I have a special treat for 80-88 Lincoln owners

[1977lincolnmarkv]

I don't know if you guys are aware but if anyone hates the way their 80-88 Town Car, Mark, Continental or any FORD AOD transmission shifts I have the fix all. Its cheap, easy and fast. I have done it on ALL 8 of my Lincolns. See in 1989 the did a last ditch effort to fix the hard shift, slow shift, clunking, hard downshift etc. They removed the dump valve and re-mapped the valve body so that all the pressure will be controlled through the valve body. Thus, giving you more hp, no more clunky up and down shifts, effortless and seamless shifts plus extended shift points. If you go to any junk yard or parts store buy any valve body from any 89 90 91 92 Town Car Crown Vic or any full size car with an AOD. All those years used the last revision valve body E9AF. I personally go to the junk yard and pull them from 92 Town Cars and also get the original gasket from the valve body to the transmission. I come home and withing 20 minutes have the old one off and the new one back in. I then get a snap ring plier and remove the dump valve. Then I fill the transmission with full synthetic fluid and off I go. You don't need to adjust anything unless you have been playing with the adjustment screws already. Your shift points will be at 19-23 in first, 32-35 in second, 42-45 in third, and about 46-52 in 4th. You will not be able to feel any of the shifts nor will you know when you are even downshifting, unless you really get on it. It also will give you much more hp and it will get you there without those horrible jolts. It is the cheapest and easiest fix you will ever do. I works on EVERY SINGLE FORD from 1980-1988. I pay from Ecology 29.00 out the door for them.

[2sasilverbullet]

What about a 90 Grand Marquis?

[1977lincolnmarkv]

Yep that will have the last updated valve body as well. If you own one it already has it in it 89-92 All Full size cars with AOD will have the E9AF transmission upgrade

[TonyC]

Nice info! So cool that the upgrade is cheap and easy. I'm sure many owners of that decade will be very grateful.

---Tony

[navguy12]

Nice info! So cool that the upgrade is cheap and easy. I'm sure many owners of that decade will be very grateful.

And I thought I was the only one fed up with the shift quality of my '85 back in '85.

My solution: I took the car to an old AT guy back in '91 and he dropped the valve body and using a "shift kit" (his words), replaced about 3 of the springs on the valves within the valve body.

I've had smooth shifts ever since....but 1977lincolnmarkv sounds like he has a great shade tree mechanic solution to what I had considered (back when I first took delivery of the car) an un-developed AOD transmission....

[1977lincolnmarkv]

Thanks Navguy, I promise that you will have the most amazing shifts, faster car and NO more transmission issues. The car will make you wish you had know about it back in 89. Anway, do it to your 85 Cartier and you will not beileve the difference.

[navguy12]

Anway, do it to your 85 Cartier and you will not beileve the difference.

Thanks, but mine works perfectly with the shift kit I had installed 20 years ago.

Only if the transmission breaks, then I'll pursue your mod.

[navguy12]

1977lincolnmarkv (plus anyone else who has done this with success):

I'd like to look into your fix for early 80s AOD shifting "issues" inherent with the design.

My situation: Took delivery of my (new) 1985 Town Car in Winnipeg, MB in July 1985. I was posted there for a tour whilst in the RCAF.

Drove for 3 years without "literally" dealing with hills. I drove on the flat prairies for three years and never really paid attention to the idiosyncrasies of the 3/4 and 4/3 shifts in the AOD.

I was then posted to PEI (east coast of Canada). First highway trip with hills. Car would not downshift out of 4th with cruise control on. Pissed me off.

3 years in PEI: lots of hills, couldn't get transmission to auto-downshift out of 4th (unless I floored it).

Under warranty, local dealership fiddled with TV pressure for months.

Under warranty, got Ford to replace transmission (a rebuild unit) (!). Same symptoms. Old parts guy at the time told me the transmission was never designed to downshift automatically out of 4th while in cruise control.....thus the owners manual discussion of driving in "D" in hilly terrain.

Posted to Trenton, Ontario in 1991. Lots of hills. No auto-downshift on cruise control. Pissed me off for another 3 years.

Lots of fluid changes, lots of TV rod fooling around with, no material change in the "flawed" designed shifting characteristics.

15 Aug 1994: An old independent transmission shop fellow installed one of these:

http://transgoonline.com/products.php?p ... ntview=Yes

A "TransGo shift kit" from "Mr Shift".

All "problems solved" that day in 1994. 3/4 and 4/3 shift "barely perceptible". AOD would automatically downshift from 4 to 3 while in cruise control on hills (cruise would not loose more than "4 kph" before downshift would occur).

No longer would I need to "floor" the gas peddle to get any downshift from 4 to 3. No more slam out of 4 to 3 or 3 to 4.

In 2008, I added a drain plug to my transmission pan so that I could drain it once a year instead on every 5 years.

Fluid has never been brown or burnt or dirty or anything other than normal red in color. I've got 171,000 kms on the car.

4 weeks ago, the old "symptoms" began to show up.

Yesterday I put 500 kms on the car on HWY 401 (drove up to north of Toronto to show an old buddy the new paint job).

Car no longer automatically downshifts from 4 to 3 while on a hill in cruise control on the freeway (or at 80 kph on back roads).

My old buddy said, he figured my annual ATF changes were enabling the ATF by-product build-up material (normally to fill the wear marks in the valve body passages) to be removed and the "O" rings are now allowing some fluid by-pass.

So, I now have an AOD transmission that is shifting "in accordance with manufactures specifications". In other words, pissing me off again.

If you go to any junk yard or parts store buy any valve body from any 89 90 91 92 Town Car Crown Vic or any full size car with an AOD. All those years used the last revision valve body E9AF

I have no access to any used parts here in eastern Ontario. I need some clarification before I internet hunt for a correct valve body. Is E9AF part of the new MPC part number?

My MPC (82 to 88) shows valve body as F0AZ 7A100-A replaced by F1AZ 7A100-C with remarks column #COK, HXD, HYD, HZD, LXH, OSB, OTN,OUA,OUK,OUN,OVH,OWH,PSB,RVH,RWH,WSB,YSB,YTB,YTY (what do all these letters actually mean?)

Also, 82 to 88 F1AZ 7A100-D with more letters: #BTR,JNF,OSP,OSR,OTR,OUC,OUM,OUR,OVL,OWL,PSP,PSR,RRF,RRH,SWR,VRH,VRF,WSP,YSP,YSR,YTA,YTP

I then get a snap ring plier and remove the dump valve

I don't know what a dump valve is or where it is. Is it on this picture from my shop manual (page 17-20-75 of 1985 Car Shop manual):

Or is it one of the "accumulators" mentioned (overview) in this set of pictures from page 17-20-22:

Has anyone else used this technique?

Does anyone have an 89-92 valve body they could sell me?

I welcome any and all opinions.

Thanks

Cheers

Mike

PS: now to go wash the bugs off the front end!

[navguy12]

Executive summary update: local (mom and pop) transmission shop still has new, post '88 valve bodies on the shelf. Will be doing the R&R at their facility Tuesday.

The chap doing the work confirms that "in the day", he did many fixes to the lousy shifting of the early 80s AODs with the technique discussed here.

One point of note: the "dump valve" being discussed is the 3-4 accumulator. It becomes superfluous once the post '88 valve body is used. No need to remove the 3-4 accumulator...it simply no longer functions with the updated valve body.

Will get photos, et al, when the job is done.

[Kiffy]

Mike, really interested in how you get on and how much those valve bodies will be from your transmission shop!

[navguy12]

Mike, really interested in how you get on and how much those valve bodies will be from your transmission shop!

Paul, I confirm with the shop owner before 5pm today that a hoist is available tomorrow.

My caveat is "I stay with the car". He is cool with that, just have to make sure his job schedule is clear. Have sealed the drivers seat/door panel/carpet/sun visor in white plastic. Have sealed steering wheel and column in saran wrap. No need to risk dirt in my interior.........

I will take pictures of the procedure (as best I can) and will have a de-brief.

how much those valve bodies will be from your transmission shop

I'm certain it will be $200 for the part(s) and probably another $200 for time, shop supplies, etc. Will advise.

Cheers

[navguy12]

I'm back from the transmission shop.

To 1977lincolnmarkv: thanks for bringing this technique to everyone's attention.

I concur with 1977lincolnmarkv and comments ref shift quality improvement.

I am driving the car now and seriously wondering, "Am I in forth or still in third?" whilst on the city and freeway drive home.

The best thing, the much improved forced downshift from 4 to 3, no more "whole car shudders", etc.

I must say, felt like a whole new car when I drove it home.

Some photos (not much detail):

Its the kind of place that has been around a long time, and the guys working on your car have decades of experience:

The original state of affairs:

Don confirmed no need to touch the 4/3 accumulator, just swap the valve bodies and (as 1977lincolnmarkv stated) use the correct (new in my case) gasket for the 89-9x valve body as the passages and fluid ports are different than 80-88.

Transmission now feels more like a mid 00's GM 4 speed.....great improvement .

Cheers

[1977lincolnmarkv]

I am glad to have helped. I know anyone who has an 80-88 Lincoln or Ford with an AOD will love the change over. It makes all the difference in the world. Way more power and the shift points are extended and the shifts are virtually undetectable. I mean it will make your car have 15hp without doing anything. No more having to force your foot into the floor to upshift. My cars you cant feel a single shift, only the sound of the engine RPM's change. If you feel it isn't responding fast enough, just turn your adjustment screw in 1/4 at a time until you have your shift points where you want them. I'm glad I could help!!!

[navguy12]

After two long distance freeway trips in the last month with the new valve body, I must say again to folks who are putting up with the rough shifting of an 80-88 Panther platform AOD, make the switch to the new valve body.

Absolute pleasure to drive, like night and day.

Cheers

Mikie

[TMaria]

I found a 91 Grand Marquis at the junk yard. The trans pan said Metric. The Valve Body Part # is RF E9AP 7A092AA. Will this work?

Thanks
Tony Maria