87aerostar

I've recently started driving my 87 Aerostar again and I suspect it's
not quite getting the fuel economy it once did. Everything seems to be
running fine but I do notice the transmission doesn't do the same
pattern of shifting when I go up a certain long hill. How can I tell
if the overdrive is kicking in? Count the number of times it shifts
during a long acceleration on a flat grade?

Backyard Mechanic

"87aerostar" <dneill@snet.net> wrote:

> I've recently started driving my 87 Aerostar again and I suspect it's
> not quite getting the fuel economy it once did. Everything seems to be
> running fine but I do notice the transmission doesn't do the same
> pattern of shifting when I go up a certain long hill. How can I tell
> if the overdrive is kicking in? Count the number of times it shifts
> during a long acceleration on a flat grade?
>

didnt you answer your own question?

What happens when you move shift selector down a notch to D, rather than
OD?

Any OTHER errata? like idle problems? If so, check the TPS.

--
Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
you pay..DEAL with it!

clare at snyder.on.ca

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:45:25 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
<pettyfog@yaywho.com> wrote:

>"87aerostar" <dneill@snet.net> wrote:
>
>> I've recently started driving my 87 Aerostar again and I suspect it's
>> not quite getting the fuel economy it once did. Everything seems to be
>> running fine but I do notice the transmission doesn't do the same
>> pattern of shifting when I go up a certain long hill. How can I tell
>> if the overdrive is kicking in? Count the number of times it shifts
>> during a long acceleration on a flat grade?
>>
>
>didnt you answer your own question?
>
>What happens when you move shift selector down a notch to D, rather than
>OD?
>
>Any OTHER errata? like idle problems? If so, check the TPS.
You could always through an OBD scanner on it and see what gear it is
in at any time, as well as if it is locked.

87aerostar

Sorry, I know this must be a newbie question. What's 'TPS'?

Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> "87aerostar" <dneill@snet.net> wrote:
>
> > I've recently started driving my 87 Aerostar again and I suspect it's
> > not quite getting the fuel economy it once did. Everything seems to be
> > running fine but I do notice the transmission doesn't do the same
> > pattern of shifting when I go up a certain long hill. How can I tell
> > if the overdrive is kicking in? Count the number of times it shifts
> > during a long acceleration on a flat grade?
> >
>
> didnt you answer your own question?
>
> What happens when you move shift selector down a notch to D, rather than
> OD?
>
> Any OTHER errata? like idle problems? If so, check the TPS.
>
> --
> Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
> you pay..DEAL with it!

87aerostar

I'm having trouble with the acronyms today. What's an 'OBD' scanner?

Sharon K.Cooke

87aerostar wrote:
>
> I'm having trouble with the acronyms today. What's an 'OBD' scanner?

OBD = On Board Diagnostics. Your vehicle has a drivetrain scanning ability
built-in. In the case of FoMoCo vehicles from '84 thru (most) '95, it's called
EEC-IV, and a digital scanner is about $35. As far as knowing if you're in OD or
not, just listen to the engine. In OD at 60 mph, it shouldn't sound like more
than a warm-up (fast) idle.

Backyard Mechanic

"87aerostar" <dneill@snet.net> wrote:

see info post on glossary terms:

Throttle Position sensor, opposite the throttle butterfly crank

And do you mind answering the other questions so we can help you out?

> Sorry, I know this must be a newbie question. What's 'TPS'?
>
--
Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
you pay..DEAL with it!

Bob

<clare at snyder.on.ca> wrote in message
news:6mubq1p49q3bhmn6s2k1tsdcqkuh9sv6i3@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:45:25 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> <pettyfog@yaywho.com> wrote:
>
>>"87aerostar" <dneill@snet.net> wrote:
>>
>>> I've recently started driving my 87 Aerostar again and I suspect it's
>>> not quite getting the fuel economy it once did. Everything seems to be
>>> running fine but I do notice the transmission doesn't do the same
>>> pattern of shifting when I go up a certain long hill. How can I tell
>>> if the overdrive is kicking in? Count the number of times it shifts
>>> during a long acceleration on a flat grade?
>>>
>>
>>didnt you answer your own question?
>>
>>What happens when you move shift selector down a notch to D, rather than
>>OD?
>>
>>Any OTHER errata? like idle problems? If so, check the TPS.
> You could always through an OBD scanner on it and see what gear it is
> in at any time, as well as if it is locked.

Nope, that kind of data wasn't available on an 87 Ford of any kind.
Bob

87aerostar

Sure. Let me to take the opportunity to publicly thank Backyard
Mechanic for all his help. You're one of the bricks, if not _the_
brick of this newsgroup and there are a _lot_ of ford owners who've
benefited from your knowledge and willingness to help.

Shifting from OD to D while moving at 60 mph doesn't seem to produce
any noticeable difference in engine RPMs or speed. Once the car is
wamed up, it idles O.K. Starting up on cold mornings, it displays some
oscillation characteristics but nothing that hasn't been there in the
past few winters. Once it gets warmed up it sounds pretty much like it
always does.

I still haven't had any tangiable confirmation that 4th is kicking in.
I haven't had a chance to do the long straight level acceleration. My
impressions are, so far, I feel the changes up to 3rd then, when I'm
letting off the gas to maintain the 55 or 60 I choose to cruise at,
normally I'd feel that slight engagement of the clutch converter (this
is an A4LD transmission) and I don't think I'm getting that. I say
"don't think" because sometimes that engagement could be pretty subtle.
Now I don't know if it's happening at all.

I don't suppose there are any ways to use the OBD to tell what's
happening with the transmission?

Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> "87aerostar" <dneill@snet.net> wrote:
>
> see info post on glossary terms:
>
> Throttle Position sensor, opposite the throttle butterfly crank
>
> And do you mind answering the other questions so we can help you out?
>
> > Sorry, I know this must be a newbie question. What's 'TPS'?
> >
> --
> Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
> you pay..DEAL with it!

trainfan1

87aerostar wrote:
> Sure. Let me to take the opportunity to publicly thank Backyard
> Mechanic for all his help. You're one of the bricks, if not _the_
> brick of this newsgroup and there are a _lot_ of ford owners who've
> benefited from your knowledge and willingness to help.
>
> Shifting from OD to D while moving at 60 mph doesn't seem to produce
> any noticeable difference in engine RPMs or speed. Once the car is
> wamed up, it idles O.K. Starting up on cold mornings, it displays some
> oscillation characteristics but nothing that hasn't been there in the
> past few winters. Once it gets warmed up it sounds pretty much like it
> always does.
>
> I still haven't had any tangiable confirmation that 4th is kicking in.
> I haven't had a chance to do the long straight level acceleration. My
> impressions are, so far, I feel the changes up to 3rd then, when I'm
> letting off the gas to maintain the 55 or 60 I choose to cruise at,
> normally I'd feel that slight engagement of the clutch converter (this
> is an A4LD transmission) and I don't think I'm getting that. I say
> "don't think" because sometimes that engagement could be pretty subtle.
> Now I don't know if it's happening at all.

With this transmission, letting off the throttle or any quick TIP in or
TIP out actually disengages the converter clutch. Tapping the brake
pedal will too, even w/ steady pressure on the accelerator pedal.

Reading through the posts it isn't clear - do you have a tach?

You should actually be able to detect 4 "shifts" including TC lockup on
normal, straight line level acceleration. When cold, the TC will not
lock up until a specified engine temp is reached - I think around 90-110
degrees recalling from memory. To confirm your "gear" status, a tach
would be the best tool.

>
> I don't suppose there are any ways to use the OBD to tell what's
> happening with the transmission?

Not w/ EEC IV.


Rob