95 taurus 3.0 AX4N problem

[bigdogchris]

I have a 95 Taurus with a 3.0 and AX4N tranny. It's got 225k miles and is still in beautiful running condition except for one thing.

I'm getting an odd shifting problem. When the car is cool, I can go out and start it up and take off driving and it will shift just fine through all the gears. Once I'm driving for 5-10 minutes, and the car is warmed up, when I start accelerating again, between shift 1-2, it shifts very hard.

Now, my front engine cradle absorbers are bad and the cradle is banging around a little which is getting fixed this weekend (my rear bushings where covered by the recall) But the thing is, if that was what is causing the problem, how come it doesn't do it when the car is been sitting for several hours. This isn't a, sometimes deal, it's an all the time, everytime the car sits overnight it shifts fine and once it's warm it shifts hard from 1-2.

I've ran some sea foam through it and had it flushed and it didn't help anything. Anyone have any suggestions as to why the heat is causing this problem? Should I switch ATF to synthetic and reflush?

[TaurusKing]

Any codes??? Original trans??? 225k, serious long life,,Any codes??? Trans issues will not necessarily set the check-engine light,,,mine didn't,,, When your car is first started, depending on temperature factors,same as your engine does, your trans uses a cold shift program until the trans temp has come up to where the sensor starts outputting info.. it shifts differently when cold, the shifts are usually quicker, no lockup.. if you're banging between shifts, could be a multitude of things,, check for the codes in the hard memory... I've just had my trans, 94 3.0 68k ax4s redone, am picking it up tomorrow, there goes my tax return... had all too familiar broken piston and a couple of other parts including the trans mounts which broke from the initial harsh engagement from park to forward ranges. first trans that's ever failed me, hope it's the last,, my son's 93 ax4s still going at 130k+ miles,, also have 99 duratec with ax4n, still going along..

[bigdogchris]

No engine codes. As for original Tranny, no clue, I bought the car with about 180k miles on it, was clunking around even then.

Would it be possible that the sensor's after the tranny is warmed up is bad. Sinse it runs just fine when cold wouldn't that lead us to believe the tranny itself is running fine?

[wafrederick]

You made a huge mistake,the transmission flush.Dirt probally got into the valve body and the valves inside the valve body are sticking.That is what happens during a transmission flush and the transmission has to be replaced.I have replaced one transmission because it was flushed.

[bigdogchris]

It was sticking badly before I flushed it. Same after as before.

[TaurusKing]

In my case, dealing with the ax4s, no, the trans was still going bad even though it seemed fine when cold,, when warm, weirdness with shift patterns, sometimes missed shifts, harsh initial engagements,like I posted, it broke it's own trans mounts. I think eventually yours is going to have to come out of the car.. As the other poster wrote, it could be sticky 1-2 shift valves, pump problem springs, check balls, all kinds of parts,, I'll find out tomorrow exactly what parts failed in mine.

[bigdogchris]

Something else that might be usefull to know. When i'm driving (while it's warm), if I let off the gas right as the tranny goes to shift, there is no clunking. It only happens if I keep my foot on the accelerator while it shifts. Shifting from 2-3 and 3-4 is fine through acceleration.

[TaurusKing]

Got my car back yesterday, shifts like a dream, hopefully it's not and this one will last.. several parts were broken in one of the clutches, I think they were splined plates??? Also the piston piece initially thought to be a major player that creates so many problems was a little iffy, but trans guy said in and of itself was not the overriding cause of failure, broken and bent clutch pieces did it in,, took it in to get 4 wheel alignment, I guess some front end parts have to be moved around, trans guy said it may not be perfect, but close... steering wheel was a touch off-center, I can't stand that, it's gotta feel right,, took it to local Ford dealer, they have the best front-end guy around imo, been there for years,,came out just like I like it.. one time I took my car in for alignment, I'm sitting there waiting, guy comes in to tell me car is perfect, doesn't even need any further work, charged me 10 dollars only, I paid 85 dollars this trip which might be more then usual, haven't checked local tire shops which I would never use, get tired of hearing how my car needs all these new lifetime guaranteed parts or the frame's gonna fall out stories, never fails.. I buy my tires then leave and never go back until new tires are needed, no lifetime balance, rotation, no nothing.. my return experiences with these stores with lifetime balance and rotation deals just have not been good.. last time I had one of the lifetime balance deals, took it in, guy's trying to tell me I need an outer tie-rod end with a lifetime replacement for 175 dollars.. told him take my car off the lift I gotta get out of here, never went back to that place for anything, now I'm sure I'll get flamed for my tire store dealings, unfortunately it's been my experience, doesn't matter which place I've been to, however I just bought 4 new tires for my 99, got them at Walmart, first time buying tires there, no problems at all, even though lifetime balance and rotation are included in the price, I got those Viva2 tires made by Goodyear specifically for Walmart, pleasantly surprised how well they worked in the snow here, seem to be not all around too bad, maybe someday I'll relate the worst experience of hard sell I've ever had, which I actually got myself into when I thought I'd be slick and save 20 dollars on a set of installed front struts,, geez a little off the topic huh???