My father-in-law has an 87 Mustang 2.3 with an A4LD tranny. When you pull out from a stop in this car, it will go through the gears as smooth as silk, no problem. But, as soon as you let off the gas, the tranny freewheels like its in neutral until your speed drops to about 25 mph, then it will kick back into gear. Speed up to 55 and let off the gas, and the same thing happens all over again. It was rebuilt and ran great for a year and now this. Any ideas what this could be?? Getting ready to tear it down again. Thanks!

 

It could be as simple as the brake switch. Applying brakes disengages the clutch. Converter clutch solenoid is the one closest to the engine. Could be dirty from the last rebuild. Go to www.atcdg.com and click on tech then scan down to A4LD. This doesn't sound like something you need to pull the transmission for. Just a little valve body work. Another good reason to install an external fluid filter for $16. See bulkpart.com best prices on MicroFelt internal filters too $10 you should upgrade to this instead of that worthless metal screen.

 

Thanks Opera House Works, I'll sure give that a try. Sure is alot easier to try that first, before pulling tranny again.

 

The only condition that is close in the ATSG manual is:When moving selector from o/d or d to manual 1st at 55mph with accelerator released:no braking felt from downshift to 2nd gear.(i dont believe it means cramming it into 1st at 55....the condition is observed on your way down to 1st from drive to 2nd...It states:check main control pressure: or intermediate band out of adjustment: or overdrive clutch damaged; as the possibilities.Before i replaced the converter lockup selenoid i still observed engine braking. Also RPM,s where around 2500 at 65 and would jump to 3000 if i stepped on it to gain speed.After the selenoid fix, i noticed the RPM,s held firm at 2000 and climbed only as speed increased.The band adjustment might be something to check.Overdrive clutches are puny little 3 friction assemblies and if you examine the engineering of this unit ,you would find an appalling peice of machinery as far as strength go,s.I was amazed that they would drive the sun gear in the o/d planetary carrier assembly,with the inside diameter of a star washer off the inside hub of the o/d clutch drum. Why also is the input and output shafts of this trans, larger than the centershaft.This isnt logical to limit its strength by reducing the size of this shaft . All that was needed was to enlarge the splined bore in the sun gear of the forward planetary and continue on with the same diameter of shaft. Anyway.