Performance A4LD

[BrooklynBay]

This link has troubleshooting information for the A4LD: http://etereman.com/blog/ford/the-ford-a4ld-get-to-know-its-problems-and-how-to-prevent-them/

 

[FR-425]

My original question was in regards to PATC and their A4LD. The website looked kinda old and I wasn't sure if they were experienced on the A4LD. The website has a lot of upgrades listed and I thought some of their claims sounded almost too good when they talked about the a4ld. However like many others stated they seem to know their stuff and I'm excited to get this puppy.

Oh yea, now I remember.

Which flavor are you gettin?

 

[Explorer23]

The full monte "performance" a4ld pretty much exactly what's listed online.

 

[FR-425]

Nice!

 

[Explorer23]

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Felt really long to me waiting for this thing to arrive and finally today it did. So far I'm very happy with my purchase and cant wait to finish getting the engine built so I can get this bad boy moving.

One last transmission related questiuon though. Is it possible to have too much cooling when still being run through the radiator? I was looking at transmission coolers in the 28,000 - 33,000 GVRW range which might be too much but then again it will be getting up to about 180-190 degrees in the radiator so it cant cool off that much. I will most likley run 3 temp gauges 1 in the pan, 1 before (or after radiator) and 1 in the return line after the cooler. This way I can keep an eye on everything, I would just like to know whats a good starting point to keep my transmission alive as long as possible.

Thinking something like this:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/HDN2/778.oap?ck=Search_E-0778_-1_-1&keyword=E-0778

 

[BrooklynBay]

The best location for the temperature sensor is in the pan. Don't worry about it being too cool or waste time & money installing more than one temperature gauge.

 

[Explorer23]

Sounds like I should run the biggest cooler I can fit then?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Yes.

 

[Styx]

So did you get the trans in yet??? how did it turn out???
I just picked up another Ex. a 94 limited for dirt cheep and while right now the trans is ok I have had 3 other first gen's and know I will be replacing the trans before too long...lol...

 

[nitemare]

I had my transmission rebuilt for me since I have no idea what I'm doing after removing the pan and changing the filter on my 99 4l ohv. They pulled it, tore it apart then asked me to come in so they could explain. In the end virtually everything was changed right down to the torque converter at my request. I also disconnected my transmission lines from the rad to it's own large cooler and was told if it had been done new, I would not be rebuilding it now. It has run almost flawlessly since but on my first time it kicked down to pass, it stopped going into OD. I took it back and they drained the fluids, refilled it and no trouble since. In the end I was happy it happened for I got to watch how they worked and was impressed as to the ends they went through, stripping, cleaning and reassembling another while I waited. My fluid is still that new color after 70 k but should be changed anyways.

 

[Explorer23]

Sorry I haven't checked back here for a while. I haven't installed it yet, as I am waiting for my build to get to that point. Originally I was getting the transmission, then the engine done but since then the plans have changed. After getting the transmission I finished up a few things on the body and figured it made more sense to focus on the suspension and cage work. Reason being that these things take a lot more time on my part, bending tube, cycling the suspension re-bending, welding etc. And since I will be getting the engine done by a shop it shouldn't take that long. After it gets installed and running I will post back here with my findings.

 

[Eddie94]

Just ordered the Performance A4LD from PATC for mine! I'll post after it's put it and everything's a go. Replacing transmission, radiator, oil cooler, and adding an in-line filter in one go-- clean slate!

 

[Eddie94]

So flash forward three months...

I bought the Performance A4LD as listed on PATC's webside, ended up being in the neighborhood of $2400. I had it shipped to my local shop, who I've been going to for everything since I was 16. I ordered a new cooler, a new filter, and a new radiator. Those are links to the exact ones I ordered. My shop replaced the radiator, replaced the cooler, installed the filter, and installed the new Performance A4LD.

My mechanic, Jim, took me to test it out the morning I was to pick it up, and it was having a pretty significant shudder when accelerating from a complete stop. If, while moving, we slowed to 5mph or so and gave it gas, it didn't shudder, but when the vehicle came to a complete stop then was given gas to start moving, it made a noticeable noise and a shudder lasting 1-2 seconds.

Jim drove us by a transmission shop where a friend of his worked, in order to get a second opinion. The friend drove, Jim took front seat and I sat in the back. The friend took it on the freeway and noticed that overdrive wasn't engaging, despite the fact that the gearshift had overdrive selected. He got off, then got back on freeway, manually shifting it up through 1-2-D-OD. It failed to engage overdrive, and drove around in 3rd. He commented on this, and said this problem was in addition to the shudder on takeoff, which was still occurring.

We exited the highway and came to a stop. The transmission shop guy gave my explorer gas, but the transmission failed to engage at all. I looked out the window and saw smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. I mentioned this to them, he shut it off, and we got out and saw transmission fluid pouring out of the bottom of my explorer onto the off-ramp. It got towed back to Jim's shop.

---------

Any thoughts? Any of these things sound obvious? Just thought I'd see if anyone had anything to mention

 

[arco777]

Damn. I would call PATC as soon as possible and work on a diagnosis with them. Sounds to me like either incorrect fluid level or torque converter issues. In my experience a no-OD situation can be related to lack of converter lockup, which can increase trans temps as well. The trans should be puking out fluid for one of three reasons.
1. Severe overheating. Fluid expansion and seals giving way; the front pump seal is a typical rupture point. Overheating might be caused by the trans slipping, TC slipping, cooler blockage, not enough trans fluid, or internals being incorrectly assembled.
2. A different gasket letting go, for reasons unrelated to fluid temperature, though I have a feeling your trans got hot.
3. The case vent tube can vent fluid all over the top of the trans if it is overfilled.

Did you have a trans temp gauge installed? Was an electronic check done during installation of the trans, checking for proper electrical connection to the trans and verification of solenoid operation? Was the right amount of fluid put in?

 

[Eddie94]

No temp gauge, although someday there will be. I don't know about the electronic check, as I had the installation performed by a shop, same thing for fluid, but I would assume they'd put the right amount in. They put an engine in my Jeep Comanche that has gone 100,000 with no problems, and I've been going there 10 years for different things, clutch, etc.

PATC accepted the transmission back under warranty, and is shipping a replacement here to Jim's shop to be put back in.

I also had the shop install a new cooler and in-line filter when they put the tranny in, perhaps something went wrong there because I remember reading here that it was possible to hook the lines up the wrong way. FR-425 told me he thinks the torque converter wasn't seated properly, so I took the best parts of about twenty threads here on torque converter seatage theory and I pasted them into an e-mail to the shop for when they put the replacement in, just in case