I have a 98 contour SE v6 automatic. Yesterday I was driving and it started slipping, but not much. Got home shut car off and smelled tranny fluid. this morning I looked under car and lord behold shes leakin'.Can't tell where from though. Love car but hate automatic trannies.

yes the fix was to service transmission, and an additive. However you may have clutches in the converter gone. Greg

I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 91 THUNDERBIRD 3.8 NOT SUPERCHARGED. MY TRANNY DOESN'T SHIFT BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND, IT WILL GO INTO NUETRAL AND THEN JERK INTO 2ND. AFTER THAT IT WORKS FINE. ANYBODY HAVE AN IDEA Y.

You don't say how many miles on the transmission, or when last it was serviced. It could be a clogged filter. It could also be that the bands are out of adjustment. How is the transmission when it down shifts? Have you installed a transmission cooler? If not, it would be a good idea. The mechanical AOD does tend to run a bit warm, and the cooler helps them last a LONG time. We managed to get 350,000 miles out of one in a 351 equipped Grand Marquis. That one is the only one to fail yet. The others have been going fine at 200,000 miles with no problem. If it turns out that the transmission needs a rebuild, see if you can get a 351/trailer towing transmission from a Grand Marquis or Crown Vic. Ford didn't advertise it, but the trailer towing package transmissions work differently, and feel very different from the standard ones. Also, the 351 version is a heavier duty unit. With the torque of a 3.8, I bet you could get half a million miles out of one without any problem. Hope this helps. Michael. >

thanks for the for the tips. i recenty changed the fluid and filter but i am unsure of the miles on the tranny. it downshifts normal most of the time. benchmark transmission told me that the bands only get adjusted once and thats it. anyway will the 351 tranny bolt up to my stock location and what transmission is it(like turbo 400 iknow thats a chevy tranny).

As far as I know, all the AOD transmissions use the same case, so there should be no problem changing to the 351 trailer towing transmission. The only thing I would be sure to transfer to the new transmission is the tail shaft, so that the speedometer drive stays the same. I thought of something else the other day, though. Check that the gear ratios for 1st and 2nd are similar. They don't need to be exactly the same, but if there is a big difference, it could affect performance. As for the band adjustment, nothing I've read or heard suggests that they can only be adjusted once in the life of the transmission. There may be adjustment left available. I would check with your local Ford dealer to see who they use for transmission work. That would be your best bet for finding someone familiar with the AOD. It certainly seems to have its own foibles. As for what GM transmissions the various Ford units might compare to, my best guess would be: C-4 is about a Turbo 350 (for comperable engine size). C-6 is about a Turbo 400. The 6 cyl. version of the AOD would be about the same as a 6 cyl. 700R4. The 351 Trailer Towing AOD would most likely be about equivalent to the heavy duty version of the 700R4, which had a different name. There is a VERY heavy duty version of the AOD, based on the C-6 three speed, but with overdrive added. This was used in 1 ton trucks behind a 460c.i. V-8. It is not the most frugal of transmissions, because strength and durability were the main goals. It uses a lot of energy just to make it spin. It is, however, virtually unbreakable. Just a bit slow. One other thing to check on the transmission you have is the adjustment of the kick down cable. If it is out be just a tiny amount, the 1-2 shift can go wonky sometimes. One place to check for sure is the grommet where the kick down cable meets the throttle linkage. That grommet dries out with age, and the cable can bind, work loose, or even fall right out. That just happened yesterday on my '92 Crown Vic. At first I thought the transmission had gone completely. A 50 cent part from the local parts store fixed it perfectly. Hope this helps. Michael. >

thatnks again for the information you seem to know your shit. i know some stuff but im not to keen on transmissions. il check out the kickdown cable and hope it helps.

Good luck with the kick down cable. Hope I've been able to help. I learned all this from working on nothing but full sized Fords since 1989, when I bought a 351, trailer towing package Grand Marquis new. I've also had 78 and 79 T-Birds that were stock, plus my brother had a 79 T-Bird that we put an 86 Grand Marquis 351/AOD into. That is the combo that went past 600,000 km. We have no way of knowing how many miles the car had on it. The engine is still going, and now on its third car. We learned by doing. That is also the car that got us 40 mpg (Imperial gallons, that is). Right now, I'm fixing up my '79 Bird. I have to find a 79 dated 351 that I can rebuild to the '89 spec. That will allow me to bypass emission testing here in Ontario. Nothing quite like a big car that can embarass the Cameros and Firebirds. Both in a straight line and in the corners. Good luck with your T-Bird. If I can help, just let me know. Michael. >

i got a question about hooking up a tranny cooler, should i totally bypass the the radiator or hook it up after it goes through the rdiatior? and what size cooler should i purchase, are there any kits avaiable for 91 3.8 tbird?

Hi. The transmission cooler should go in line with the radiator cooler still in place. Cut the return line from the radiator to the transmission. Double clamp the rubber hose on the stub end from the radiator and run it to the cooler. Run the other hose from the cooler to the remaider of the steel line to the transmission. Double clamp this connection as well. For the cooler itself, I would get the B&M cooler and follow the instructions. I would also get the heaviest duty unit they make. I believe there is a thermostat kit you can add to make sure that the unit allows the transmission to come up to operating temperatures. I would also use full synthetic transmission fluid. It is more resistant to wear and heat. The B&M kits are universal fit, so you don't need one specific to the 3.8. There is also very little difference in price between the various sizes of coolers, so might as well go for the largest. A little extra capacity never hurts. Hope this helps. Michael. >