AOD woes

[Bird351]

Yep, one more possible problem with my '86. YAY!

This isn't really a specific question thread.. more of a brainstorm out loud, for lack of a better description.. but feedback is appreciated.

I'm not exactly abusive to transmissions.. I don't neutral-drop or power brake or anything like that.. but I have a tendency to start from a dead stop rather slowly and then push it to about 3/4 throttle until I get it up near speed, especially if getting onto a road I know is pretty busy. (which is almost all the time, since I have to take US 41 to get anywhere here in town)

Up until this recent exhaust work, the car had a rather leisurely 1-2 shift at 1/2-3/4 throttle.. it would just slip-slip-slip away into 2, taking from 2 to 5 seconds to complete a shift. Now it does it the first several times I take off from a light or get onto a busy road.. but once it warms up, it changes to slip-slip-CLUNK.

Details I've observed about the transmission so far:
- Fluid is red and very clear, (almost invisible) but does smell a little bit burnt.
- Fluid is overfull, but maybe by less than half an inch on the dipstick.
- At one point last year, I added one of those small bottles of transmission treatment.. brand unknown.. but it's the kind of stuff they advise adding around fluid change time. I had planned on changing the fluid as soon as possible, and putting one bottle in before and one bottle afterword. I don't remember how I came to this decision, it's been months now.
- No irregularities observed with 2-3, 3-2, or 2-1 shifts.
- 3-4 shift kicks in between 45 and 50.
- Leaving OD enabled makes the transmission very clunky on throttle fluctuations, shifting to D eliminates this. (yes, I know it's said that this is a sign OD is failing)

Can't think of any other details to add right now.

I've had one recommendation to do a fluid change on it and see what happens.. which is a likely course of action once mine is not the only functioning car in the household. (my mother's ZX2 gets a new transmission on Wed.) I've considered some of Tom's past posts on transmission stuff, and thought about the possibility of throwing in a quart of Type F when I do that change. Beyond that, I don't know.. I've thought about picking up another DOA that needs a rebuild, and learning how to rebuild it while this AOD remains in the car. Also thought about swiping the AOD from the Lincoln, since I'm leaning more and more toward parting that car out or just stripping a bunch of shit from it for now and getting back to it later once the other two are dealt with. (gotta switch it from floor to console shift if I take that AOD.. or get a particular floor shifter I was considering)

EDIT: BTW, a stick swap is completely out of the question at this point, for anyone who might think to suggest it. :p Maybe later when this car becomes my silly-project car, though.. but for now it has to be usable by all four people in the house.. and only 2 of us can drive a stick.. and we don't really wanna teach the other 2 people.. and they don't really wanna learn right now anyway.. so pfft. :p

[jcassity]

when i do the tranny fluid/filter thing, i like to do the following....

without a filter on, start engine
put it in drive
then reverse
give it some gas, just a little
keep alternating from D to R and P till i dont see as much fluid running out.

this helps finish removing fluid trapped in the tranny.

another suggestion,,, do you have a throttle valve rod (TV ROD) instead of a cable?

if so, there is a small set screw. turning it clockwise increases shift harshness while ccw decreases it. Id rather have hard shifts cause smooth shifts generally means the clutches are slowly locking.

[Bird351]

Yeah, I have the TV rod. Just put a new bushing on it the other day. I'll have to try turning that screw. (wondered what it was for) About what, 1 full turn clockwise to start?

[Bird351]

Alright, I decided to just go ahead and try to adjust it. One full turn, no real difference. Two more turns and another test drive, no real difference. (that I could notice) Of course, it usually takes a little longer before the change in shifting takes place.. and I only drove a couple miles each time.

[jcassity]

no,, max it out CW till its pretty much way back
take it for a spin

now back it off all the way CCW and drive it.
you'll get the feel of what is best for you. Find a good setting and live with it there.

this way you get to instantly see the full effect of what you have done vs the minor ,,hummm,,, it kind of feels different.

i usually see them backed off about ,, oh lets say the actual rod is about 1/8 inch off the throttle lever.

i have mine backed off about 3/4 of the whole way. in other words, my flat head side of the adjustment screw is shy of a couple threads of being flush with the tv rod actuator linkage.

[Bird351]

It is most of the way screwed down now. I suppose I can finish off the job in the morning. I suppose the shifts are a little bit crisper, but it's like the difference between jello at 60 degrees and jello at 50 degrees.

There's a lot of play in that rod, even with the new bushing. I had planned on tackling that next. Thought about maybe something like a few wraps of Teflon tape around the connection stud/rod/whatever on the CFI, (where the bushing attaches to) for lack of a better idea.

[jcassity]

i know what you mean about shimming the connection. I have some parts and stuff from my past telecom days and i have some real real neat heat shrink end caps for wire. they are really thick also and thats what i had on till i got new ones. the heat shrink is still on the bottom end of the linkages.

the best temp fix ive came across is thick rubber fuel line. cut off a 1/2 inch piece and slip it on the nipple then press on your tv rod.

im not sure what you mean by "its all the way down" ,,,, explain,, is the screw all the way righty tighty or lefty loosey?

[Bird351]

The screw is almost completely flat with the surface it's screwed into. 3 turns CW.

[jcassity]

here is the general idea of how mine is set.

[Bird351]

Looks like I won't be able to mess around with it today.. weather here is awful. Lots of lightning and tons of rain. I was lucky enough to get enough of a lull to get out there and put the battery charger on it after taking my mom and my aunt to work.. but when I was out on that drive, it was so bad I still couldn't see out the front window even with the wipers on high.

[MasterBlaster]

The screw is almost completely flat with the surface it's screwed into. 3 turns CW.3 turns from "almost touching" is the official adjustment:


With the engine off, remove the air cleaner and make
sure the fast idle cam is released; the throttle lever
must be at the idle stop.

Turn the linkage lever adjusting screw counterclockwise
until the end of the screw is flush with the face of
the lever.

Turn the linkage adjustment screw in until there is a
maximum clearance of 0.005 in. (0.127mm) between the
throttle lever and the end of the adjustment screw.

Turn the linkage lever adjusting screw clockwise three
full turns. A minimum of one turn is permissible if
the screw travel is limited.

If it is not possible to turn the adjusting screw at
least one full turn or if the initial gap of 0.005 in.
(0.127mm) could not be obtained, perform the linkage
adjustment at the transmission.

[Bird351]

OK.. I turned it one more full turn CW.. also, I beefed up the mounting stud a little bit by wrapping it with Teflon tape.. and put a rather thick washer behind the TV rod bushing. (but it's still firmly attached.. doesn't seem like it'll pop off there anytime soon) Still quite a bit of play in the rod, but it's noticeably less. Also turned up what I believed to be the idle speed.. is it the screw with a spring that moves the ISC back and forth? I gave it about one full turn to what I believed to be higher. (moving the ISC back in relation to the car)

Shifts a little bit quicker but it still slips its way through 1-2. Haven't had the transmission warm enough yet to get the clunking.. but I might get a chance to do that in a few hours.