1996 Ford Windstar

[iTurbo]

I'm trying to fix this van for a friend and was looking for some input. She says the van shuddered and hardly had any power going up hills. She though it was the fuel pump, but after driving it I think it's the automatic transmission. It is a 1996 Ford Windstar 3.8L/auto (AXOD).

Being that every car I've ever owned was a turbo Mopar with manual trans, I don't know much about any automatic trans. When I drove it the van would shudder trying to take off from the stop light, then suddenly 'drop' into gear and chirp the tires. Seemed like an intermittent problem...half the time it would take off fine, the other half it would act up. There is very little power going up hills and it takes a lot of throttle encouragement. Seems like it might be slipping as the RPMs go up, but not much happens. It also stalls when coming to a stop. Feels like the van wants to pull against the brakes more than usual at a stop. I was thinking a lockup issue with the torque converter.??

And last, I can't get the dipstick all the way in the trans! It stops about 10" from going all the way in and I've tried wiggling/rotating the stick to get it in with no luck. My plan is to change the fluid and filter for the trans, and go from there. Hopefully I'll be able to see why the stick won't go in (seems to be OEM). Any ideas, please help!:hail:

[black86glhs]

You already stated your pulling the pan, so do the usual look around. The VB is under the side cover, IIRC, so you won't really be able to look at it. Now would be a good time to put some Lucas in it when you do the filter. Make sure you use Dextron in it and not Mercon V. If you already know this, sorry. I've seen many people do it thinking it is better, its not.

[iTurbo]

Well I already bought a case of Mercon V. Every resource I could find said to use it...I thought Dexron was for GMs? Do you think pulling the pan will help determine what is holding up the dipstick? Does the stick go all the way to the bottom of the pan?

[black86glhs]

Yes, pulling the pan will help you see if the DS is too long or if something is in the way. Ford did not start using Mercon V until 1999. As far as I know, I worked at a Lincoln/Mercury dealer, if you put it in a 96 trans, it will burn it up. It is a common thing for people to say to use Mercon V because it is the next step in fluid from Dexron/Mercon.

[iTurbo]

OK thanks for the info. Is there a torque convertor lockup solenoid on this? Are they prone to failure?

I brought the van to Checker Auto yesterday so they could check the codes. I know that there were fault codes for the O2 sensor, but it appears that there are three of them?! Unfortunately the guy erased the codes before I could write anything down so I'm going to drive it a little and have it rechecked.

[iTurbo]

Just took it for another drive again. So far the check engine light still hasn't come back on since the reset. I have determined that the dipstick is indeed too long. I slid it down next to the outside of the tube and the tip would hit the ground before the handle was near the tube opening. Even though I can't check fluid level yet, the fluid looks new and doesn't smell at all. I think if anything it is overfilled. Looks like I gotta head to the junkyard and get a replacement pan (large dent) and the correct dipstick. Any other ideas are very welcome.

The van still wants to stall coming to a stop. It's like trying to stop in 1st gear while only pressing the clutch half way in and the engine bogs and wants to die. That's why I think the torque converter might not be unlocking like it should but I have no idea with autos.

[black86glhs]

EGR can cause a similar type feeling if it is stuck open.

[iTurbo]

OK, I brought back the Mercon V and exchanged it for the regular ol' Mercon. Saved $36! I have changed out the pan (large dent), pan gasket, and filter.

I went to the junkyard to get a dipstick and tube from another 3.8L/auto Windstar. It had the same long dipstick with a plastic T-handle. So I grabbed it thinking that I was all set. So I go to put it in the Windstar I'm working on and I have the same exact problem!!!?? Did the Windstar use a two-piece dipstick tube to provide easier underhood access to the dipstick? It's like the dipstick tube is way too short for the stick, so I must be missing part of the tube. or something?

[black86glhs]

You'de have to try talking to a ford dealer on that one. I'm not one for mixing dipsticks, but one from a Taurus may be similar. I believe they use the same trans.

[iTurbo]

I finally got it all fixed. Sure enough the tube is two pieces. I went to the public library to look in a Mitchell manual and the Ford dealership and neither had any exploded view diagrams of that setup; only the single tube setup that probably went on the Taurus. I even gave them the VIN and they still couldn't find the right one and told me it was obsolete. What a pain, but I did find a local junkyard with all the right parts from a '97 model. All I have to do now is fill it back up with Mercon.

[black86glhs]

Sweet. 2 piece trans dipstick....never would have guessed.:confused:

[WickedShelby88]

Your shudder sounds weird. It does kinda sound like the typical GM TC solenoid issue, but sometimes a shudder and then grab of the trans is major slipping action.. If the fluid doesn't smell burnt thats definitely a good thing. If you can get a hold of ford tech i would.. In the earlier vans like that they almost never set codes. The AXOD is a major f---ing POS IMO. I remember swapping one out in this wagon 4 times before it was right. God that was a nightmare. Worst part was the people were from St. Louis and had to leave the car there to get fixed. My boss ended up getting sued over it. His fault though. I think I must of just been working in the wrong place for too long.

[black86glhs]

Get some Lucas trans additive....this stuff.

[iTurbo]

Thanks guys. When I had the pan off it looked pretty good inside. There was a large magnet but it didn't have very much stuff on it; it may have been cleaned recently...who knows. The fluid looked good (bright red) and didn't smell bad. The filter also didn't look very old. I changed the pan since it was dented, and cleaned the magnet and installed a new filter and pan gasket.

I was never able to check the fluid level before I started working on it because of the dipstick issue. It may have been low or too full. Now that I can verify the correct level hopefully it will run better or at least I'll be able to move on to other possible causes for the stalling/shudder issue.

[WickedShelby88]

That Lucas stuff does work, but usually I'd only use it on a mechanical trans versus one with solenoid shifted valves like the AXOD. There is some stuff out there that comes in a can like sea foam that works good but I can't remember..

[black86glhs]

Also only use half the bottle at a time full bottle seems like too much.

[RoadWarrior222]

Got lucas stuff in the F4-EAT in my Escort, so in that Ford electronic auto it works great.

[WickedShelby88]

I'm glad it worked out for you.. You have the infamous eat tranny.. those are good for eating themselves up. From what I understand that is one of those transmissions you never want to try to rebuild.. Just get a known good one or a FORD certa. Had a probe with that bastage.. Put a certa in and never looked back.

[RoadWarrior222]

Heat and lack of tranny fluid specified service interval is what kills them mostly, a lot just need a solenoid pack swap when they melt it. Usually down to poor engine cooling system maintenance due to "disposable car syndrome" issues in most of the vehicles they were installed in. Lucas helps keep it a tad cooler, and makes it shift nice and firm.

[WickedShelby88]

I had an old 87 olds 88 and the trans shifting funny when warm.. Yeah that Lucas actually kept it going. Wished I would of kept it. For 80 dollars it was an awesome car. I had RX7 syndrome at the time though and sold it to help fund that car.. Dumb move on my part.

[iTurbo]

They brought the van back to me to fix again since changing the trans filter, fluid, and getting the right fluid level helped, but didn't fix it. I found the stalling was due to the vacuum lines going to the plenum valves were wrong, so they were stuck open and causing the stalling. Then I had the codes checked and there were about 10 fault codes; 2 for the plenum valves being stuck open and about 8 more all related to a faulty oxygen sensor. The van has four oxygen sensors (!), and I got a good used one from the junkyard to work. No more codes, and it seems to be running great now. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.