So the Crown Vic drives great! Comfy family mobile but it's showing sign of torque converter shudder. Very light throttle only, feels like rumble strips. The guys on crownvic.net say to do a cooler line flush plus drain the TC. Others say don't bother and just do a drain and refill. Maintenance history is unknown and judging by the cooling system it was nonexistent. The fluid is slightly brown but stills smells like ATF a little. 129k miles I'm leaning towards not flushing the system fully. Any advice guys? Thanks!
Torque Converter Shudder?
- Thread starter SEMI_287
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Drain and refill
Do this a few times with a week or more driving in between
Do this a few times with a week or more driving in between
I'd say if you have easy access to the cooler lines, a flush would be the way to go.
6 of one, half a dozen of the other. It's just a cooler line flush is a one off with plenty of fluid while repeated drain/fills just mean getting under the car more often.
I'm lazy so I do the cooler line flush. Without a full TC drain they both mix new fluid with old but you have to do a *lot* of drain/fill cycles to match a single flush for fluid replacement efficiency.
6 of one, half a dozen of the other. It's just a cooler line flush is a one off with plenty of fluid while repeated drain/fills just mean getting under the car more often.
I'm lazy so I do the cooler line flush. Without a full TC drain they both mix new fluid with old but you have to do a *lot* of drain/fill cycles to match a single flush for fluid replacement efficiency.
I ended up having to get my torque converter replaced on the Crown Vic at 133,000 along with other trans work. What I would do if I was you is drop the pan fluid only, and then put in synthetic. I even put a trans pan on that has a drain plug (costs about $30 Amazon) so I can easily do drain and refills, and just keep doing this a few times, maybe it will help.
I used lubeguard instant sudder fix in the Regal. Supringly enough it worked. I've put about 3k miles on the car since and still working. Most people say however that it stops after 5k.
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This stuff will take care of it, use only one small tube, more is better does not apply to this product.
http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU
http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU
I think the shudder is common, you can do multiple pan drop and fills, and get a u-haul pan to make future drains easier.
On my 2000 TC I used one of those orange fluid transfer pumps from harbor freight to drain and fill the pan after my first pan drop and filter change.
My 2000 also had a small drain bolt behind a rubber plug on the bottom of the torque converter, but those went away '00-"01 but check yours.
I never bothered trying to remove the cooler lines, they seemed easy to break and expensive to replace.
Be sure to use regular Mercon V, I had good results with Supertech and Valvoline.
I also remember reading that a bad COP can cause similar problems.
On my 2000 TC I used one of those orange fluid transfer pumps from harbor freight to drain and fill the pan after my first pan drop and filter change.
My 2000 also had a small drain bolt behind a rubber plug on the bottom of the torque converter, but those went away '00-"01 but check yours.
I never bothered trying to remove the cooler lines, they seemed easy to break and expensive to replace.
Be sure to use regular Mercon V, I had good results with Supertech and Valvoline.
I also remember reading that a bad COP can cause similar problems.
Stupid BITOG, tried to edit prev post ---- Sorry time's expired, that's B-S...
Anyway...
Originally Posted By: Brad_C
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I'm lazy so I do the cooler line flush. Without a full TC drain they both mix new fluid with old but you have to do a *lot* of drain/fill cycles to match a single flush for fluid replacement efficiency.
I do same, a dozen quarts and then top off(approx four more) will get virtually all the old fluid... Both the ones I've done in last three years still have fluid so clean it's hard to see on the stick... The old '96 F-150 with 175K mi(at the time) fluid looked like used motor oil, very dark and rancid... The '98 Grand Marquis' fluid didn't smell much better(milage around 45K mi, now at 69K) but was still fairly translucent... AFAIK pan has never been off either, both shift fine and have no leaks...
Anyway...
Originally Posted By: Brad_C
.
I'm lazy so I do the cooler line flush. Without a full TC drain they both mix new fluid with old but you have to do a *lot* of drain/fill cycles to match a single flush for fluid replacement efficiency.
I do same, a dozen quarts and then top off(approx four more) will get virtually all the old fluid... Both the ones I've done in last three years still have fluid so clean it's hard to see on the stick... The old '96 F-150 with 175K mi(at the time) fluid looked like used motor oil, very dark and rancid... The '98 Grand Marquis' fluid didn't smell much better(milage around 45K mi, now at 69K) but was still fairly translucent... AFAIK pan has never been off either, both shift fine and have no leaks...
Common Ford transmission problem. They came out of the factory that way. Mercon V was specifically developed to stop their shoddy lockup clutches from shuddering.
You need to do a cooler line flush. However much old fluid you leave in there is exactly how much more opportunity the TCC will have to continue shuddering. This will of course destroy the transmission if left unchecked.
You need to do a cooler line flush. However much old fluid you leave in there is exactly how much more opportunity the TCC will have to continue shuddering. This will of course destroy the transmission if left unchecked.
Originally Posted By: Trav
This stuff will take care of it, use only one small tube, more is better does not apply to this product.
http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU
The ONLY additive I have ever seen recommended by name in a TSB. My old Tbird did this, and a small serving of Lubegard red stopped it instantly...
This stuff will take care of it, use only one small tube, more is better does not apply to this product.
http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU
The ONLY additive I have ever seen recommended by name in a TSB. My old Tbird did this, and a small serving of Lubegard red stopped it instantly...
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: Trav
This stuff will take care of it, use only one small tube, more is better does not apply to this product.
http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU
The ONLY additive I have ever seen recommended by name in a TSB. My old Tbird did this, and a small serving of Lubegard red stopped it instantly...
That's what I'd add after a pan drop and fluid exchange.
Originally Posted By: Trav
This stuff will take care of it, use only one small tube, more is better does not apply to this product.
http://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19610-Tranny-Instant-Shudder/dp/B0002JMLQU
The ONLY additive I have ever seen recommended by name in a TSB. My old Tbird did this, and a small serving of Lubegard red stopped it instantly...
That's what I'd add after a pan drop and fluid exchange.
Haven't read everybody's replies but TC shudder is a very well known problem on AODE and 4R70W trannies. The latest and greatest fix when I was in the Crown Vic community was to do the cooler line flush and fill with your favorite MERCON V fluid. Make sure its MERCON V, although these days you have a ton of options. I can attest this DOES work very well on confirmed TC shudder on a 1994 AODE :-D
One tip, make sure its not a misfire, that can feel identical in some conditions, although with your 2001 it is more likely to trip a CEL. If you don't have the time or money to do the fluid at this moment you can add a bottle of Lubeguard Red, which is a temporary solution, but an effective one.
One tip, make sure its not a misfire, that can feel identical in some conditions, although with your 2001 it is more likely to trip a CEL. If you don't have the time or money to do the fluid at this moment you can add a bottle of Lubeguard Red, which is a temporary solution, but an effective one.
I had this problem around the same mileage and did a fluid flush which took care of it. Runs great now ay about 142,000 miles.
For you guys that did the flush, did you do the TC too? Also Trav, does that stuff really work? I've always thought that stuff in a bottle didn't work. Thanks guys!
I used Valvoline Maxlife ATF on my Mustang GT. After 500 miles the transmission shifts like its brand new. Its a crazy difference. I just dumped the pan and pulled the filter and let it drip overnight.
My understanding is if you do what is called a flush or remove the cooling line then you are essentially replacing all of the fluid so yes you are getting the torque converter as well. There may be some residual left along the edges where laminar flow cannot get all of it out but the same is true for oil changes as well.
Originally Posted By: SEMI_287
For you guys that did the flush, did you do the TC too? Also Trav, does that stuff really work? I've always thought that stuff in a bottle didn't work. Thanks guys!
Lubegard Red was specifically mentioned in a TSB by Ford. It's the real deal, very good product...
For you guys that did the flush, did you do the TC too? Also Trav, does that stuff really work? I've always thought that stuff in a bottle didn't work. Thanks guys!
Lubegard Red was specifically mentioned in a TSB by Ford. It's the real deal, very good product...
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