91 mustang LX 2.3L interesting shifting problem
 

Hey, this thread was revived due tosome other problems sort of like this original post, on the last page there is more problems having to do with my current issue....

THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED, THANKS....



Hello everyone, this is my first post!

I just got my first car, a 1991 Mustang 2.3L LX it's automatic, I've fixed a few minor problems on my own but theres a few major intermittant issue that seem linked together.

Firstly, the RPM guage almost never passes the 1-2K RPM, even when in low gear and reved high, if in park the guage doesnt budge at all. I suspect this might be linked to the real problem.

Secondly it will not or is very sluggish when shifting gears, if I release from the gas pedal and then re apply it, it will sometimes kick into gear the car jumps forward slightly and you can feel it catch the next gear quite noticeably. usually its not a problem but it worked all day today and at 9 on my way home from work it refused to shift gears and I had to crawl slow and steady up a hill and all the way home. luckily its a short distance but I could, make out the smell of the car over heating when I got back in 10 minutes after I parked.

The last issue which may also be linked is that it does not park when put in park, it does on flat ground but if on a hill it seems like it tries to park but it fails to catch and a clicking sound is audible as it rolls back. I havent had a chance to get the transmission fluid changed but all other fluids have been changed, the fluid looks fairly nice pinkish color, not like its too dirty although it seems full past the fill line... The car has about 128k kilometers on it.

is it possible that an electrical short or malfunction could stop the rpm guage from accurately telling the transmission to switch gears? the spedometer seems to work fine but maybe the rpm guage malfunction is indication of an electrical problem? there is also no lights working on the rpm/spedomer/gas level etc... I was also wondering what service on this kind of problem might cost here in canada. Thank you in advance, any info is appreciated

No, the RPM's aren;t that important to the transmission, i shifts depending on load, kick down linkage, speed, gear its in, etc. Computer only controls 3-4 shift and CCL, not 1-2 or 2-3.

As for the no gauge cluster lights, check to make sure the fuse to the lights isn't burnt out, all the conections on the back are fully connected and make sure the lights arent burnt out or the circut sheet isnt broken.

Oh, and welcome to the forum, always nice to see another canadian:icon_wink:

Sleeper_Inc,

Thank you for the insight and your prompt reply!

Ill pop off the console cover tonight and verify all the connections are solid!
As for the transmission I'll have to do some more research and look into how to check the linkage and vacuum modules!

Do you think that getting a transmission flush/fill might correct this problem?
I'd rather not waste 100 bucks on a fluid change just to need a rebuild next week...

Thanks again :)

Kalen.

Vacuum modulator - https://mustangforums.com/forum/4-cy...modulator.html

Linkage - http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ionswap010.jpg
This rod should be push all the way towards the front of the car for park. (Wrench is on the nut you need to loosen and the rod that needs to be pushed to the front.

Also if your fluid is clean and not burnt smelling the flush wont fix it... Sorry but it's looking like the transmission is on its way out

wow,
Thank you very much, that helps a lot!
Those things look easy enough to check, I'll take a look tonight before I take it in.
Thanks again for all your help!

Kalen.

As for this issue, Everything is connected properly, the check engine light is always on so i swapped one of the bulbs over from the spedometer needle and it was also working, the circut sheet also looked intact! must be a ground fault, I dont know...
Im assuming the fuse is good since I checked all of them and as well the check engine and airbag lights are on... the park warning light works too...
I am now thinking its the dim/light level dial itself which I believe is used to adjust the brightness of the lights. its the little dial below the dash on the bottom left behind the steering wheel.

Thanks, Kalen.

the rod the runs horizontal should be pushed towards the front I hope, as this is what I have done, but now it wont start, I suspect its the fuel pump as I have diagnosed in another thread
[LINK]https://mustangforums.com/forum/4-cylinder-na-and-turbo/550652-1991-mustang-lx-2-3l-faulty-fuel-pump.html[/LINK]
or the ignition switch since you have said this can also cause my dash lights to not come on... hopefully I havent just done this backwards and that this is the reason it is not starting.

well it started but it only starts in R which is in fact now Neutral haha, apperantly the instructions were inacurrate for this or i missunderstood. When I loosened the bolt holding the two rods together I barely touched the horizontal rod and it popped towards the front of the car, so I assumed this was how it should be, but apperantly not, perhaps these instructions were for a different transmission...

Hmm... It sounds like the rod got pulled back.

You loose that bolt, push the linkage forward, push the gear indicator forward into park, then tighten the bolt.

I adjusted mine this way and it worked for me?

seems like i have to do all that then push the gear indicator back once into neutral and then tighten it, maybe we have different transmissions. im not sure.