Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Car is 1995 Taurus with OD automatic and 3.8 engine
My daughter was driving on the freeway for about two hours when the car stopped going. Engine would rev up but tranny was slipping. She pulled over and a kind man helped her.
He check tranny oil level and put several quarts of fluid in before the level showed up on the dipstick. He told me It was leaking fluid where the pump seal would be. It had a huge puddle under the car when I got there. The car would move but slip real bad.
I got it home on a tow dolly and check the fluid and topped it off. Started the car and looked underneath and not a drop was leaking. ????
It would go in reverse with no slipping. In OD it feels like it is in 3rd gear, in drive feels like 2nd gear and when the gear lever is in L, it is in low gear.
car shifts OK if I manually move the lever thru the gears, but it will not downshift or upshift on its own when in OD.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance
Mike
I recently noticed a puddle of transmission fluid on the ground in early August. I got under my 2003 Taurus only to find the leak was coming from ABOVE the AX4N Transmission pan. I tracked it to the Transmission filler/dip-stick tube.
But I learned that it was caused by a clogged transmission air vent (coated steel) having a rubber check valve cap being stuck per the links below.
http://www.ford-forums.com/post104714.html
http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/82-maintenance-repair/128662-removing-old-atx-ve- - nt-won-t-budge.html
I followed the Technical Service Bulletin showed below to remove the straight press-fit vent with a 90 degree vent and 5/16" hose:
TSB 06-18-13
09/18/06
ERRATIC FLUID LEVEL READING ON TRANSAXLE
DIPSTICK - LEAKS - 4F50N,AX4N, AX4S
The reason I mentioned this was to ask, could this cheap vent valve being stuck open have caused last year's torque converter failure by introducing moisture into the transmission internals?
Now also needs a new oil gasket ($450). Trying to decide whether to take to Ford dealer and spend more $$ on diagnosis (we've always taken it to an independent mechanic), or whether to take it to CarMax and get cash. We enjoy not having a car payment but this is getting to be expensive. Would love your input! Thank you!
There is a vent fitting with a check valve (rubber cap) on top of the transmission housing near the firewall on the driver's side that sticks and malfunctions closed. This causes pressure to build up and force transmission fluid up and out of the dipstick tube. The replacement vent valve assembly number is 1C3Z-7034-AA and cost me $18.40 w/o tax.
The hardest part was finding a way to create enough leverage to pull the old vent valve straight up. I did it by using a large pair of vise-grips on the vent fitting, sliding a long screwdriver thru it to rest against a bracket, and then pried straight up on the vise-grips against the bracket.
You gently tap in the new vent and then attach a two-foot length of 5/16" diameter hose and secure it with cable tie wraps as shown in the TSB.
Less than $22.00 to fix. Good Luck
There is a vent fitting with a check valve (rubber cap) on top of the transmission housing near the firewall on the driver's side that sticks and malfunctions closed. This causes pressure to build up and force transmission fluid up and out of the dipstick tube. The replacement vent valve assembly number is 1C3Z-7034-AA and cost me $18.40 w/o tax.
The hardest part was finding a way to create enough leverage to pull the old vent valve straight up. I did it by placing a large pair of vise-grips vertically onto the vent fitting, sliding a long screwdriver thru the vise-grips and resting the shaft of the screwdriver against a bracket, and then pried the screwdriver straight up into the closed vise-grips. The vent fitting popped out.
You gently tap in the new vent and then attach a two-foot length of 5/16" diameter vacuum hose and secure it with cable tie wraps and band-clamps as shown in the TSB.
Less than $25.00 Total to fix. Good Luck
dmr8
Thanks,
Robin
dont be ripped off ! if the splines on front shaft is in good condition , shaft does not move side to side by hand , turns smoothly by hand , all you need s a torque convertor ! DANNY
the answer is because, your engine oil is over loaded. Last week, I dumped out the extra trans fluid and made the fluid level exactly aimed at the middle of the trans ruler range marking area. however, I still have the problems of the trans slip every now and then to my 2003 mercury sable. I used the Seafoam Cleaner and Lubricant half of one can, spraying into the throttle and poured half of one can of Seafoam Motor Treatment into the engine oil tank, while the tank was cold, to clean my car engine intake, and I poured another one full can of Seafoam Motor Treatment into my gas tank to clean fuel system. But after this, the engine oil is too much, it foamed up the tank room and pushed the trans gears open, then the trans restarted sliping again. That simple? Yes, that's simple!
You must understand , when your car is old, it is very sensitive to "too much", not only trans fluid level but also engine oil level. when either of the level is too high, then it could result in trans slip.
Today, I changed my car engine oil. Purposely I reduced the engine oil level to be lower than the highest level range of the ruler marking area. then I test the car driving again, It worked! no more slip again.
You may order 265-816 (from Autozone for trans oil pan only)with $52.99 on 17 Bolt Holes Dorman OE Solutions - Automatic Transmission Oil Pan. You may also order TF217 ( from Autozone for trans gasket and filter kit)$17.99 on 17 Bolt holes, total cost $70.98.
You may also order RPT Shift Pro/Transmission Filter (A/T) from Autozone on 19 bolt holes Filter kit with Green tall lip seal and 19 bolt pan gasket part number 997253 on Transmission model AX4S, with $33.99 plus $44.99 Transmission Code: 4F50N on 19 Bolt Holes Dorman OE Solutions - Automatic Transmission Oil Pan , total cost $78.98
You may also order RPT Shift Pro/Transmission Filter (A/T) from Autozone on 17 bolt holes Filter kit with Green tall lip seal and 17 bolt pan gasket part number 997250 on Transmission model AX4S , with $33.99 plus $52.99 Transmission Code: AX4S on 17 Bolt Holes Dorman OE Solutions - Automatic Transmission Oil Pan , total cost $86.98
Then you may order 6 Quarts trans fluid, plus above minimum $62.98. , maximum $86.98, you can replace a brand new trans oil pan and trans fluid filter with Green tall lip seal and trans oil pan gasket.
You saved the labor fee, and you your self finished the replacement for trans fluid and filter , which would help your car live long.
Why? because a , lockup clutch, one-way clutch (inside the stator of the torque converter) connects the stator to a fixed shaft in the transmission (the direction that the clutch allows the stator to spin )
I tightened the spring head, and accurately aimed the spring head at the magnet of the transmission fluid pan, then the torque converter is relocked up again by the one-way clutch of the stator.
Second, I let a new, cleaning transmission fluid filter right sitting in, a powerful transmission fluid flooding into the transmission pushing the clutch working smoothly ( read my above story of how to install a really good transmission filter in a right way.