1990 Shifting problems

[mr_tw]

I have a 1990 Taurus (340,000 km) with the 3.0 OHV motor (non SHO) and I have recently been experincing some odd behavior when it shifts (automoatic) it as if there is a clutch slipping when it shifts (it dosent do it very often usually only once or twice) when it shifts the revs will increase and then drop and then it'll drive fine for the next while, also when i came off the highway recently after a 1.5 hr drive i was coming to a stop and it was as if I had a standard and forgot to put the clutch in the car started to idle really low and nearly died before the tranny corrected itself, and quite a few times it's idled really low and rough after I have stoped at a light, now i know that newer cars have a controller that controls how much the tranny locks down, verying the amount of slippage between the engine and transmission, the shop that I went to said he thought it was more likely a problem with the torque converter because he "thinks" my car dosent have that piticular controller and it just has a selinoid, does anyone here know which my car has and if it has the controller how much would it cost to replace?

Thanks for your time

[mr_tw]

if it is the torque converter does anyone know an approximate cost?? and does anyone know if my tranny has that controller or know a place on the web i could find out?

[Taurus_SHO]

I believe that ur torque converter is staying locked at a light wich means its sticky. (common GM problem) Mabye a can of transmetic or a autotrans shift improover from pepboys or advance.

[mr_tw]

the sticky converter theory dosent really fit, (though I appricate the input) because when I drive and it shifts it slips allot, when it shifts, it takes a few seconds and the revs rise and fall, and it dosent jam into gear it's a smooth transition, but an unwelcome one none the less, and a new problem has arrisen, the torque converter somtimes goes into full lock down, (which makes it feel like it has allot more power) but it seems that somtimes it also shifts when it is completely locked and it really shifts harshnow I'm told that my car uses a selinoid (some words I just can't spell sorry) to controll the converter, so it's always ether locked or not, which means I need to replace ether the selinoid and the converter, or if my car is so equiped the controller that varies the lock down of the torque converter, now i have called a few garages and they weren't sure which one my car was equipped with, and I would like to know what it's going to be before i decide anything, so any help that you can provide is much appricated, thanks again!

[Taurus_SHO]

Ahhh my 95 slips like mad cuase my friend puked the trans on it takes sooooooo long to get to 60 mph.

[mr_tw]

well it's not even that it slips, it's that it slips when it shifts, i can get up to 60 without much trouble, except for the odd shift and the odd full lock down it works fine

[Ironmike215]

if it helps at all, I have a 93 3.0 (non SHO) and the advice given to me (which i just havent been able to afford) is to go get the tranny serviced at aamco or some other tranny shop. The tranny in mine has only slipped a handful of times to date, but also bear in mind that those transmissions arent the best. my cousin has basically the same car (i have a GL wagon, his is just a 92 GL) and wound up doing a tranny at 93k.

As far as finding out what you have for a torque converter / solenoid (which i'm 99% sure is how you spell it btw) call up a ford dealer and talk to a parts guy, he should beable to look that information up for you based on your make, model, etc.

above and beyond that, i wouldnt drive it except to the shop if that's an option for you

[mr_tw]

well seeing how a tranny service is more than i paid for the car ($500) and also considering that my car does have really high milage (335,000 km) i think i'm just going to keep my money in the bank and drive it into the ground, it's not too terribly bad, it's actually quite good untill it gets up to temp, and with winter coming it may do better than i think it will, and hopefully next summer i'll be driving somthing else lol thanks for all your help!