'94 Mercury Sable - transmission?

[Clement]

I have a '94 mercury sable, 3.0L engine. About 120K miles on motor, transmission is a rebuild with about 60K on it in this car. Transmission drain pan was dropped and fluid/filter change at about 80K due to shifting issues. the fluid/filter changed straightened it out.

Now, the car has lost any acceleration power. Put the pedal to the floor, and it will crawl away from stop. It feels as if it's starting in 2nd gear.

Think a fluid and filter change would help? What else. Transmission is a 4 speed (3 speed w/overdrive).

 

[Kestas]

Perhaps the timing belt slipped a tooth? Was it ever changed?

 

[Clement]

The serpentine belt has been changed. Don't remember when, but it's been on the car for less then 20K miles. The car has no lack of power on the highway, it is only accelerating from a stop that there is a problem.

 

[Gary Allan]

Clement ..test suggestion. Manually place the selector in LOW or 1st and see if it corrects the problem when starting out. I'm uncertain of the electronic/hydraulic nature of this trans ..but if it was a hydraulic trans ..it would typically mean a stuck governor (tail shaft speed sensor, so to speak). The trans isn't sensing that you're slowed to a stop and stays in a higher gear.

It may also be from a sticking valve that is not allowing Low (drive selected) to engage.

Remember ..LOW (LOW selected) is a different application that Low (DRIVE selected) ..you don't employ the over-running clutch and have braking power.

Again, I don't know that trans (although I should ..I think it's the same thing that my daughter's 91 Taurus has) ..so you may have something that an electronic "fix" would help. Essentially the problem is the same ...merely the modality that the trans integrates the input is different.

 

[brianl703]

These transmissions are known for problems with the aluminum forward clutch piston.

See http://www.lemonaidcars.com/clutch_piston_bulletin.htm

 

[QuadDriver]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clement:
I have a '94 mercury sable, 3.0L engine. About 120K miles on motor, transmission is a rebuild with about 60K on it in this car. Transmission drain pan was dropped and fluid/filter change at about 80K due to shifting issues. the fluid/filter changed straightened it out.

Now, the car has lost any acceleration power. Put the pedal to the floor, and it will crawl away from stop. It feels as if it's starting in 2nd gear.

Think a fluid and filter change would help? What else. Transmission is a 4 speed (3 speed w/overdrive).

---

This should be an AXODE transmission, which aside from exploding planetary sets, also crack the forward clutch piston. 2 minutes in a transmission shop with the proper pressure gauge with the proper plug removed will bear this out.

 

[Clement]

Well, I replaced the transmission fluid filter and about 5.5 quarts (out of 12) of the transmission fluid (used Valvoline). It shifts much smoother than before, but still doesn't have the power it used to coming off of a stop. If the gear selector is placed in 1st, the car makes a funny noise, but I think it stays in 2nd. It sounds like it's trying to shift, but can't. I'll give it a while and see if the new fluid unsticks anything that might be stuck. And it is an AXODE METRIC transmission.
**** messy job that was too, my shirt was pink when I was through.

 

[QuadDriver]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gary Allan:
But, and correct me if I'm wrong here, this Ford, as all others (at least the old ones), employed the forward (front) clutch for all forward gears. IF he had this cracked piston ...he should have no forward motion.

This leads me to believe that it is a govenor issue (in whatever contemporary modality is may be employed) ..or a stuck valve prohitting the normal downshift.

---

well it depends on the crack, size and location....it could either still work (but be low on pressure that you are likely not to notice) all the way up to complete and utter fubar.

thats why I am loathe to diag transmissions without at least touching them...

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

---

This should be an AXODE transmission, which aside from exploding planetary sets, also crack the forward clutch piston. 2 minutes in a transmission shop with the proper pressure gauge with the proper plug removed will bear this out.

---

But, and correct me if I'm wrong here, this Ford, as all others (at least the old ones), employed the forward (front) clutch for all forward gears. IF he had this cracked piston ...he should have no forward motion.

This leads me to believe that it is a govenor issue (in whatever contemporary modality is may be employed) ..or a stuck valve prohitting the normal downshift.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clement:
I have a '94 mercury sable, 3.0L engine. About 120K miles on motor, transmission is a rebuild with about 60K on it in this car. Transmission drain pan was dropped and fluid/filter change at about 80K due to shifting issues. the fluid/filter changed straightened it out.

Now, the car has lost any acceleration power. Put the pedal to the floor, and it will crawl away from stop. It feels as if it's starting in 2nd gear.

Think a fluid and filter change would help? What else. Transmission is a 4 speed (3 speed w/overdrive).

---

Hi Clement,

I own a 93 Sable with 150k miles and about 30k miles on the rebuilt transmission. Almost identical to yours.

I would check your MAF sensor. I don't run a K&N in this car, but I was getting the same low power/foot to the floor feeling. I was getting a CEL which lead back to the MAF, it was covered in soot. Not sure where it came from since the filter is paper, but I cleaned it off with degreaser and power was restored.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clement:
Well, I replaced the transmission fluid filter and about 5.5 quarts (out of 12) of the transmission fluid (used Valvoline). It shifts much smoother than before, but still doesn't have the power it used to coming off of a stop. If the gear selector is placed in 1st, the car makes a funny noise, but I think it stays in 2nd. It sounds like it's trying to shift, but can't. I'll give it a while and see if the new fluid unsticks anything that might be stuck. And it is an AXODE METRIC transmission.
**** messy job that was too, my shirt was pink when I was through.

---

After the rebuild and about 10k miles, ours was acting funny. We did a complete transmission fluid swap to get rid of any casting/metal left after break in.

The easiest way to change the fluid since the car has no drain plug on the transmission pan is to:

1)Remove the transmission line from the radiator (the upper one by the fill neck.
2)Put on a length of rubber hose. Put end of rubber hose in a bucket.
3)Turn on car and let the transmission pump out approximately 2 to 3 quarts.
4)Pour 2 to 3 quarts in transmission fill (dipstick).
5)Repeat 3 and 4 until clean fluid comes out.

This made a big difference on ours.

 

[OdinsRageSS]

oh man AXOD/AXOD-E = NIGHTMARE and migraines.