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Topic: Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver (Read 1755 times) previous topic - next topic

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Hello,

I posted a similar thread in the Engine Tech area but realized it is probably not an engine problem...

Car:  1988 Cougar XR-7, stock 5.0, Floor shifter, 179,000mi.

Problem:

Car will not shift until it reached 3000-3500rpm depending on how much throttle I'm giving it.  It will also jerk into lower gear when letting off the throttle (and braking).  It was working fine, then one day a week or so ago started doing this..Thought it might have been the TV/Kickdown Cable but I accidentally broke the rail on the block mechanism near the throttle body and have removed it as I assumed it is only needed to kick the car down into passing gear...

That being said, I have also looked for a transmission MODULATOR, to check for a bad vacuum or part only to discover that the transmission has no modulator (there are not vacuum lines running from the tranny at all, just the steel lines to the radiator..the tranny was replaced about 3-4 years ago and reads "FORD AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE METRIC" on it)...I have also checked the fluid color and level and everything checks out.

Does this mean that I have an internal problem with the tranny, or is it something else causing the long, harder than normal shifts?

Thanks in advance!

Paul

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #1 –
The kickdown cable controls the line pressure and determines when it will shift MUST be hooked up...

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #2 –
9 posts directing you to attend to the TV cable and you still ask? :rollin:

Not to be a jerk, but fix the TV cable....if it still does it, I'll publicly apologize, and we'll go from there...

My money's on that cable though ;):D
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #3 –
If you ask I will go out and take a picture of what goes wrong and where it is. Stop driving the car if you like it and get it fixed. The longer you drive the more and sooner it will be broken.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #4 –
i went throu the exact same thing its that  tv cable, anyone kno where to buy one?

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #5 –
I will get a new cable asap...looking in junkyards...the thing is that the TV cable was fine until I started to mess with it and it broke..after I removed it acted the same but if this is the problem I will fix immediately then re-post...I apologize for my ignorance as I am unfamiliar with AOD's..Thanks for the heads-up!!!

Haystack...can u send a pic...I'm a noob when it comes to transmissions....pjn2557@msn.com
You guys are lifesavers!

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #6 –
I will have a pic for you tommorow night.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #7 –
I wonder why they replaced the TV rod with cable that's pr0ne to breakage? Maybe the rod was less accurate?

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #8 –
If you drive the car without the TV cable hooked up you're going to fry the AOD.......
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #9 –
If you absolutely MUST drive it without the cable...at the very least...tie off the lever that the cable tugs on so it's like 1/2 way - 3/4 of the way to it's full throw. This might be a BAD idea so don't do it until someone comes in and corrects me if I'm being my usual idiotic self...but I feel like that should put the TV pressure at a decent level so if you STAY away from full throttle it will shift with enough hardness so as to not burn everything up.
 
Really though...you should definitely not move the thing until that cable's replaced! ;)
1987 20th Anniversary Cougar, 302 "5.0" GT-40 heads (F3ZE '93 Cobra) and TMoss Ported H.O. intake, H.O. camshaft
2.5" Duals, no cats, Flowmaster 40s, Richmond 3.73s w/ Trac-Lok, maxed out Baumann shift kit, 3000 RPM Dirty Dog non-lock TC
Aside from the Mustang crinkle headers, still looks like it's only 150 HP...
1988 Black XR7 Trick Flow top end, Tremec 3550
1988 Black XR7 Procharger P600B intercooled, Edelbrock Performer non-RPM heads, GT40 intake AOD, 13 PSI @5000 RPM. 93 octane

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #10 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;299116
If you drive the car without the TV cable hooked up you're going to fry the AOD.......


Probably already has.:punchballs:
Mike

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #11 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;299116
If you drive the car without the TV cable hooked up you're going to fry the AOD.......


Not on late/hard shifts... It's the early, mushy shifts the screw the clutches... Due to type of TV arrangement(cable or cable and linkage), a broken cable can cause two different symptoms, which are exactly opposite to each other...When it fails, the cable & linkage system allows the throttle valve to go to full pressure, while the full cable system drops TV pressure to zip, burning up the clutches ...

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #12 –
I have not driven it since it broke b/c I was afraid it would fry..Just waiting to find a new tv cable...only ones I found were for $70 online and I don't have that kind of $$...

This it the type of cable I have (attached); I believe it is the cable/linkage not full cable type, correct?  Does that mean I can drive it for a short distance? I have to go to the airport on Friday morning and can't find a ride yet...

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #13 –
FYI, i had the same problem and it was the TV cable. I have read sevral posts that say dont even drive it to the parts store cuz you will fry the trans.  Get a cable from the junk yard or post an ad in the "wanted".  Penty of cars being parted out. Also make sure you get a new bushing where the TV cable hooks to the throttle body.

Long shifting problem on AOD Cougar - daily driver

Reply #14 –
Quote from: TurboCoupe50;299179
Not on late/hard shifts... It's the early, mushy shifts the screw the clutches... Due to type of TV arrangement(cable or cable and linkage), a broken cable can cause two different symptoms, which are exactly opposite to each other...When it fails, the cable & linkage system allows the throttle valve to go to full pressure, while the full cable system drops TV pressure to zip, burning up the clutches ...


Hmm I didn't know that. Thanks. My car has the cable and linkage since it has a column shifter.

pjn2557 you have a floor shifter so you have the full cable. Don't drive it till it's fixed.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.