Last week I was noticing that the van was having a more difficult time getting up the steep hills, near my place. It was as if it was trying to almost lurch. Well, the lurch, was kind of like it was having a hard time getting up to speed. Like a hesitation. Then it would not engage in gears(automatic) o/d when I was parking and backing,going forward etc. Then it stopped moving when it was put in gear after it got hot. Now it only moves forward when it is cold. and refuses to back up. Its as if it is not being put in gear.
The van is a 1990 Aerostar 3 l. A4ld tranny. About 100,000 miles on it. We changed the gasket and filter on the tranny because it was seriously throwing tranny fluid expecially in reverse. I have been told by some that it sounds like the vacumn modulator. I bought one and haven't put it in yet. What do you think? Help!! Oh, the tranny fluid is pink like it should be, no burned oil, there is a little filings in the tranny oil. No chunks though just fine metal dust. Could that be from wear or just having the fluid get low between trips? It was solving the problem before when I topped up the fluid but now it is cold comfort.

 

You have it put it in, it controls pressure and shift points based on engine vacuum. Must say sounds more serious then that. What did the oil look like when you changed it? Brown/black?

 

Haven't changed the modulator yet, soon as the rain lets up we will though.
The fluid was red not brown or black. There was very very fine metal dust in it but not significant filings or chunks. What do you think? At one point when I reved it the tranny would catch. Now when I rev it when its hot, it won't catch,its like it doesn't know the engine is rotating. Thanks in advance for your reply and help. Let me know what you think k? I will keep you posted when I do change that modulator. Hammerhead

 

Hammerhead:

Try adding another 1/2 to 1 quart of Fluid to the transmission. A4lds have been know to cause slippage like problems with low fluid levels. Even if it looks like there is enough fluid on the dipstick it could still be low enough to slip.

Jay

 

I agree with JT.....I find it very hard to read the correct level on the dipstick, especially right after adding fluid. Check both sides of the stick and you'll see quite a difference in the indication (at least that is the way mine shows). I always look at both sides and use the half way point between the two readings.

Klaus Cook
Houston, Texas

 

At the time the serious refusal to move happened with the van, I did a tranny drain and changed the filter and gasket on the tranny pan. The owner manual said to put in 9.2 litres of fluid so I put in 9.0. Do you think that would maybe be part of it? That sure would be nice. I'll keep ya posted. Thanks guys, Hammerhead

 

Add some transmision fluid. My '93 does the same thing when its low. You can sit there and rev the engine until it sorta catches and then moves.
My seals are starting to go, so I put in some "seal refresher" about a quart. no more leaks.
I realize its prolly not good for the tranny, but I'm tryin to get another 6 to 8 months out of it......

 

I agree with Kotzy, you have the vacuum mod so put it in. Easy job. It won't cure your problem, but they do fail frequently. Everyone on this post is right on: fluid first. Make sure you are not on a hill when you check it. Compensate for hot or cold, it makes a difference.

Just another thought: if you overfill it, the fluid will foam up and cause the same problems when it gets hot. So check the level first when it's cold.

Good Luck!

 

okay, the vacumn modulator is in but not completely. When the black pin came out of the old one,(the pin I'm not supposed to lose.) it slid down the pin shaft in the tranny. I'm assuming that it is supposed to do that right?
Does it disappear inside the tranny or is it in place? Now I'm worried. Anyway, the vacumn modulator was half an inch thick in crud! The only clean parts were the parts that were covered by hose and tranny body! What a mess. The modulator itself was plugged with carbon completely. Both ends. Only after prodding for 5 minutes with a pin could I blow any tranny fluid through the stupid thing. I am hopeful that it was just toast and the levels of fluid are all right. I checked them today hot and cold front and back and there has been no more leak. One more thing. When the modulator came off there was tranny fluid pouring out of both orfices. What do you think? Why all the carbon etc.? Thanks again and will keep you posted. Hammerhead

 

If you had fluid come out of the vacuum hose end, then the mod was bad. If it's the pin I'm thinking of, you'll need it.

Let us know what happens

 

The modulator is bad. The pin is placed in the trans end of the modulator and the modulator is screwed in. Hope you can retrive it, small magnet may help.

 

The pin that went inside the hole was the pin that originally came from the modulator opening. It didn't seem to be metal, it was about 3 inches long ,round at both ends possibly plastic coated metal.

 

I'm sure it is steel, even if plastic coated you should be able to retrieve it with a magnet.
Perhaps you have one of those small screwdrivers with a magnet on the other

 

I'm sure it is steel, even if plastic coated you should be able to retrieve it with a magnet.
Perhaps you have one of those small screwdrivers with a magnet on the other

 

thanks kotsy and all ,will keep you posted.