[camaroguy_1967]

I got a question about 1994 Thunder-bird SC transmission. My nephew bought the car and found out it has some trans problems. I have not drive or seen the car. Does this car have typical problems with the transmission? I may buy the car from him, I have always liked the body style.

 

[MI2600]

My son has three of them, of various years. I believe the standard transmissions are fairly rugged. I don't know much about the automatics.

I do know (from experience) that they are a joy to get out. The driveshaft is routed over the gas tank, so before you can get to it you have to remove the exhaust system and the gas tank.

 

[camaroguy_1967]

1994 Thounder bird SC transmission trouble

Hey thanks MI2600,

I have not driven it yet I am still deployed but my dad looked at it and loved the car. It will be another toy. May sell one of my other cars or just keep them all. I am a pack rat. Look forward to pulling the tranny.

 

[Crosley]

in the past we have been able to disassemble the U joint and pull the drive shaft with out removal of the fuel tank

 

[MI2600]

Good tip, Crosley.

 

[Max Keith]

94 T-bird

My daily driver is a 94 T-bird with the standard 3.8 V-6. Its a great car. I had to have my trans remanufactured in 03, but that was due to some lack of maintainance by the previous owner. I also dropped in a new short block. Aftermarket, performance versions of that tranny are available for about $1600.

Something to consider rather than going through the old one. They are a pretty gutsy tranny though.

BTW, I put a jet computer chip and K&N air filter on my 3.8, and it made enough difference, I could feel it in the seat of the pants.
Probably picked up 20 HP with those two mods. The computer chip also raised the shift points when running WOT in OD. It even shifts into OD at WOT, at about 4200 RPM, or with my car, at 102 MPH.

The shift point went from 4400 rpm to 4700 rpm in all gear shifts.

 

[camaroguy_1967]

That does sound like a good idea with the u-joint. Thanks Crosley.

Max, was that an automatic? This one is a 5 speed manual.

Thank you all for the input. Makes me feel even better about my wife buying the car for me while I am gone.

 

[Max Keith]

T-bird

Sorry about that, mines an automatic. You will probably get better fuel mileage than I do, running a 5 speed. I get about 28 cruising on freeways at 70-75. Gets almost 30 at 65.

 

[camaroguy_1967]

Hey, I am back from the desert and I finally got to look at the car. My wife saw the shifter on the console and assumed it was a manual. It is an automatic. here is what it is doing.

Will go into reverse and is very strong. Will not always go into forward gears. I can feel it trying to engage but it will not. Had the engine rev-ed up to around 2800 rpm and the trans caught first gear. Was not expecting it and thank God I was on a unoccupied part of the neighborhood. That thing launched and smoked the tires. I nearly wet the seat. I drove it around for and hour, stop and go. It would shift through all the gears and down shift manually. Very strong transmission. I was about a mile from the house stopped put it in part got out checked trans fluid, it was good. Got back in put in gear nothing, had to walk home get the truck and my wife to pull car home.

What would cause this? I had the trans guy put the computer on the tester and all the electronics and sensors for the engine and transmission are working.

 

[Da' Bomb]

Those syptoms usally indicate low fluid level. You checked it and it's ok.....I wonder if the filter has ever been changed...Just a thought

 

[camaroguy_1967]

The trans has been rebuilt before. There is a reman plate on the passenger side can not read it but can see it. The fluid level is good and color is good.

Would a pump going south do the same thing? I am not a transmission guy at all.

If the fluid was low and was driven that way for a long time could that do permanent damage?

My nephew had driven the car for about 4 weeks with it acting that way.

 

[NXS]

I have seen a trans act like that once that was not the pump. It had an aftermarket cooler mounted upside down. It would just barely leak fluid out but when it sat it would suck air allowing the fluid to syphon back to the trans. I tightend the clamp and fixed the problem.
Rare and strange case. Probably not your problem but it seemed to be worth mentioning. Do you have any rubber lines on your car?

 

[camaroguy_1967]

Just an update, I put an extra quart of fluid in the trans and tried it out, no luck. I pulled the trans out, the fuel tank was empty and I just dropped it down far enough to wiggle the drive shaft past the rear end. I thank the Lord I had no problems with rusted bolts or broken bolts. Everything came out good. Ford remanufactored the trans in 97.

The trans guy told me the internals were completely worn out. The bands and rings metal to matal. He went through it replaced the pumps and did all the up grades. Put a shift kit in and all new electronics. I went and picked it up and was so excited it was done I did not look at the torqu converter. Got it home tried to put the converter on and it just would not slide on to the pump. Looked down in the converter and there were three splined rings but my input shaft had 2 splined shafts, wrong converter. Called my trans guy up he said he check but bring it back to him and he will recheck everything.

They sent him the converter for a 1992 trans the 1994 trans has a lock up converter. He reordered the right converter no problems. As soon as I get it in I will let you guys know.

 

[matts94sc]

rear end

my trans when I pulled out the engine I just lossened all of my rear end bolts and left it hang by the axles and pulled it back and it gives you just enough.

 

[matts94sc]

rear end

my trans when I pulled out the engine I just lossened all of my rear end bolts and left it hang by the axles and pulled it back and it gives you just enough. and My friend that had this car before me had put 3 transmissions in it this one that i fried is the 4th. they have some flaws but if you rebuild them alot of money they hold up pretty good alot of people use 4r70w internals they have more clutches. but i cant afford that so im going for c4

 

[Crosley]

Please read the dates on threads you find when a search is performed.

This thread is near 2 years old & dead .