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Automatic Transmission Problems.

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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:54 pm

I have found a suitable unit at Ford's Only Breakers in Swindon for £250. However, they have no reconditioning documentation and will only warranty for 5 weeks. Even though I am tempted, I feel that I may be putting myself in for more trouble and may end up in the same position a few months down the line.

So, I think I have decided to go for a full recondition service, £830 + VAT inc removal + fitting. Warranty for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.

There is a bloke up in manchester who will do it for £500 not inc fitting etc. However, I am couple hundred miles away from there and if things go wrong, it will get messy.

Andy, thank you for your advice. I will let you know how it goes.
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby AndyG » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:31 pm

BEFORE you ask them for a reconditioned box, ask them to check it out, as it might be something relatively simple as the governor sticking :idea:

It does involve removing the rear tunnel of the box, but can be done in situ. :!:

And while they're there, they can do the filter too :wink:
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:29 pm

I came across this excellent guide written by a ford service technician whilst browsing the ford explorer forums.

It is a must read for anybody with a4ld or related transmission issues.

http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/tr ... ndex.shtml


In particular chapter 5 talks briefly about my problem.
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:06 pm

So, finally got the van back from the Transmission Specialists...

And guess, wat.. it is still not working right.

Here is a list of what they they ordered and/or replaced to do the job

Overhaul Kit
Filter Screen
2x Flexy Brake Pads
Friction Set
Steel Plate Set
Torque Converter
Pump Gear Set
Pump Bush
Vacuum Modulator
2x Servo Piston
1x Servo Cover
Selective Thrust Washers.
They also changed the oil and flushed the radiator, but he didn't write this down officially....

The specialist also tells me that the electronics to the kickdown unit are not working, however they never did so I always changed to a lower gear manually when I needed a burst of speed quickly.

The box still has the same problem as before. Power transference has improved I must admit and I can fly away from the lights now. However, I cannot get into what I will refer to as cruise gear.

4th gear is not the issue it seems, as it gets into 4th at 30-35mph. After this, the van used to go up to 45-55 (dpending on throttle position) and then change to a cruise gear that would let me stay at 50 without having to keep revving the balls off. In this cruise gear I could get the van up to 70-80 (not that I usually would), but since the problem, I can hardly get the van up to 50 without manually going through 1st 2nd and 3rd till I get to 55mph and then kick it into D. At anything past 50mph, I cannot take my foot off the floor otherwise the van slows down. I used to be able to get to 50 and reposition my foot on the throttle some and it would change into cruise gear and engine wouldn't be revving as much and I could stay in my engines power band.

Is this STILL a gearbox problem or an engine performance issue? I have noticed no difference in engine power, just that gearbox is STILL not changing up to the highest of high gears to let me stay at high speed.

I have checked all the turbo piping before and after the intercooler and it all seems fine. I have even taken these pipes off and it tried to suck my hand off.

Please help, my camper is completely useless without this cruising gear. I cannot climb even the flattest of hills let alone go along a dual carriage way at a reasonable speed.I can't keep revving it so hard all the time, its gonna damage something.
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby MinorMatt » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:15 pm

Intercooler????? :shock:

Someone has bee fiddling with your van in the past!
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby mrtutz » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:44 pm

I think your problem is down to the gearbox not going into lock up. I used to rebuild A4LD's many many moons ago.

The A4LD is basically a C3 box with an overdrive fitted on the front of it. This gives you 4 forward speeds. Drive is transmitted through a torque converter into the box. In the torque converter there's a clutch which "locks up" the converter, and gives 1 to 1 drive through it.

PM me the name of the outfit who rebuilt the box and changed the converter. If they haven't rebuilt the valve body, that could be your problem (they are prone to clogging up with S^&t, and take 3 hours to rebuild correctly).

I seem to remember that there's 2 solenoids on the valve block, one for the overdrive, and 1 for the lock up clutch, but I might be wrong.

Did you take the vac line off the modulator on the side of the box (small round can)? Was there any atf in it?
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:56 pm

HI Mrtutz

Thank you for your reply. I have PM'ed your details.

I took the vacuum tube off at the box end whilst receiving help from AndyG. I do not recall any fluid in there, but tbh I wasn't checking for it.

I will try again tomorrow during the day light.
Last edited by Kedishen on Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:59 pm

Yes matt they have.

It has a turbo fitted with samco hoses and an annoying intercooler which is stopping me from fitting an efficiently placed oil cooler.

I would like to be able to move it, but it appears I will have to purchase a remote oil cooler unit with a fan.
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby mrtutz » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:09 pm

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/sho ... 027&page=3

Its coming back slowly, (its been 10 years since this box was fitted to Granadas!)
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:15 am

SOrry I never got back on this.

In the end it turned out to be a problem with the valve body. Exactly what I will never know :/
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby mrtutz » Sat Nov 02, 2013 11:01 pm

Sorry for the 2 year late response.

There's a spool valve that's buried in the valve block that suffers from contamination when the gearbox deteriorates over age. When the box starts to get worn and the clutch plates and brake bands start to wear, the levels of contamination in the oil increases exponentially and starts to make its way through the valve body, pump and lube circuits.

the result is increased wear on everything. Because the valve body spools run tight tolerances sooner or later you get problems with shifts / line pressure problems.

The spool sticks. Because it's a complicated and time consuming job to recon a valve body, a lot of re conditioners will not bother, they will throw the old unit back on after cleaning it in a solvent tank and hope for the best.

Make sure a re conditioner delivers the following:

1. gets the torque converter re conditioned (it's going to be full of sh*t from when the box went wrong)
2. strips and cleans the valve body
3. Gives you the option of fitting a separate oil cooler (the originals were often in the engine radiator and had a habit of leaking internally, filling the box up with water)
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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby abmnw » Sat Aug 09, 2014 1:13 am

Just read this post - did the lack of kickdown get sorted?

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Re: Automatic Transmission Problems.

Postby Kedishen » Mon Aug 11, 2014 12:35 am

No didn't bother. I always just changed it manually.
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