[SurHaxalot]

hey guys and of course gals, its been a while but the ol' bull is hurt and I'm looking for a fix that hopefully wont leave me looking for a new bull.

So it all started with a hard shift and slipping and progressed to loosing 3rd gear in drive (not overdrive) it just wouldn't shift to 3rd it would get to 2nd and would stay there as if i had downshifted to 1st over 20mph. now that wasn't so bad because if i used overdrive it shifted fine and would shift normally (of course with the usual hard shift from 1st to 2nd).
a couple weeks ago i lost overdrive. in OD it would shift to 3rd and would act like it was in neutral on decel but i got 3rd gear back in drive so this wasn't so bad i guess. but it returned back to its old tricks later that week and i lost 3rd in drive and got overdrive back. Friday night i was driving back from go-carting and i stopped at 7-eleven, when i was back on the road i noticed that it wasn't shifting to 3rd in drive or overdrive. i shifted the lever back and forth with no change at all. so now it has reverse (thank god) and only 1st and 2nd gear. no 2-3 shift.

the fluids are fine bright red, smells normal, no foam.

 

[egiroux]

Is the fluid level correct?

 

[SurHaxalot]

yes sur not over full nor low.

 

[machineop]

Maybe your trouble is in the computer system.

 

[egiroux]

yes sur not over full nor low.

Check the shifter to make sure it's working properly. If it is, it's probably an internal problem.

 

[SurHaxalot]

@egiroux: the shifter seems to shift fine (crisp as usual). could it be the overdrive servo and the intermediate servo.
@machineop: Really? a computer issue?

and its not the TRS i just replaced it tonight.

 

[egiroux]

I was thinking play in the mechanism so it is not fully engaging the proper gear. It sounds like some pressure is not correct in the trans. The control pressure is controlled by the EPC solenoid. However, these solenoids are rather simple devices and don't seem to fail (based on reading these forums). I don't recall anybody changing only a solenoid and fixing a trans problem. You can try searching the forums and see if I missed something. Basically what is left is an internal fluid leak or a stuck/malfunctioning valve in the valve body. You could inspect the electrical connector at the top of the tranny to see if the connections are good. Sometimes oil gets in there, but I don't recall anyone saying it actually caused a problem.

 

[SurHaxalot]

can i replace the valve body without dropping the trans? cause if i drop the trans then i might as well replace it with a junkyard trans while its out. but the main problem i have is that i don't have a safe place to work on it for up to a week. i could probably do a day or two but even then its not level cement like i want, its packed gravel.

according to the Taurus Bible the problem might be a gasket that has shifted but i thought the gasket just sealed the outside edge. does it also seal the individual passageways inside?

 

[mediarocker]

Yes, but accessing the valve body is extremely messy and super difficult. It can be done.

 

[SurHaxalot]

Yes, but accessing the valve body is extremely messy and super difficult. It can be done.

:mellow: hmmm, but im sure less difficult than dropping the trans or replacing

i wonder if that would fix my hard shift issue too B)

 

[SurHaxalot]

can i replace the valve body without dropping the trans? cause if i drop the trans then i might as well replace it with a junkyard trans while its out. but the main problem i have is that i don't have a safe place to work on it for up to a week. i could probably do a day or two but even then its not level cement like i want, its packed gravel.

according to the Taurus Bible the problem might be a gasket that has shifted but i thought the gasket just sealed the outside edge. does it also seal the individual passageways inside?

i guess it does seal the passageways

 

[mediarocker]

:mellow: hmmm, but im sure less difficult than dropping the trans or replacing

i wonder if that would fix my hard shift issue too B)

If you have an engine hoist, replacing the trans is easier than servicing the valve body in the car.

I'd rather service the trans on a bench than in my car. But that's just me.

 

[egiroux]

Here's someone who did it:
http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/98-...rticles/91101-how-i-repaired-ax4n-tranny.html

 

[SurHaxalot]

Here's someone who did it:
http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/98-...rticles/91101-how-i-repaired-ax4n-tranny.html

i have an axod is this similar?

 

[torzer]

If you have an engine hoist, replacing the trans is easier than servicing the valve body in the car.

I'd rather service the trans on a bench than in my car. But that's just me.

The hardest/trickiest part is just to remove the tranny's subframe. the removal/installation of valve body is easy. It took me 2 hours to remove subframe and valve body from the transmission, 1 hour to put it all back. The photo of valve body above is mine.

then use the jack to rise up or lower the transmission to access the bolts of the side pan. And use the jack stands to support the transmission after the valve body is removed. No need to remove the transmission at all.

 

[mediarocker]

^^^^ That right there is what stopped me in my tracks.

 

[SurHaxalot]

yeah its not easy to remove that in a junkyard unless you have a breaker bar and a cheater pipe. and then like me you forget the damn jack so yeah its not easy any way you do it but im sure a valve body replacement will fix my issues.

quick other question will a 3.8 trans bolt up and run without issues?