Do aerostar transmissions wear out gracefully and fairly or do they tend to catastrophically shatter (break)??

My trans has 50 k on the rebuild and the pan was perfectly clean after the last oil and filter change. For the tiny gearbox that they are, they seem reasonably tough. My friend has a 94 firebird with a 3.4 liter six and the trans is huge. It is a 4l60E They both appear to wear very little.

Ken

 

Just in the proccess of replacing the forward clutch plates in one that has done over 200,000km no other faults have been found . Thats pretty good I think ! Oh and it's a 4.0L AWD Suppose it depends on the abuse it's had . One's i've read about failing catastrophically seem to be used for towing alot ,working hard but with suitable upgrades to they can go for 450,000km . Extra coolers seems to be the answer . Heat kills em. Thats my 2pence worth anyway!!

 

I have had three a4ld trannys go in the last year, one on my 1991 4.0 V6 van at 155k miles (bad pump and burnt clutch plates) Another in a 1991 ranger 3.0 V6 at 220k miles (front oil seal and bad change solenoids) and the last on a 1993 exploder 4.0 V6 at 170k miles (bad pump, blown front seal, burnt clutch plates and bad change solenoids. All but my van had been negleted and had never had the fluid changed until I got hold of them, I had had my van since it had 70k miles on it and had changed the fluid and filter at every 10k miles, but I had used it to tow my boat and carry my dirt bikes about.

 

Well, those seem to be fair and reasonable life stats. I guess anything over 150000 miles is reasonable. nothing lives forever. Like I said earlier, there seems to be very little actual wear. remember always cruise with the tc locked up. really important for heat build up.

Thank you for the data.

Ken

 

question for ken, how does one know for sure the tc is locked up, thanks cbr900.

 

Since it often is noted that heat is the killer for the A4LD, I have filled my '92 Aerostar tranny with Redline D4 ATF in hopes of prolonging its life.

My biggest complaint with the A4LD is it is a hair trigger downshifter. I often get downshifts of two or more gears and on upshifts it sometimes will flip flop with the slightest variation in the accellerator. Really hate that.

 

First of all, clear all check engine lights. many, if not most will inhibt tc lockup. On my 91 4.0 the tc will lock in third or fourth gear, at above 50 mph and will stay engaged untli below 45.

One must be sensitive to feels and sounds, there is a definite fourth shift feeling above 50 and the engine slows noticably. if you have a tach, when the tc is locked, the needles move in lockstep, that is when you step slightly on the gas, the engine does not increase speed before the car accelerates.

Another way is to be in cruise above 50 mph, not down hill, and lightly touch the brake pedal,the brake light switch will disengage lockup.

Most of this is not a big deal and is transparently done for you. It is a big deal when loaded ot towing. The a4ld has a very slippy, loose, high-stall-speed converter that makes huge amounts of heat. If you are loaded and the tc isn't locked up, try third gear, slow down or watch your trans overheat.

Ken

 

thanks ken for the the info, but my c.e.l has been on for about 2 years now, I have tried many things to put it out with no luck, but I do think the tranny is locking up, I get a distinct feeling at about 45mph and it feels like it is driving fine, what I am getting now is a very strange metal tapping sound when I pull away which stops once I get over 45mph and does not happen so bad when the engine is hot, again it still drives ok but I have a feeling that this tranny is about to go bang.

 

Dear cbr,

Pull codes, free at many auto parts stores. Could be something really simple.

Ken

 

Never leave a vehicle with a CEL, your car is trying to tell you something. Fix it while it is simple. Failure to do so leads to catalytic converter failure, transmission problems, carbon buildup, knocking and pinging, fouled plugs, poor fuel economy, etc. These vehicles typically don't trigger lights unless a sensor is way outside specs.

 

a continuous CEL on kills any OD, TC lockup, coast clutch operation, ECU/PCM commands engine to run in default limp home mode, extra rich and rpm limited. the new CAN systems even set date-time of codes and CEL, if ran too long, dealer may refuse warranty.

 

I have had the codes pulled about a year ago I forget what was on them put I do remember replacing the o2 sesor and cleaning the maf sensor which made no differance what so ever and the van still ran perfect, and the c.e.l was still on and it has run ok ever since, I am not saying that you should run with a c.e.l on but my van really does not show any ill effects from running with it on except that I am not 100% sure that the TC is locking up.

 

If your tc clutch isn't locking, you are burning at least 10% more fuel in cruise.

Ken

 

Hola cbr ,

strange noise you talk about! does it happen under de-accelaration as well as under load and presuming from your concern does it come from the tranny aera or the engine aera?

 

Hello Stopthebus:

What are you doing online? Aren't you supposed to be elbow deep in ATF disassembling that A4LD