[KingTriEye]

Good day all. Recently I have had a load of bad luck. First i get robbed, then my taurus gets broken into (bastards got the stereo and amp

luckily didn't see the trunk release and left me my subs) and then most recently the transmission went. The garage said it may have something to do with the fact the tranny fluid had never been changed and by me having it changed at 105000 miles, it could have caused the problem. Does anyone agree with that? Anyway, the question i have is do you feel it's worth it to replace the transmission, or should i just say screw it and look for another car? The transmission is gonna run me from $2500-$3500 and the car/engine has 107,000 miles on it. Oh yeah, one more thing has this happened to anyone else with a 97 GL or do i just have some really crapy luck?

 

[hueystloui]

I had a 95 GL, but with the AX4N tranny - I went to 183k miles with it and it finally went after I did a fluid change on it. I was always told by many people that if you do not change fluid regularly, don't do it with so many miles. With so many miles and a few other items going on the car, I decided to get rid of it and get a newer Taurus. I've been very happy with my decision.

 

[fanofelliottmjb]

I have a 97 GL with 93,000 on it and I haven't changed the fluid and I'm starting to have trouble with the transmission. I'm trying to save it by switching out the fluid a portion at a time but it doesn't look like I'm going to be sucessful. Anyway, Do you really like the car? If you did fix the transmission are you satisfied with the car enough to get your moneys worth out of it? I'm looking at buying another car and Kelly blue book trade in is only $1,800 for mine.

When my tranny goes I'm fixing it and putting another 100,000 on it.

Just some things to think about.

Monte

 

[XLSuruaT]

You should always change the fluid at the 30k interval. Personally, I think a 25k interval is better just to be on the safe side. The only time is not recommended to replace the fluid is when you have old fluid in the trans and that the metal particles floating around are helping the clutches grab. With proper maintainance, you shouldn't even have to worry about this.

 

[Rockledge]

IMO, if your tranny problems were accentuated by a fluid change, then the tranny was pretty much toast to begin with. If you hadn't changed the fluid, the tranny would have failed, regardless. Whether or not you could have gotten a few more thousand miles out of it by not changing the fluid is anyone's guess.

XLSuruaT's point is a good one ...aside from a light foot, regular fluid changes are the best thing that the average Joe can do for his tranny. Unfortunately, many of us pick up our rides used, so we don't have any control in how the car was maintained before we got it.

$2500-$3500 seems a bit on the high side for a rebuild, at least around my area. If you do get it rebuilt, go with a Trans Go shift kit and think about installing a seperate filter and cooler.

 

[KingTriEye]

Another thing I heard is that the transmission's on the 97 GL's were supposedly bad, or known for dying as the mechanic said. However, I did decide to go with a reman. transmission for about $2500. A little expensive, but as of now i don't have the time to look for another car and I've gone 2 weeks without one as it is. Thanks for all your input guys and let me know if anyone has heard anything about 97' transmissions.

 

[XLSuruaT]

Originally posted by KingTriEye@Mar 1 2004, 11:07 AM
Another thing I heard is that the transmission's on the 97 GL's were supposedly bad, or known for dying as the mechanic said.

Its not only 97's. Practically all years of taurus suffer this, the newer (~00) ones seem to be holding up. Go to any trans shop and ask them how many fords they see in there a week.

 

[mikehawk]

My 97 has 126k miles and it's still good.

 

[tmonster]

transmission at junkyard = $75 *looks at odometer....134,800 hmmm
maybe I should stock up? What years carried the AX4N, thats whats on my '96 duratec. theres 2 96 vulcans and i think 2 '97 vulcans...would they have AX4S's? mind you that 2 of the cars only have 76k.....Would the AX4S be okay on the duratec?

 

[sixfofalcon]

Originally posted by tmonster@Mar 1 2004, 03:59 PM
transmission at junkyard = $75  *looks at odometer....134,800 hmmm
maybe I should stock up? What years carried the AX4N, thats whats on my '96 duratec. theres 2 96 vulcans and i think 2 '97 vulcans...would they have AX4S's? mind you that 2 of the cars only have 76k.....Would the AX4S be okay on the duratec?

The AX4S is regarded by many as a weaker design than the AX4N. The AX4N is found on the Duratec and SHO models, while the Vulcan came with the AX4S most of the time. I have a 95 with a Vulcan and the AX4N. I know I am not the only one with a Vulcan and an AX4N, but most of the Vulcans from 95-on came with the AX4S.

 

[tmonster]

I guess for $75 compared to the $2500 I could still settle for the AX4S...maybe I'll get lucky

 

[KingTriEye]

I suppose I should have looked at a junkyard first.... could have saved myself $2425.00

Turns out though I may have a lawsuit over this whole problem... perhaps it's time for a new car

. Then again, maybe it's time for a blown 97 Taurus GL? It could be the craziest GL with 550 hp and 600 lbs/ft of torque LOL!

 

[tmonster]

Then you would need to start a collection of trannys in your back yard....closet....bathtub....attic....lol

 

[tmonster]

I have faith in my tranny...Out of the 30+ Ford vehicals in the family we've had 2 toasted trannys...One was on a project mustang...and that was just an oopsie. and then the aerostar bit the tranny at 150k....after we towed the oppsied mustang...lol I just figured I'd grab a backup..I mean hell $75 bucks....g/f's dad would do the labor for me...Nuthing wrong with being safe....I could have a "reliable" Honda and wouldnt mind a backup part here and there...

 

[Rockledge]

I believe the "newer" AXODE/AX4S trannies like the one that came in your '97, i.e., those that have the steel piston design (as opposed to the older aluminum pistons), are really not that far behind similar-year AX4N trannies in terms of durability. It's the older AXODE/AX4S trannies that are the real weaklings.

 

[Sticky]

Look in your local paper; there's places that will do it for less than most places, but it might be a rebuild. There's a place here that takes your Tranny and replaces it with a rebuilt one, and then rebuilds yours to sell to another car.

 

[97vulcan]

I have a 97 GL, and I looked under the car and the Trans. Pan says AX4N. Is that rare for a vulcan? or even a post 95? What makes that Trans. better than the AX4S?

Thanks

adam.


PS: When I look by my radiator, I see a tube with fins, and then below it, a tube with no fins. What's what??

 

[majisto]

Originally posted by XLSuruaT+Mar 1 2004, 02:58 PM-->QUOTE (XLSuruaT @ Mar 1 2004, 02:58 PM)

<!--QuoteBegin-KingTriEye

@Mar 1 2004, 11:07 AM
Another thing I heard is that the transmission's on the 97 GL's were supposedly bad, or known for dying as the mechanic said.

Its not only 97's. Practically all years of taurus suffer this, the newer (~00) ones seem to be holding up. Go to any trans shop and ask them how many fords they see in there a week. [/b]

About as many as any other car-maker compared to the # of cars on the road.

I have seen quite a few Hondas actually in a transmission shop I drove by once. They were fairly late model as well. *shrugs* Goes to show you that any car will have trans-axle problems. I have a friend whose Camry junked out a transmission AND engine about the same time. He also had to keep his window down since his door handle broken inside.

 

[bull geek]

Originally posted by Majisto+Mar 2 2004, 06:51 PM-->QUOTE (Majisto @ Mar 2 2004, 06:51 PM)

Originally posted by [email protected] 1 2004, 02:58 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-KingTriEye

@Mar 1 2004, 11:07 AM
Another thing I heard is that the transmission's on the 97 GL's were supposedly bad, or known for dying as the mechanic said.

Its not only 97's. Practically all years of taurus suffer this, the newer (~00) ones seem to be holding up. Go to any trans shop and ask them how many fords they see in there a week.

About as many as any other car-maker compared to the # of cars on the road.

I have seen quite a few Hondas actually in a transmission shop I drove by once. They were fairly late model as well. *shrugs* Goes to show you that any car will have trans-axle problems. I have a friend whose Camry junked out a transmission AND engine about the same time. He also had to keep his window down since his door handle broken inside.

[/b]

Quality Japanese products!

 

[KingTriEye]

Well I finally got the car back. Aparently this isn't the first time the transmission had been replaced, and whoever did it the last time, really did a crappy job. However, I am very glad to have the car back

Now onto the next problem. The power steering whines a lot more than it used to. I checked the fluid and it's fine. I probably should make a new post, but it just seems a lot easier this way. Anyway, does anyone have any ideas as how to fix it?