We just bought a 1995 Ford Escort wagon today i, it has the 1.9 ltr engine and an automatic transmission. It shifts real hard from gear to gear. I haven't done any poking around yet, I'm hoping for a broken tranny mount. Is there any common tranny problem these cars had that you guys know of? thanks in advance for any pointers!

 

I've got a '95 LX model with the same drivetrain. It shifts really hard too. 145,000 miles. I don't have any technical advice as to why ours do, but I'd be interested in seeing what other people might say. I don't know if it's common for these cars, but mine does what yours does.

 

start off with a codes check and oil and filter change, good luck

 

Hey fmc400 you're gonna love this! I found the fix to our tranny problem. I found it under the electronic repair data at my local librarys web sit under automatic transmission adjustment. It seems the shifting force is controlled by the amount of pressure to some valve. Unfortunately the library would not let me copy any of it or creat a link...so you're stuck with my red-neck version!

on the engine you'll see the throttle cable that has a gold end held by a clamp with two 10mm bolts with the cable running to a 3" wheel. There is another cable under neath the wheel. Loosen the bolt closest to the wheel (#1 bolt) first, then loosen the second one. You should be able to move the gold part of the cable back and forth in the clamp now. I don't remember which way is for less preasure but I think it was moving it closer towards the wheel. You'll have to play with it a bit to find the right spot. I moved mine about a quarter inch and it shifts super smooth now.They said to tighten the #1 bolt back first, but I don't see how it matters. The also said there's some special tool to buy and attach to a bleed valve on the front somewhere to check the preasure as you do it... but mine worked with out it. May not be exact but it boesn't pop your neck when it shifts anymore.

 

rhw, do you happen to be talking about the detent cable?

I've got a buddy with a 96 Escort wagon, 1.9 auto, he replaced the cable because the car wouldn't shift on its own, it rev all the way to the red line in first but wouldn't go into second unless he manually shifted it.

After he replaced the cable the car hits 2nd gear extremely hard, hard enough to chirp the tires when floored, sorta like a shift kit. Its a beater work car that he runs about 400 miles a week. It just rolled over 210,000 miles, mostly problem free.

He loves how it shifts now, I prefer the hard hitting trans too, keeps the line pressure up and allows no slippage, should make the tranny last longer.

 

Thanks rhw, I'll have to give that a look.

 

I thought it was called the throttle cable but it must be the same one from what you discribe. It's crazy how a quarter inch one way or the other will change the preasure enough fo a noticable difference in the shift.