. i could do that in my car and not even worry someone. 30-3rd 40-od when your cooch footing it. was there any slipping? it being off just a seemingly little bit can cause what your talkin about. sounds like you'd have to start there and look at the tranny.. or even replace the cable. if that didnt fix it it could be valving. when you say it took forever to shift do you mean it slipped or hung rpm or bogged down like a tranny would?

btw i wouldnt offer over 1000, maybe 1500 with it fixed. but i'd make him pay for the lemons.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #4 – October 07, 2008, 03:19:32 PM

I really hate to put a value on a car, A 20+ year car at that. It looks clean from what the pics show,you did check it out real good didn't you?, I had a tranny built for what there askin for that car, but thats me. Tell him if he fixes it you might consider 2500 only if it's that nice.I only see 3 pics of it.I wouldn't go much over 1500 for it the way it is.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #5 – October 07, 2008, 03:31:55 PM

I read the add again, Tell him you want to take it for a test drive to ammco, see what they say.course it will be high, and he probably will through you off his lot. It could be just a simple pressure problem not worth paying 500 more.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #6 – October 07, 2008, 08:09:25 PM

When I bought my '88 Cougar I got it cheap because the dealership (the one I worked at, btw) thought the tranny was screwed. It did the same thing you're describing, and it, too, had been sitting for months (the dealership took it on trade while I was off after my car accident, so I didn't even know they had it).

I put the car on the lift, freed up the TV lever on the tranny with some WD-40 and a bit of working it back and forth (it was sticking), and the car was good to go. Because it was sticking it would stay at high throttle postions (when you step on the gas you're physically pulling it, but it relies on a relatively weak spring to return). In other words the first time you floor the car the TV goes to wide-open-throttle position, but when you release the gas pedal it doesn't return, it stays at WOT. The tranny "thinks" you're flooring it, so it holds the gears almost to redline. You might wanna check that on the Sport.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #7 – October 08, 2008, 06:00:40 AM

Thank's guys. That gives me some hope. I'm going back to talk to him sometime this week. Hopefully he comes down on the $. I really want this car, but I wont let him kill me on it. This guy is sort of an ass to deal with. I'll let you know how it goes.

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #8 – October 08, 2008, 08:44:53 AM

If you really want it, walk in with $1200 cash... He'll sell it( I'd bet he doesn't have $500 in the car)... If not leave your phone no & walk out... He'll grab you before you get out of the lot...

As already stated, sounds like a TV cable adjustment or maybe sticking lever... As long as it isn't slipping, likely doesn't have a serious problem...

87 Sport tranny?

Reply #9 – October 15, 2008, 11:13:18 PM

mine was doing the same thing when my dad gave it to me and i found out that it got fliped around some how and just fliped it back and it works just fine to this day