I just finished installing a shift kit on a Ford AXOD transmission. A very nice kit with great instrucions. However, I have a minor problem and I can't figure it out. With the engine running when you shift the transmission into reverse it shifts, the engine loads down but it acts like you are holding the brakes. Press on the accelerator and no movement, but the engine is loaded up under the strain like you have you foot on the brake. Shift it into neutral and you can push the car quite easly. Shift it into drive and it moves forward, but there is no 1st or 2nd gear only 3rd and maybe OD. If you pull it down into 1st it has the same symptoms as reverse. It acts like someone is holding the brakes on..... If anyone has any experience with this problem please respond.....

Sounds like the same problem that another guy had. It sounds like its trying to engage 1st and reverse at the same time. Again... Let me look it up and see what I can see. I'll let you know something when I figure out the POWER FLOW and the HYDRAULIC SCHEMATIC of the AOD...

Until then, dont mess with the car. You might end up burning the transmission up!

[This message has been edited by JAYDUBB (edited April 22, 2001).]

Thanks....

He said AXOD!

The origional problem was the low band had broken and the lining was gone.

I'm gone to the shop to get a gauge to check main pressure and the TV tap pressure.

the Diagnostic reader I put on the ECC-VI didn't show any code for errors on any of the transmission sensors.

And Yes Thanks it is a Mercury 1987 Sable with 3.0 liter engine with the AXOD Metric transmission. Not the E series for electronic.

Ooops... I dont have anything on the AXOD. Sorry.

Most common cause of this is the checkballs in the wrong locatin. Next is wrong gaskets as for an AXOD there are 5 different sets. Thirdly is a mistake, such as a clip out of place or a valve out of position. On an AXOD the Forward clutch is used in reverse also (go figure). The difference is that in FWD, the 1-2 band is on and in REV the Low/Rev clutch is on.

Was this an O/H or did you istall it in car? Just curious as to what the symptoms were. These are notorious for breaking the forward piston.

I installed a new steel piston as recommended.

I verified the check ball location at least five times before i closed it up....

I also verified the sprag was rotating the correct direction......

I matched to gasket set like the one that came out and verified the casting ID with the book for stripe color.

I'm lost on the O/H question

believe it or not the transmission had 223K miles on it.... the low band had broken and it would only go in reverse....

now that it has been rebuilt it won't go in reverse only 3rd forward....


The pressure gauge indicates all pressures are like the book describes for all gears.

I made sure the TV pressure was set to 9 PSI.

The main pressure at idle was 85 PSI.

Which valve in the body would you suspect is the problem...


I think i can get to the valve body and check a few of the valves without having to remove the whole trans again.....

One thing you said jumps out at me. If you checked the sprag rotation according to the manual, there is a good chance that it is wrong. When looking at the O/D assy with the sprag and race inside of it, the correct rotaion is that the sprag race will turn freely counterclockwise while holding the drum. I am not sure about what valve since when circuits get changed due to this who knows what it will do. Yes, you can get the VB out W/O pulling the trans. Another thing too is you could have the right gaskets and have them on the wrong side of the plate. It is easy enough to do.

One more thing that plauges these units is that the checkballs are known for getting smaller and not doing their jobs right.

Also, there is more than one choice of pistons for these. Did you check to see if the piston sealed on the inside of the drum? Next, were the pipes changes inside the trans by any chance? On the AXODE it is advised to update to the new 'cross pipes' but this cannot be done on a hydraulically shifted AXOD W/O creating major problems.

[This message has been edited by transfixleo (edited April 25, 2001).]

I did hold the drum and rotate the sprag in the CCW direction...... it matched what the book described before I tore it apart....

I installed new checkballs from the overhaul kit. I also verified them with the hole gauge in the gasket as described in the manual. None of them passed throught the whole so the meet the diameter criteria.

The AXOD will not accept the new cross-over kit so i didn't install any new plumbing. I made sure the one tub that came out was seated and sealed tightly.

The piston did fit snugly I had to use a lip seal protector to get the new piston and seal in, without tearing it up.....and both seal are turned in the correct direction ( lip seals) I had to get the piston from FORD, it seems everybody was back ordered on this item when i tried to buy it online.


I goning to start pulling the VB out for inspection and look at the gaskets...


Something is wrong but i just can't put a finger on it.....


Many thanks for asking questions and taking the time to help me diagnois this dawg.....

Have you used any of the professional web sites TRNi, ATAG, ATRA????

I am a member of TRNi. In fact I got a small mention in this months Gears magazine! How about you? You don't sound like this is your first tranny?

PS, on that piston, it is the inner seal area that you have to watch for, the SHO piston has a different inner diameter.

I was thinking of joining the TRNi they appear to have a good setup. I investigated the ATRA it is a nice site but they don't have a number of transmissions that I work on.

This one has me..... scratching my head... It has to be something stupid or simple that I overlooked... Like the piston inner diameter.

I'll look for your name in Gears,,, what page?

I didn't check the inner diameter I'll look at that.

I guess I'll go back and check all of the new parts against the old news more closely...

The only other thing I was close on was the clutch pack clearance against the retaining clip in the drums. One of them as a little tight on the feeler gauge test for clearance.

Thanks for your interest.....

Dollar for dollar, TRNi is the best bet. It has multiple forums, not unlike this where over a thousand tranny people share questions, info problems etc. I have learned a ton there. I am also a TransGo tech student but that is very expensive. If I could only do one thing it would be TRNi. Don't worry about a possible stupid mistake as you put it. First off, I know one thing for sure. The things that we learn the best usually come from mistakes and we can bild on that. Second, you didn't design this thing. The hardest part is getting to the bottom of a problem, the REAL cause, not just what we naturally want to assume it is.