Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Drivetrain Tech => Topic started by: sum_weirdo on September 26, 2007, 10:03:33 AM

Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: sum_weirdo on September 26, 2007, 10:03:33 AM
For want of a better word.  This has happened on two different occasions over the past week.  Both times on cool mornings (lots of those now).  I start the car and drive the 100 or so feet from my street to the stop and go traffic of the main road.  Once there I'll stop for some light or whatever and when traffic starts moving again I release the brake and....nothing.  The car sits there, I give it some gas and the engine revs but still doesn't move.  Then after maybe 5 seconds pop goes the weasel, the car lurches forward again.  The first time it did that twice within a minute and then didn't do it again until this morning when it happened once more.  It's like the brakes are locking or something.  I've had the car for 3 years and it never did this before.  Anyone know what's causing it?
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: V8Demon on September 26, 2007, 11:07:09 AM
Check your trans fluid level.
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: tbirdsps on September 26, 2007, 11:18:44 AM
Bad news.  When my 82 did that, and my 85 did that and my daughter's 86 did that within a few months the trannys all needed overhaul.  In my case they are all C5s. 

It first started on cool mornings then they would do it more often than not and pretty soon they wouldn't go forward at all.  In all cases it's interesting that they all continued to work in reverse but it's hard to get around that way and the police frown on it.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention all three C5 had these symtoms at 101,000 to 105,000 miles.
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: sum_weirdo on September 26, 2007, 12:40:44 PM
Ouch.  Well mine is an AOD.  Never been touched since it rolled out of the factory, save for fluid changes.  I'm actually in the middle of making plans for upgrading it but I wasn't planning to do it for a few months yet.  I could just have a rebuilt installed but I wanted to beef it up a little for the power I plan on making.  The shift kit I could do myself down the road but I also wanted a 1 piece input shaft....wonder if the shop would install one if I brought it to them...
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: sum_weirdo on September 26, 2007, 01:25:39 PM
I wouldn't mind them just installing an AODE or something but the electronic controllers for that cost as much as the transmission.  Or more.  Blast it all.
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: tbirdsps on September 26, 2007, 01:55:21 PM
I can't speak for AODs although I have one in my 92 LX.  I could be something simple but I'm no help.
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: 84 Fila on September 26, 2007, 01:57:37 PM
My car did the sticking thing when i first got it. I was 2 quarts low in trans fluid. Topped off the fluid, drove it a bit to let the fluid work in, all was well again
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: sum_weirdo on September 26, 2007, 03:25:42 PM
Hmm.  Well I'll check the level but I'm pretty sure it's good.

So planning for the worst, if I was gonna get my tranny replaced with a rebuilt, I'd wanna make it stronger than the original.  To that end I'm thinking about a solid input shaft and a shift kit.  Would the solid shaft require a non-lockup converter?  Wouldn't care except I have an expensive B&M Holeshot converter that I would wince at losing.
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: sum_weirdo on September 26, 2007, 03:57:25 PM
Okay...I checked into my converter's specs and it seems it's already non-lockup "specially designed" so no transmission modifications are needed.  So....does that mean it can accept a 1 piece shaft?  Or does it in fact mean it's using both parts of the stock shaft as one and won't reap much benefit from the solid shaft?  The B&M site isn't going into much detail....
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: slowfoxbird on October 06, 2007, 05:12:36 PM
Check your fluid level first, but that sounds too much like hardend lip seals in the forward clutch pack.  When the trans warms up, the seals soften up and work better, but more than likely it's on it's way out.  Start saving for that overhaul.
Title: Strange...my car is sticking....
Post by: softtouch on October 06, 2007, 06:08:37 PM
Anyway you can make those first stops when it is cold on a hill?
See if it will coast down the hill when you take your foot off the brake. Just to make sure the brakes are not sticking.