well i just got my car and it was running fine but now it wont shift. I dont know much about transmissions and i dont know what the problem is? I put it in drive and it is first but then it wont shift to second, the only way i can make it shift is to manually put it in D2. i dont have much money at all, only 450 dollars and transmissions are VERY expensive. what do yall suggest. its a 72 mav with V8 and C4 column shift.. oh and 58 thousand miles on it. thanks for the help.
check your vaccum line to the transmission mudulator should run from the manifold to a hard line back to the rear of your transmission..That would be the first place I would look.. If it is a vaccum leak it will shift into second but it would take alot more rpms to build the pressure and then it would slam into second.. My car would not go into second until 3000-3500 rpms when my vaccum line disconnected the other day.....But I recoginzed it right away and fixed the problem on the side of the road with a new piece of vaccum line.....
if that dosen't work you may have to change out the modulator. also if you've got a chiltons manual i believe it shows you how to adjust the bands. next, imo, is a checkup at the tranny shop.
so i was driving it from highschool and then it shifted fine exept once i had to put it in manualy, but yall were right it does shift but at a high rpm ..........so i was looking for the vacume line and i think i found it, it is a metal (copper maybe) pipe that goes from the intake manifold to the transmission and there are two of them going parallel? edit: what does the modulator look like and what does it do ?
The modulator uses engine vacuum to determine where to shift. That is surely your problem. When the mod is clogged, not hooked up, or maladjusted, your tranny will not want to shift unless you force it with high rpms or manual shifting. The modulator is on the back of the tranny... only place a vacuum hose goes on the tranny. Edit: Is your engine smoking? Have you checked your tranny fluid level? If the modulator valve itself is ruptured, your engine can be sucking in tranny fluid as well as having shift trouble!
well thats great news that yall are confedent that the problem is the modulator and vacume. thanks a lot i was soo worried and anxious, NIGHTMARES. but if its not that i will tell yall thanks so much guys. and no the engine has not smoked or anything, yes i have checked the fluid level but its dirty and i might add an additive to help it.
change that fluid... additives do just that...they add stuff. you dont need stuff... you need to start fresh. filter kit is like 9 bucks, and has all you need , gasket and etc.
first thing i always tell my 2 sons when they buy a vehicle...GET A REPAIR MANUAL.craig selvy, and others can help you in that dept. any how, back to the filter/fluid change.go to the local auto parts store. dont know what you have as far as they go around you. tell em you need a filter kit for a '72 c-4 ford. they should give you a box with a gasket and a filter in it. and get some trans fluid as well. any knowledgeable clerk will do.. is there such a thing anymore?, any ways, changin the fluid and filter is easy. MAKE SURE THE CAR IS NOT HOT... put something like a wedge behind a rear wheel, jack up the front of the car, and support it on jackstands(also available at the parts store should you find you dont have any) the pan under the trans is held on by 7/16 bolts. place a suitable drain pan( see parts store) under the pan. loosen all the bolts a tad. then remove the rear bolts every other one till all the back half are out. then loosen the front ones as well, you will see the pan start tilting, and fluid draining. no hurry here, take your time.go have a soda or something while its draining. now there will be some fluid remaining in the pan, so take care when removing the final bolts. once the pan is off, the filter is easily accessed. remove it and make sure the one you have matches, as well as the gasket for the pan. clean the pan and set it aside. replace the filter, and lightly apply some r.t.v.(gasket sealer) to the clean pan surface. now set the gasket on the pan, aligning the holes. allow to sit for about 5 minutes. then apply another light coat of r.t.v. to the gasket on the top side. align the pan to the trans and insert bolts in the 4 corners. just get them started. now you can install all the other bolts, just starting them, so they thread. tighten them all finger tight, and rotate around the pan, skipping every other bolt untill they are all snug. take your time(unless you like to lie on your back and repeat what you've just done) when all the bolts feel firmly tightened, not cranked in, just tight.after you get the car back on a level surface refill the trans. i hope that helps, i dont know what knowledge you have about cars, but that style worked with my 2 sons, and they havent ruined anything yet. best of luck.... oh, and by the way, its half as hard as my long winded directions make it sound.
well im 16 years old so i dont know much about transmissions but wow that helped a lot thanks soo much for getting out of your way to help me. and ive tried to get a manual but i couldnt find one but i will look more on the forum. all i have is two books on the ford small block but nothing about transmissions and not that much about electrical either. thank you guys soo much. I LOVE THIS FORUM!!.
craig selvy might have a manual, as i stated before. if not, place a post in the parts wanted section for one. knowledge is power, always research your projects, and you will find the results are a lot more admirable, and rewarding. have fun.
When you change your tranny fluid use type "F" if you can find it, otherwise use Mercon V. Those are the only two oils that I would recommend. Mercon V is the better of the two but it is expensive so use the type "F" if you can. Change it at each 24000 miles and adjust the bands at the same time. You will need an inch pound torque wrench (0-150 inch pounds maximum) tighten the adjusting screws to 120 inch pounds and back the front one out 1 1/2 turns and the back one 3 turns. Don't adjust your modulator without a pressure gauge to check the pressures. You can damage the modulator or the transmission if you just randomly adjust it. (for those of you who have adjusted yours - think about what happens if it has been adjusted to the maximum before now. He has no way to know what has been done to it.)
