Urgent:Cold Weather Problems with Starting and AOD

swissboy97

Registered User
Hi,

Please help me out! I want to drive home for Xmas to see my family, but I wont be able to until these problems are fixed!

I have two main problems with the car:
1. When its below 40, my car does not like to start. It usually takes 3 cranks to get it going, but during the first 2 the car will sputter some, and then on the third she finally fires up. After ive driven it for a few mintues, she starts back up with no problem.

2. My AOD has been slipping a lot. When i brake hard or when i take a turn hard the gears will not engage and the engine just revs until it slips into place. This problem also occurs less after the engine is warmed, but its become a more frequent problem.

I just read the post about the "AOD problems" and I'm taking my car into a transmission shop as soon as I find a decent one here in Raleigh, NC. As for the cold cranking problem, I had my fuel pump replaced last summer with a 190 lph. Ever since they put that in, my car idles a lot lower than before, around 600-800 rpm at rest. Would this have anything to do with the problem? I see puffs of white smoke come out of the exhaust after I start up, but that could be because it's just been cranking so much. Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

Alex
 
what have you checked so far? (plugs,wires,DIS)? There's usually no turning back once the AOD starts slipping. But take it to a good tranny shop and have them test drive it. i just got mine back from getting rebuilt. it's a hard bullet to bite! good luck
 
"2. My AOD has been slipping a lot. When i brake hard or when i take a turn hard the gears will not engage and the engine just revs until it slips into place. This problem also occurs less after the engine is warmed, but its become a more frequent problem. "

Does anyone ever check the tranny fluid level??? You might be able to save it by adding fluid but you have lessened the life of the trans by allowing it to slip like that. Never Rev the engine once you know it is slipping.

Jeff

PS hard start could be cam sensor.
 
problem 2 hopefully cured

Just took it to a tranny shop where an old Ford mechanic works. Turns out my fluid levels were really low, so he topped it off and hopefully that will fix the problem. If it still slips in the next few days, he told me to bring it back to him and we'll try flushing the fluid, and if that doesnt work then its $$$$ for a rebuild :( After getting the car back, i have not had a slip, so hopefully the added fluid did the trick.

Alex
 
So how much did you pay the trans shop to fill it up? If they didn't charge you then I guess they know you will be back. Sooner or later.

JEff
 
Check engine vacuum with the engine hot and use a good gueage not the factory one. You need a minimum of 18 inches with the car in park, I get about 19 and 1/2". Any vacuum leak even a very small one will cause cold start problems because of the lean condition this causes. Cars with a MAF, like the SC, are very sensitive to vacuum leaks becuase when cold it relies on the MAF to measure all of the incoming air. If you have a air leak anywhere on the engine side of the MAF the computer will not add fuel for it.

Jerry
 
Swissboy97

There are some SC owners who will tell you this is a common occurance.. So the thick tranny fluid can warm up and circulate good .The transmission is vac controled by the EEC and tends not to shift into D and overdrive until at a good operating tempature so as not to do damage. Your 1 2 and reverse should all work from the get go. The thicker the fluid the longer it takes to warm up. Could be seal and accum problems if tran is high milage.
 
My car also starts harder on cold (40ish) mornings, and when really cold (below 35ish) the tranny would slip, when going around corners, even gently. This was 1-2 sometimes 2-3 but only during first 5 min or so. It still slips on hard cornering at WOT, but people have told me that the tranny pan design is the culprit, and an upgraded 96-97 pan is the cure. I have a low idle and every now and then stalls when turning into a parking space. I think I have a small vac leak somewhere, however my vac readings were fine.
 
talon660 said:
and when really cold (below 35ish) the tranny would slip, when going around corners, even gently....I have a low idle and every now and then stalls when turning into a parking space
Be sure the tranny fluid is filled to the proper level on level ground first. And on the other topic, how are your engine mounts? Any vibration when stopped at a traffic light?
 
A cold start problem could be the engine coolant temp sensor in the lower intake. If it's reading wrong, the car will not go into cold start mode. The colder it gets, the harder it will be to start. It took me forever to figure this out on mine.
 
talon660 said:
motor mounts are shot.
Thats why your idle is too low. You also may have a problem with the power steering hose leaking as the engine will rest on top of it and eventually crack it when the mounts give out, so don't wait too long.
 
You guys!

Right again, I have a PS leak somewhere, that must be it. Started not long ago. Also can't keep the top spout/fill tube from vibrating off. I really need to get it fixed but I am a broke student with no support. Coolant and CAI temp sensors have been replaced and the first O2 sensor (among others).
 
If you have tools and some mechanical know-how, you might consider just replacing the pass side mount. Its the easier of the 2 to do. That might help some. The job requires decent tools such as a 1/2" drive ratchet, 1/2" drive 13mm 6 sided socket, regular 3/8" sockets, extensions, swivel, breaker bar, torque wrench, jack stands, good hydraulic jack, big adjustable wrench, a bench vise or equivalent, and a place to work on it.
If none of this is available, maybe a shop can do the work, but don't know how much they would charge. Generally, they won't have fun doing it. The driverside mount will give them grief. It gives everyone grief, except for Jason Marsh :D who probably owns the speed record for mount replacement. My way takes about 6 hours on the driver's side and about 2 on the pass side which is no speed record, but not bad. If you rush it or use the wrong sockets and don't get a good bite, you risk rounding off bolts or shattering sockets (which is preferrable IMO to rounding off a bolt).
Driver's side takes longer, my way, due to pulling the pwr steering bracket and IC tubes off. I like a straight and visible shot at the main "through" bolt which is usually very tight. If you've never done it before, count on about 8 and 4.

Hope this helps.:)
 
stocker 89

there is no... vac controled by the EEC ...to the transmission... on a AOD ....it's controled via the TV cable and pressure ...low fluid = low pressure .... no shift ....thought I'd clear that up ...dave
 
Hey MercSC

What exactly did you clear up. How does the AOD know when to shift. IT is very important to have the correct EEC for yor type of transmission. You can't use a 5-speed eec for a AOD unless you have modified something. What is the purpose of the OD OFF switch on a AODE. You don't want to use overdrive in town. My overdrive don't even come on until 75mph and I'm crusing controled I like to hit resume and feel the torque of the down shift. Some guys have said you can get better gas milage by keeping the RPMs up a little.
 
Hey stocker89, MercSC is correct, there is NO COMPUTER CONTROL WHATSOEVER ON THE AOD! It is controlled by the TV cable (Throttle Valve Cable) ....that is not simply a 'kick down' cable..... It has to be adjusted properly or the trans will not shift right and it will slip . The AODE (E for Electronic) or 4r70w are computer controlled, but not the AOD.
 
MercSC and KevenJ90sc

I don't understand. I agree with you about the 4R70w/AODE. Now you both are trying to tell me that a AOD knows when to up shift and downshift all by itself. Like it just knows when to do this on its own. Guys I just can't believe that. If this were true then you could use a 5-speed EEC for an AOD and a AOD EEC for a 5-speed sorry guys but you can't you have to use a AOD EEC for a AOD .... Yes I know there isn't a vacume modulator on a 89 AOD. SO how does a transmission that isn't electronic controled Know to shift at the correct time at the red line and then to downshift. It must be getting some sort of direction from the EEC somehow. Why are there two big vacume lines and wires that go to the EEC going to and from the SERVO. What am I crazy maybe so body who knows what is going on will come along and explain this to us. To think all these years I thought it was the amount of vac that decided the up and downshift points. Learn something new everyday.
 
Kevenj90sc MercsSC

I was kinda hoping you guys would have more to say on this issue. Does the the AOD have pressure points in it , does it use the the speed sensor. What up. Is it true you have to use a specific EEC . I called about a EEC once they told me to specify if it was a 5-speed a AOD or a california car . If anybody could set us straight on how the AOD works that would be great .
 
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