I just bought my 2nd Aerostar. My old 90 rwd with 244,000 still is strong and quiet. My 97 awd with 93000 miles is very noisy and vibrations coming from front drive train. Did or do these all wheel drives have a factory recall? Are there any common problems? When coasting it sounds normal and doesn't vibrate. It gets worse with the hills and on acceleration. Does this mean a new transmission? Are these vehicles a money pit?
Thanks!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Oct-02 AT 03:11 AM (EST)]'97 AWD 160,000 plus on the tranny and still strong...No problems. I have changed fluid/filter every 25,000 miles or so flush at 80,000 and 160,000. I use synthetic tranny fluid. Live in Southern California so gets pretty hot. My 89's tranny was far less dependable.

 

It sounds like the front drive shaft might have a u-joint going out, or one of the front drive axles. You may be able to climb under and check (leave in neutral with the parking brake on, and for that extra bit of danger, park it on a hill with the neighbors and family watching, saying "I hope the brakes hold" really loudly to build suspense) if the driveshaft that comes out of the transfer case wobbles around. It could also be the front u-joint of the rear driveshaft. But in any case, prepare to get greasy.

 

Don, no these vans are not a money pit... the AWD system is pretty simple compared to lots of 4X4 systems out there.
Vibration in the drive train can be lots of things... I think its very unlikely to be the transfer case. If the mechanic wants big dollars for fixing whatever problem he diagnoses, its always a good idea to get a second opinion.
Could be anything from a wheel bearing to a u-joint to a transmission based on symptoms you relate... especially since you're getting close to 100K on the drivetrain.
I know one guy who poured lots of dollars into an incompetent mechanic's diagnosis of drive train vibration... after replacing all the driveshafts, halfshafts and bearings... the vibration stayed until the trans finally failed...
So, make sure you identify the right problem before diving in.
Good luck. If we can help, post here. There are a number of guys here who know these vans pretty well.
KenP

 

 

OK! I had $365.00 worth of transmission shop repairs. On the test drive with the mechanic, he said the converter is weak, but it was doing what it was supposed to do. Most of the repairs were replacing CVC boots and changing fluid and filter and a weld on an unrelated catalytic converter. So I guess I'll just have to tolerate the noise. Has anyone done anything short of a complete transmission rebuild to quiet down a noisy (especially going up hill) AWD transmission? I see additives that claim to help chattering. Has anyone had any success with these additives? Thanks for your help.

 

Don, I still think you need to find a mechanic who is familiar with these systems. Not sure what a "weak" converter is and would shy away from any mechanic that would use general phrases like that. Indicates to me that he simply doesn't know. As I mentioned, you can throw a lot of money away chasing a problem that is not accurately diagnosed.
Are you sure the noise is coming from your trans? Did the fluid/filter change make any difference?
I'm not much of a believer in "additives" for a trans or any other internally lubricated mechanism unless the manufacturer calls for it. Your trans and drive train were designed to be pretty quiet... if its making noise, something is wrong and its unlikely that an additive is going to fix it.
Just my 2 cents.
KenP

 

I wish I knew a little more about the awd system. I've had the filter and fluid changed twice. The first time the shuddering stopped. The noise continued. I took the van to a second transmission shop. The shop has been in operation for 15 or so years. This shop mechanic was the one who said I have a weak torque converter, but it was doing what it was supposed to do. The van is noisiest when starting from a dead stop and going up a hill. The shifts seem long and the noise is loud until the van reaches the top of the hill. It has a sound similar to a Harley Davidson passing you on a highway. I'm getting the impression that if I want to get rid of this noise, I'm going to need a completely overhauled transmission and a whole lotta money. Does anyone know of any other options? If I have a weak torque converter, could I just get that part fixed? Thanks for any help. :-X12

 

I would say there is a good chance it is not even the transmission. Your problem pops up when strain is put on the drivetrain, most likely cause is a bad/loose/sloppy part.

Check your shocks!!!

One: Yank on your front axle shafts and see if you hear thunks. You should be able to move it in and out in relation to the axle/wheel direction. You should not have much play forwards/backwards. A bad CV joint (especially if you only had boots replaced) will eventually nuke your front hub. When people replace boots, they rarely use the Ford lube and use the cheap stuff that comes with the boot. Between using the cheap lube and leaving dirt in the CVJ, death can come quickly to the shaft and hub.

Two, pull the engine codes and make sure you are not feeling spark knock or something.

Three, jack the thing up in your driveway and check the front wheels and axles yourself. What you want to pay special attention to are the hubs. The best way I can describe how to test it is move thw wheel all around. If you can get serious play, then remove the wheel and test the hub with your hands for movement and noise.

Four, check your front drive shaft. It is a hassle to remove it, but, remove it, and make sure those life long lubed bearings are not dead.

Five, check your rear drive shaft!

> Are these vehicles a money pit?

Not with proper care.