slipping problem...

[miklin]

I have a 01 Taurus SE. Had it for a few years w/o no problems. For about a month or two now I noticed that when I drive it feels like it is slipping. I had a friend who works in a shop hook it up to a machine and it found no problems w/it. I did replace the plugs & wires and for about 1 day it drove great. I have not checked the tranny fluid since I bought it and will do so later today. What else could I check to find out this problem? I'm hoping its not the tranny. Thanks , Mike.

[shorod]

Did the scan tool that your friend used have the software to access the transmission computer? If so, he should be able to get into the transmission datastream and monitor the input and output shaft speed sensors. This would help you determine if it's actually slipping or if it's something else.

-Rod

[miklin]

Sorry I haven't gotten back sooner. He said the test didn't show anything wrong with it. Also my wife added some fuel cleaner to the gas and after a day or so it quit slipping. So, I guess I might of had some water in my gas.

[mwt47]

The Taurus has always had a "finicky" transmission to put it politely.

You just said it feels like it is slipping.
You also said you have had it a few years but have never checked the transmission fluid.

Routine maintenance is the only thing that will keep these transmissions alive for a long time.




Mike

[tripletdaddy]

Mike,
You said, Routine maintenance is the only thing that will keep these transmissions alive for a long time.

You also posted about all your long lasting Tauri.
What do you do and recommend for transmission maintenance, frequency, etc,. since your record speaks for itself.
Thanks

[mwt47]

The Transmissions that Ford has built for these FWD cars has never been a very strong one.

The aluminum piston in the original ones was a major headache for Ford.
They also do not like heat.

Every Taurus I have owned I have added an Aftermarket transmission cooler and an after market Remote spin on filter. On the remote filter I then added a filtermag.

You can google the word filtermag and see what it does.

Changing the fluid every 30K miles is the other thing.
Personally I have always used Mobil 1 and now it is Mercon V rated so you can use it in the newer ones. Before it was rated as Mercon V I added a bottle of stuff that supposedly made it Mercon V compatible.


Most Taurus have two tubes running across the lower radiator.
One is the PS cooler and One is the Transmission Cooler.

This is where people sometimes get confused.
On some models the finned one is the transmission cooler and on some models it is vice versa.

It doesnt matter. Take one off and if you don't have any power steering fluid left in the resovoir you took off the PS cooler. But that is also good because you needed to change the fluid anyway.


You just take the line off the drivers side and route it to one side of the cooler and then run a line back back to the factory cooler. Mounting it to the radiator isn't the easiest job due to accessabilit but it is too hard.

As stated I always added a remote spin on so just put that in the loop when you are installing the cooler.

A complete fluid swap is critical .Not just dropping the pan and changing the filter. That only gets about half the fluid.

The correct way is to unhook the drivers side line off the cooler and run a line to a bucket.

Start the car and run it until it quits pumping fluid.
At this point drop the pan and drain it and change the filter.

put the pan back on and add 4 to 5 quarts of new fluid and start it back up.

Let it run until new fluid comes out the end of the hose and shut it down.

Connect the line back, start the car and add approximately 6-7 more quarts at a slow rate so it doesnt just belch back out.

Then start checking the level until it is correct.

This is not a Power flush it is just a complete fluid exchange.

You need about 12-13 qts of fluid to make sure you get all the old fluid out.

I didn't invent this I read it online and have been doing it for a long time.

Hope it helps.

Mike