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1998 Windstar Limited First Gear Weirdness

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  1998Windstar 
#1 · (Edited)
When starting out, my '98 Windstar, 3.8L V-6 with Automatic O/D trans, will start to roll then feel like it's letting go, then bump or sometimes (rarely) thunk back into first before going down the road. After that, everything is fine and there are no problems on the highway.
When coming to a stop, when it shifts itself back to first there is an engine rev and a surge forward, then it settles down.
Here's maybe a clue; if I hit the gas instead of being gentle from a stop, the slip doesn't happen. It still surges and bumps when almost at a complete stop.

Any idea if this might be a shift solenoid, valve body issue, regulator? Anything? Bueller? ... Bueller?

Looking for ideas so I'm not going to the local garage with zero knowledge.

UPDATE: I had a transmission service done - new screen, gasket, some new fluid, and Lucas tans treatment. It's still doing the lurching, banging thing anyway, though it does shift noticeably better and doesn't strain on the highway.
I discovered that if I manually shift it into first gear just as I'm coming to a stop, none of the banging and lurching happens - everything is fine. Then, when I take off, I'll manually shift from first to second, then after that just put it back into drive.
SO, does that provide further clues to anyone? It seems the trans is fine, it's the whole stopping and starting that's rough.
 
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#7 ·
Anny horrible mechanical noises (grinding, etc?+

There should be a pressure port plug on the outside of the transmission. You can attach an oil pressure gauge (Likely needs to read as much as 150psi) in a manner that it can be read while driving. There should be a chart in a manual somewhere.

The bands may be adjustable without having to drop the pan. Take a look in a chiltons or Haynes (or better yet, a Ford manual). For this vintage car, the shop manuals, discarded from dealers are offered on eBay quite cheaply.

In addition, there may be 2 parts to the linkage; the actual gear selector and a connectio to the throttle for "kickdown" Make sure that both linkages are OK. This tranny should be very similar to the one used on Taurus as the early Windstars are taurus based.. The 3.8 (lind of a doggie) used in FWD cars has a bolt pattern similar to 3.0,(I believe)
 
#8 ·
When starting out, my '98 Windstar, 3.8L V-6 with Automatic O/D trans, will start to roll then feel like it's letting go, then bump or sometimes (rarely) thunk back into first before going down the road. After that, everything is fine and there are no problems on the highway.
When coming to a stop, when it shifts itself back to first there is an engine rev and a surge forward, then it settles down.
Here's maybe a clue; if I hit the gas instead of being gentle from a stop, the slip doesn't happen. It still surges and bumps when almost at a complete stop.

Any idea if this might be a shift solenoid, valve body issue, regulator? Anything? Bueller? ... Bueller?

Looking for ideas so I'm not going to the local garage with zero knowledge.

UPDATE: I had a transmission service done - new screen, gasket, some new fluid, and Lucas tans treatment. It's still doing the lurching, banging thing anyway, though it does shift noticeably better and doesn't strain on the highway.
I discovered that if I manually shift it into first gear just as I'm coming to a stop, none of the banging and lurching happens - everything is fine. Then, when I take off, I'll manually shift from first to second, then after that just put it back into drive.
SO, does that provide further clues to anyone? It seems the trans is fine, it's the whole stopping and starting that's rough.
Sounds like a failing/slipping 1st gear one-way clutch.
 
#9 ·
Then I had better be nice to it, then, I would think. Thanks for the input. But, I can't complain. I mean, it's 25 years old now and, other than this issue, runs out and drives quite well. It's especially good on the highway where I can truck along at 80 mph all day long, no problem.
 
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