I've got a non MB car question

[jplinville]

My daughter's car is a 1986 Cougar with 3.8l mated to the C5 transmission, and has only 69K miles. She is the second owner.

The transmission was not shifting like it should, and she ignored me when I told her to take it for service. It's shifting hard and late. I took it to the guy that does work for me, a young guy, but does good work. He pulled the pan, and replaced the filter and fluid for me. However, it still shifts like it did when my daughter bought it last year...it shifts late, and occasionally with a bit of a jerk.

My guy said that he thinks it's fine. I'm so confident on that assumption, as I've never had a trans shift like that and still be ok.

He said there are no solenoids in the transmission, which was the first suggestion I came up with. What could be causing this?

When he pulled the pan, there were NO metal bits or such in the fluid or filter...so nothing has gone crunch yet.

[t walgamuth]

Sounds like an adjustment is needed to me.

[TX76513]

A very common problem is the Throttle Valve Diaphram. Make sure the vacuum line is connected and their is vacuum. If you have a vacuum gauge hook up and "goose" the engine and let return to idle. The vacuum should drop; then return to a steady high vacuum.

[INSIDIOUS]

No clue about your particular vehicle, but from that era it was common to have a cable from the trans to the carb/TBI area that made decisions.

[jplinville]

Originally Posted by TX76513

A very common problem is the Throttle Valve Diaphram. Make sure the vacuum line is connected and their is vacuum. If you have a vacuum gauge hook up and "goose" the engine and let return to idle. The vacuum should drop; then return to a steady high vacuum.

I'll get someone to do that check. Hopefully, that's all it is. Thanks!

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS

No clue about your particular vehicle, but from that era it was common to have a cable from the trans to the carb/TBI area that made decisions.

I think you're referring to the TV cable that's on the AOD transmissions. I had one become disconnected on my Lincoln, aiding to the destruction of the transmission. Once you see it's not connected, it's almost too late to hook it back up. The plastic clips are prone to break on them.

[Skippy]

There should be either a throttle cable or a vacuum line to tell the transmission what the engine is doing. Whatever it is, it's probably either disconnected, leaking, or not adjusted correctly. The good news is that hard and late tend to be easier on transmissions than early and mushy.