03 Tranny Trouble!

T@Sound-Xtreme

Registered User
Hey guys, long time no post/SC action for me. A quick recap on me. Got out of the Marines Feb '07, struggled finding/getting a decent job, and one finally came along and I love it! Due to time/money I haven't loved up on my SC until yesterday. Been sitting for nearly 2 years with little to no attention. Now im ready to get back into the SC game and have some fun! BUT!!!!:mad: As always with these cars, theres always something............

For those that do not remember I put the 03 stang tranny in my 94 SC.
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55388 (looks like I need to update the pictures)

I was going to sell my SC last winter when trying to find a decent job and struggling a bit with money. I had it for sale for 2 weeks in front of my house, the day the first snow fell I put it back in the garage where it has sat for nearly 2 years.
While pulling it from the front yard, around back to the garage, I had to really give her some RPMS in order for it to move, but it did go, I then smelt some really nasty burnt fluid smell, didn't think much of it, parked it.
Fast forward to yesterday.
I pulled my baby out of the garage, dusted off the dust, and 2" of sawdust(home remodeling) and preceded to change oil, find and fix tranny leak, change tranny filter and put new fluids in etc. When I pulled the pan, there was roughly 3 quarts (of 5) of tranny fluid were left(from the leak), and at the bottom of the pan was lots of burnt sticky fluid, and on top of that was lots of red good fluid. No metal flakes, nothing. Got that all done, started her up, ran real rough, then the computer started learning again, and it smoothed out, then ran perfect. Thought " HELL YA" lets go for a cruise around the block :D and that quickly turned to :mad: .
In reverse I have to crank her to nearly 2800RPM for it to even move, and not move very fast or powerfully, just kinda glides, and in drive it has to be over 3000RPM for it to even budge a small amount, I doubt it would go over the cracks in my driveway, is how powerless it seems.

So my question is, is my 03 stang tranny done for, with less than 3000 miles on it? Do I need to start looking for a new one?
Whats my diagnosis/options here?
 
>In reverse I have to crank her to nearly 2800RPM for it to even move, and not move very fast or powerfully, just kinda glides, and in drive it has to be over 3000RPM for it to even budge a small amount, I doubt it would go over the cracks in my driveway, is how powerless it seems.

Are you sure you don't have something dragging, such as a wheel bearing, u-joints or brakes?

It sounds like the trans has gummed up/given up and is balking in certain conditions, but be sure nothing else is contributing.
 
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Woah, I remember reading that in 2004 .. has it been that long already ? Welcome back in any case. :D

Maybe from sitting so long some of the seals have gone bad, or its just really gummed up from sucking in that junk from the bottom of your pan like mentioned above. It probably doesnt have any kind of clutch or mechanical failure. Might just need to be pulled apart and cleaned / new seals installed.
Or it could be really low on fluid.

- Dan
 
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Woah, I remember reading that in 2004 .. has it been that long already ? Welcome back in any case. :D

Maybe from sitting so long some of the seals have gone bad, or its just really gummed up from sucking in that junk from the bottom of your pan like mentioned above. It probably doesnt have any kind of clutch or mechanical failure. Might just need to be pulled apart and cleaned / new seals installed.
Or it could be really low on fluid.

- Dan

Fluid is all new, 5 qts worth. Where would I check for the gum up? What would I be pulling apart to clean?

What I think happened, was that, when I went to move the car from the front yard to the garage, the fluid was to low, which caused something to burnup. What would burnup though? It seemed like gunky burnt tranny fluid, is what I would describe it as at the bottom of the pan.

Is there such thing as a tranny pump, fluid pump? It almost seems like that is where the problem is, its not pumping fluid correctly, or then again I have no idea..........

Keeping my ears open for more responses.
 
ok what about this.

I was just doing some searching on fluids/etc.

I put in ATF fluid, per the AutoZones parts lady. I just got on there website and it says, For your 2003 Ford Mustang 3.8L SFI :
MERCON

??

Could this be the problem? And if so, what damage have I done?
 
Did you check the fluid using the dipstick method and running the transmission through the gears, or just put the 5 replacement quarts in ?

Are you using a 96/97 deep sump pan ? Or the original 94/95 pan and filter setup ?

There is a pump on the front end of the transmission built into the cover plate. I think if you gummed anything up it would be in the valve body, or could be the fwd and reverse clutch rings on the stator support are not sealing.

You should be using Mercon-V, it has friction modifier in it .. but that isnt going to cause damage to your transmission by using ATF or Mercon 3 instead.

- Dan
 
Did you check the fluid using the dipstick method and running the transmission through the gears, or just put the 5 replacement quarts in ?

Are you using a 96/97 deep sump pan ? Or the original 94/95 pan and filter setup ?

There is a pump on the front end of the transmission built into the cover plate. I think if you gummed anything up it would be in the valve body, or could be the fwd and reverse clutch rings on the stator support are not sealing.

You should be using Mercon-V, it has friction modifier in it .. but that isnt going to cause damage to your transmission by using ATF or Mercon 3 instead.

- Dan

I have checked the fluid using the dipstick, everything seems fine there.

I am using the 2003 Pan, that came with the 2003 tranny.
 
I am sure it would be much cheaper to fix than replace. Sounds like the pump got starved and hurt.
Alan
 
before you pull it out try a bottle of lucas tranny fix. the stuff works! smoothed out a lot of problems i have had with junk yard trannys over the years. give it a shot its less than $10. put it in let it idle for 20mins then try to take it for a slow ride. it will get better wance the lucas get between all the disks as you start moveing around. it has worked for me before with cars that have been sitting and junk yard trannys.;)
 
Any updates on this post? I'm planning on doing the late model V6 Stang transmission swap into my 94 SC real soon and I'd like to get all the info I can as far as problems, potential problems, ect.
 
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