A few questions...Has the transaxle fluid been changed? Oil seals are to keep fluids in but, don't keep outside water out when submerged.

Is the motor from a interchangable year Sable? The throttle position sensor could be the wrong one or out of adjustment from the swap. It tells the brain when to grab that next gear.

Was (if you know) all the electrical plugs pulled off the transaxle for drying time?

Any trans cooling lines bent or closed off?

Let us know if they're any other problems and we'll go from there.

 

For the duratec at least, 2500 is right for 70MPH

 

A few questions...Has the transaxle fluid been changed? Oil seals are to keep fluids in but, don't keep outside water out when submerged.

Is the motor from a interchangable year Sable? The throttle position sensor could be the wrong one or out of adjustment from the swap. It tells the brain when to grab that next gear.

Was (if you know) all the electrical plugs pulled off the transaxle for drying time?

Any trans cooling lines bent or closed off?

Let us know if they're any other problems and we'll go from there.
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Thank you for responding. I love my old Taurus and would like to get it running right. I don't know the year model of the Sable and I don't know if the engine in the Taurus now is a Vulcan or a Duratec - I just know what my original engine was from the VIN number. I can go back to the garage this weekend and check out the engine. Can I tell by looking what it is or do I need the VIN number. The Sable is still at the garage. The submerging happened in August last year - Yes, the transaxle fluid was changed last month. No - the electrical plugs weren't pulled. The mechanic told me they tried to change engine and transmission from one into the other but it didn't work? for some reason. When I first picked it up the rpm's and odometer were off - they got that fixed. It steered very hard and they told me the rack and oinion needed changing - had that done. Then they replaced an idle sensor; also a cam synchrinizer and a manual lever sensor. I have over $2300 in repairs in the car. I have a hard time driving a car with that high rpm showing - if it is a Duratec, is that ok? How about fuel mileage? It shifts - drops back thru the lower gears but when it gets into third gear, it doesn't drop back. Thanks again!

 

Look the VIN on your car. Sample

1FABP53U1 V AXXXXXX U for Vulcan OHV V is for year 1997

1FALP53S5 V AXXXXXX S for Duratec DOHC

A Duratec cannot be replaced by a Vulcan without a lot of work and vice-versa. Am I mistaken that the trans fluid has been in the vehicle a year after the ditch? And I'm not sure about a "manual lever sensor". No check engine light?

 

Look the VIN on your car. Sample

1FABP53U1 V AXXXXXX U for Vulcan OHV V is for year 1997

1FALP53S5 V AXXXXXX S for Duratec DOHC

A Duratec cannot be replaced by a Vulcan without a lot of work and vice-versa. Am I mistaken that the trans fluid has been in the vehicle a year after the ditch? And I'm not sure about a "manual lever sensor". No check engine light?
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The original was definitely a Vulcan. Will check what was in the Sable. I dyroplaned August 24, 07 and it was taken to the repair shop and work started on Sept 28, 07. I bought the Sable and they were supposed to switch out the engine and transmission. The trans was ok prior to the swim but it had 238,000 miles on it. The Sable has 80,000or so and I was told that switching both engine and transmission would be best. I still don't know why tht didn't happen except that the man said "It didn't work" so I don't know if something was wrong with the Sable trans or what. I picked up the car on Jan 17 (after the rack and pinion was replaced $198.00 plus $337.50labor) and was billed for a speed sensor $19.22 and it still didn't work right. I was told that my original trans was in the vehicle. It didn't shift right so I took it back. They kept it to July 18, 08 and that is when I was charged with trans filter kit $28.76/ and trans fluid $25.00/ and Lycas additive $12.99/ cam synchronizer $69.72/ Ford main lev sensor $52.62. It still didn't shift right and I called them and they told me it shifted perfect. I took it to a local trans place and was told I needed a new transmission - when I told them what happened they told me that I needed a new torque converter? and then they told me it shifted ok! I took it to AAMCO and they told me they didn't knw what to do with it, that it went through the gears! I called Ford and they told me to bring it in and they would check it for $75.00. I haven't done that yet. I called the original repair shot back and they told me to bring it back. Received a message from them last week that the car shifted and they didn't know what I was talking about? I kow it never shifted this way before and that the engine is too reved up over 45-50mph. You have to run it up to 2400-2500rpm's before it shifts; sound good on idle. There is some clunking in the lower gears (age-wear) and it seems like the lower gears are too close together. I don't know what else to do except take it to Ford? No engine lights. Every shop supposedly put it on the computer and it shows the transmission shifting properly. Maybe I'm nuts!

 

The "manual lever sensor" is just another name for the Transmission Range Sensor (because the range sensor would be on the manual shaft, which includes the manual lever).

I would never expect a car to be the same again after sitting in water. But I do have one question. Have you let it go through a full drive cycle? Depending on how you drive, the PCM will adapt it's strategies (including shift points). So, it might not have adapted back to your driving habits yet.

 

The "manual lever sensor" is just another name for the Transmission Range Sensor (because the range sensor would be on the manual shaft, which includes the manual lever).

I would never expect a car to be the same again after sitting in water. But I do have one question. Have you let it go through a full drive cycle? Depending on how you drive, the PCM will adapt it's strategies (including shift points). So, it might not have adapted back to your driving habits yet.
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What do you call a drive cycle? I haven't driven it more than 45 milesl max.

 

A drive cycle just puts it though all of it's paces. Do some stop and go driving, some highway driving, low speed around town, etc. Just drive it the way you normally would in different driving conditions and get it up to operating temperature. The adaptive strategy should match the shift points with your driving habits.

A drive cycle will also get all the readiness monitors to finish.

 

2400-2500 rpms is not too high for shifting under normal conditions. If anything, that's a bit low, unless you're really light on the throttle. But as Mr X says, drive it a while. It takes some time for the PCM to relearn everything after it's been cleared. Drive it for a couple weeks and see how it gets.

And it's technically called the Manual Lever Position Sensor, not manual lever sensor (or as someone said, the Transmission Range Sensor).

 

Thank you all for the feedback. Does anyone have a Ford guide as to shift range in rpm's? I'll probably pick the car up this week and will drive it for a few days. It just doesn't sound right to me - it sounds like the engine is reving too high and it doesn't have any coast ability. Oh my...just want it to run right...Thanks

 

Was the PCM changed? The difference between engines would require a different PCM. This PCM would also be calibrated to a different transmission.

Assuming you had a Vulcan and a AX4S, then put in a Duratec you would have to have a Duratec PCM which was matched to a AX4S. AFAIK most Duratecs came with the AX4N. The year also makes a difference as the earlier AX4Ns had different final drive ratios.

 

Was the PCM changed? The difference between engines would require a different PCM. This PCM would also be calibrated to a different transmission.

Assuming you had a Vulcan and a AX4S, then put in a Duratec you would have to have a Duratec PCM which was matched to a AX4S. AFAIK most Duratecs came with the AX4N. The year also makes a difference as the earlier AX4Ns had different final drive ratios.
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The didn't take out a vulcan and put in a tec, believe me. I did that on mine, and it's a pain in the ass, and a lot of time and money. They swapped the same engine back in. The PCM shouldn't have been an issue, but if she hasn't driven the car enough for it to relearn all the shift points, fuel trims, etc, then she needs to drive for a while first to allow that to happen, before thinking there's something wrong.

As far as a chart of shift points, the tranny will shift at a wide range of road speeds and engine rpms based on the driving conditions - ie easy driving, hard driving, wide open throttle, a/c on or off, high load, etc. Just drive it for a week or so and see how it gets.

 

Thanks - ok - I'm going to pick it up and drive it - will check year model/ engine in Sable, also. I usually soft pedal and run the a/c - but that's not working. I really want to get my car fixed up so I really appreciate the input - I can't afford to replace the transmission right now and I sure hate getting the old one back - but it was shifting fine at 238,000 original miles... Thanks again

 

I can make my car shift at 2000RPM, but that's being pretty light on the throttle. At a "normal" acceleration, my vulcan will shift about 2300-2500RPM. I have the AX4N tranny as well. Also at 60MPH, my tach is at about 2200RPM.

 

When I first picked it up the rpm's and odometer were off - they got that fixed. It steered very hard and they told me the rack and oinion needed changing - had that done. [/b]

did they swap instrument clusters? if so, then the clusters might be of a few hundred rpms each. the factory gages are not known for being accurate.

 

Hello again - No, I don't think they swapped the instrument cluster. I think they did the least they had to. I'm afraid of is hurting the other engine by driving it... This little Taurus was a great car - I bought it new and it was never abused. I ran synthetic oil in it - changed the fluids etc - replaced batteries - brakes and had the ac fixed twice. The ony thing that was wrong with it was the dome light - it wouldn't work off the panel - but you could flip it on/off overhead; and the windshiled wipers were sometimes slow to respond - but it was a high mileage car 238,000. I had planned on fixing it up - tinting the windows - getting some new tires - etc - now I don't know what to do? It used to get about 25mpg, too! I have next week off so I think I'll pick it up over the weekend - look at the Sable Vin - drive it for a little and check it out again. Seems from the forum here that some of the engines are being driven at higher rpm's. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

You're not going to hurt it by driving it. You need to drive it a while to let it relearn all the fuel/shift/timing/etc strategies that the PCM develops over time. Whenever the PCM is cleared out, it defaults back to factory settings for everything, and starts the learned process all over again. It's what's called an adaptive strategy, as it can compensate (to a point) to both your driving style and the condition of the engine and sensors (worn parts, etc).

 

Well I drove my Taurus for 55 miles today - the guy at the garage told me he already junked the Sable and he'll get a VIN number but I doubt it - and it seems to me that the care is stuck without a top gear - guess I'm crazy! I drove 70mph at 2500 rpm's - like that was not the top gear - is there an overdrive or something that I'm missing? Maybe I'm just so used to driving my pickup with a big v-8. Then I read in the forum where icd swapped out engine and transmission from a Sable 9.13.08 9:25 am posting - and he had the issue of no overdrive? When I got back to the house, the overflow started leaking and I had no turn signals ...guess this car is going to need other fix ups. It drove out pretty good, though, pretty smooth.

 

70 @ 2500rpm sounds about where my Taurus runs, but I have a different engine, different gearing ratio (3.98), and different engine.

 

your rpms are fine. thats normal range for 70mph.

 

Did nobody catch that she has no coast ability? Sounds as though it is not shifting into overdrive, or that something is actually wrong..

 

It's definitely got overdrive. I usually run around 70MPH on the highway and my engine speed is right around 2500RPM (and that is with TCC lockup). If there was no overdrive, it would be running at at least 3 grand at 70MPH, maybe a little more even.

 

I agree 2500 @ 70 mph is normal. The TC lock/unlock difference would be about 300 rpm.

 

3rd gear would yield 4k+ RPMs at 70MPH.
Overdrive is working.

 

Your car sounds to be running fine. As I stated before, at 60MPH you should be looking at 2200RPM. So at 70MPH your reving normal.