I dont think I like this A4LD

[Mettler]

My transmission is starting to concern me.

I know understatment right?

So most of the time it seems to work right. So far the only thing that Ive done was to flush the fluid (Jiffy Lube), and tightened the bands. Both of which seemed to help, to some degree.

Every once and a while though, I'll be driving along and it feels like I lose some power. Like it takes more throttle to continue at the same pace. Nothing in the natural environment has changed though. Flat road, constant speed.
Other times It feels like it doesnt want to shift down all the way when stabbed for passing gear. Like I have to litteraly pull my foot off the pedal and stab it again for it to completely down shift.
After that it seems to work freely again.

Its like its not always comletely engaging. I can only think that it would be something to do with the valve body. Maybe somethings gummed up. I dont know. I know alot of things but auto trannies stump me a bit.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Could it be something easy like dropping the valve body and re-building it or maybe just cleaning it?

When I bought the rig it needed alot. The trans fluid was black. Ive got just about everything handled, but this one is concerning me. I really dont want to have top drop/replace/re-build this stupid thing. Easier is better if ya get me...

When it does work right it really feels good. It'll burn the boots from a stand still. Without power braking. ( I dont do that anyway )
Also it does not leak.
:exp:

 

[Masterd]

Try adjusting the kickdown cable...use search to find out how.

 

[Mettler]

I just looked at the kick down cable adjustment thread. I'll try that in the morning. But would that be the cause of it just slipping in the middle of driving? I'll bet I have to drop the pan and change the filter. I once had to change the vacume modulator on my 86 cougar. I know what that one looked like and where to find it but I cant find anything like that on this one. Could that be my problem?

 

[Masterd]

Could be the torque converter locking and unlocking?

 

[Mettler]

I could see that if the speedo cable was broken but it is not. My speedometer works great. Ive checked it against my GPS. And like I said, it doesnt leak. What else would cause the TC to lock/unlock on its own?

On a side note, for a while this summer I would hear every once and awhile a strange noise when sitting at a red light. In drive, foot on brake. It sounded like a bolt on the flywheel that had backed itself off and was rubbing on some sheetmetal. It had that sound that matched the RPM of the flywheel/torque converter. I explaned this to my father and he thought that it was a cracked flexplate. Does that happen often to these?
The noise has since subsided. I havent heard it for a couple months.
Thing is, When I heard this noise, if I took it out of drive into neutral the noise disapeared. Shift back into drive and no more noise.

 

[Mettler]

Update.

I just went through and re-built my tc shifter motor. What a difference!
Not only does it work better but Ive noticed that I dont need to push the button so hard AND my tranny problems seem to have disapeared.
Weird huh?
I can only assume that the 16th of an inch that the shifter was off by was somehow not allowing the tc to align properly, hence the tranny was in some way affected.
Either way Im very happy.
Next Im getting rid of that damn clutch fan. I hate that thing.