Suspected Transmission Problem - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

ELF98 · 03-05-2003, 14:54

Hey Guys, I am hoping somone can clairfy this for me. I have noticed over the last couple of months that my El Fairmont seems to be laboured after the car wams up. it is most noticeable when in 4th gear and doing around 80 -90 KMs. It will sit in 4th and then it is almost as if the car is dropping into a fifth gear, ie the tone of the engine drops to a deeper sound and and seems laboured. If I lift my foot off the Accelerator the car jerks slightly, almost feels like there is play in the drive shaft, then when I put my foot back on the ACC it jerks again. It isn't until I put my foot down that the engine noise returns to the normal tone (IE how it should sound in 4th), and then it drops to third, which is normal.

I have spoken to a couple of people and they seem to think it is a solonoid problem, is this right? i was thinking that it was a Diff problem as the diff does make a slight whine noise.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

mongrelEB · 03-05-2003, 17:16

It sounds to me like a solenoid or g/box comp. problem.
If it was my car, that's what I'd be looking at first up, man.
Hehe....Just do what I did, convert to manual! It's well worth the effort.
If the diff whines, it might need fluid?
Good luck

Walkinshaw · 03-05-2003, 17:19

sounds reasonably normal. Arround that speed the trans will lock its torque converter up thus appearing to change into the "phony fifth"

ELF98 · 03-05-2003, 17:20

MongrelEB - You wouldn't know which solenoid problem we are talking about would you??

How much did iot cost to convert to a manual??

ELF98 · 03-05-2003, 17:35

Walkinshaw - It never used to do it though, and what is with the jerking, It almos feels llike I am in a manual when it is jerking like that.

Walkinshaw · 03-05-2003, 19:44

ahhhh it should be damn smooth and virtaly unnoticable........

mongrelEB · 03-06-2003, 04:01

I dunno WHICH solenoid exactly, however I had a similar problem with 4th gear in the old lady's EA, and replacing the No. 5 solenoid fixed it.

YOOT · 03-06-2003, 15:14

Thats deffinately your torque converter locking up mate. Should start at about 91km/h or at 1500rpm+. It will gove a slight nudge, or bump when it locks and unlocks.

ELF98 · 03-06-2003, 16:22

94ED_Fairmaont - Oh ok so this is normal operation or does the torque converter need replacing?? I mean when it happens the car seems to be laboured/ have less of power.

SiX_iN_a_RoW · 03-06-2003, 17:24

yeah torque converter lock is there to minimise slippage to save fuel when cruising ( mostly highway ) think of it as putting a manual into 5th, although if you are worried it might be worth while taking it to a trans specialist, may even be due for a service