Automatic is Reluctant to Downshift

jpetillo

Registered User
I'm new to the SC world, so this may be a typical problem. I have a stock '89 with an automatic. Is it typical for the transmission to not want to downshift without adding about 2/3-3/4 throttle? I can't tell you how often this thing is at slightly about 1000 RPM in third, and is reluctant to downshift - this can't be good for the engine.

Can I adjust the cable up at the throttle linkage that goes down to the transmission to affect this? If so, can anyone give me some guidelines of what to look for or how not to mess it up? The previous owner said he tried that adjustment, but then it was reluctant to upshift. He said it was touchy, and put it back.

Thanks,
John
 
Yes.. thats very typical. Other than being a bit annoying, it won't hurt the engine. To fix it, you need a shift kit.. If you drop it into drive to keep it out of O/D, you'll eventually ruin the tranny. This is due to a design flaw in the valve body which doesn't channel enough fluid through on the "D" setting.

As for the TV cable, don't mess with it other than to set it. Tightening it up some will cause a earlier shift, but it confuses the hydraulics. Even worse is to have it disconnected. There is a lot of debate about this topic, but most outside articles concur that you can ruin the tranny by having the cable out of adjustment.

Read up some on this; do a search on "TV cable" and "shift kits". :cool:
 
TV cable

it takes more time to read on how to adjust it than actually doing it, everyone agrees that this cable must be properly adjusted, read up on how to do it, do it.........then dont mess with it.
 
It could be that it needs to be adjusted a little. I just adjusted mine tonight as it didn't want to upshift as soon as it should. I made a 2 notch adjustment (after determining the max and min settings) and it shifts better, but now almost too soon for my taste.

From the reading on the different tranny sites and talking to transmission specialists as long as the TV cable is within the max and min settings it will not ruin the tranny. It won't shift right, maybe, but won't cause significant damage to the tranny. I can increase the wear though and some may interpret that as messing up the tranny. If the TV cable is outside the max/min setting or disconnected, expect the tranny to be gone in a mile or so. It happens fast. My car happens to have a high rev shift kit in it and in normal driving wouldn't shift until over 3K rpm. I've got it adjusted down significantly from there. The shifts at WOT still occur a bit higher than I'd like, but the high rev kit is made to shift at 5K. I just need to get the rest of the mods to still be making power at 5K and higher.

The one thing that I would recommend is to research exactly how to adjust the TV cable. If you do not feel comfortable adjusting it, (I didn't on my '89 at the time) pay a professional to do it. If you feel comfortable doing it, make small adjustments only. Normally one "click" will make a big difference. Go no more than 2 clicks on any adjustment and then test drive. Just remember to find out where your max and min settings are before you start so you don't over adjust either way. From what I've seen on both of my birds is that the best adjustment is going to be just over the mid mark between the max and min, (on the max side of the mid mark). Again, if you don't feel comfortable with it, pay someone. It will normally be an hour's labor rate to have it adjusted. That should be in the neighborhood of $65 or so. Little to pay for peace of mind. Take it for what it's worth.
 
007:

Thanks for the reply and advice - it was helpful. I have no problem doing it myself. I'd want to do the initial adjsutment myself so I'll know how to adjust it after the initial adjustment.

What's a good source for a service manual for the SC's? I got this Ford "Do It Yourself Service Manual" that the previous owner had, but I think it's a stretch them calling it a service manual. They seem to say a lot about a little - like it's a layman's version of a service manual. I couldn't find a section that covered the adjustment of this cable.

Thanks
 
Right now, I can't send you the link as I've got hungry kids to feed, but I'll get back with you tonight and give you the link for adjusting the TV cable. And I'll give you some easier step-by-step as well. The adjustment is so easy you wouldn't believe it. You will need one other person as well...I'll get back with you in a bit.
 
Do NOT try simply holding the throttle open. Just to see if there was a difference I did that, marked it then had my wife hold the throttle all the way to the floor. There was a HUGE difference in where the "max" setting would be. It was more than 1/4" I do NOT recommend anyone try it that way. Remember, if it is set outside the max/min mark, your tranny will die.

The article I used was on this page: http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html#
I believe that it is the same article that TbirdSCFan linked to, just a different location.

Quite simply I had my wife floor the accelerator, and had the TV cable disconnected and the locking clip backed off. While she had it floored, I used a pair of plyers to hold the "rail" while I pulled with the plyers. I ensured a good grip and knew that I was pulling "hard" as directed in the article. I put the TV cable back in the grommet while still pulling hard. That set the max mark. Then you don't have to actually measure the 5/16" back. 5/32" is 1/2 way between the max and min. For our cars you want slightly higher than mid, so measuring 1/8" from the max line is a good place to start. That is about 1-2 clicks on the max side of the mid line. My '89 is set about there (within a click) and my '92 is just one click from the mid point. My '89 is a stock tranny and my '92 has a high rev shift kit in it. Personally, I marked both the max, min and mid points when I adjusted mine, just to see where they all were in relation to where the cable was set at initially. You may also want to do this. On my '92 I ended up going back toward the mid mark from where it was set. I was having the problem of going about 30mph, pressing the accelerator (not flooring it) and it would downshift into 1st gear. I backed it off about 2-3 clicks and now it is much better.
 
The best way to do this,is to hook up a pressure guage
to the side of the tranny.And to set to the proper pressure.
This is how a transmission shop should do it.
RANDY
 
OK.. I stand corrected. I'll see what happens when I try it.

Last time I adjusted mine, I used the procedure from the Haynes manual which sets the cable for the closed throttle position only. From my experience, adjusting the TV cable ever so slightly hasn't made any significant difference. Whats important is that it be pretty close to where it should be and never should it be disconnected.. That happened to me when I had the car serviced. Fortunately, I reattached it because.. it just looked wrong, never did I realize how close that shop came to screwing up my transmission.

Experiences like that are what have convinced me to learn how to and then do the work on the car myself.

When my AOD goes; its has an infrequent hunting problem and the fluid is brown, I'll probably learn how to rebuild it myself. They are complex from a design and theory-of-operation standpoint, but from what I've seen, the insides are just rubber seals and friction pads. How hard could it be to get a book, a kit, pull it apart, clean and replace that stuff? Oh, and add a Lentech or Bauman valve body ;)
 
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