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  1. #1

    Default Auto Transmission Weak Points

    1988 Turbo Coupe automatic, what are the weak points of the trans. And what are the best ways to beef-up the trans for say 250hp and 300tq?

  2. #2

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    Which trans does the car have? Sorry for my ignorance
    79 Zephyr, 4.6L 4v/4r70w swap, with team z front and rear suspension, 8.8 and upgraded brakes and coil overs. Running Holley Terminator X Max.

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by massacre View Post
    Which trans does the car have? Sorry for my ignorance

    A4LD, a good trans rebuilt, but very hard to do right without messing it up. I personally wouldn't bother. Ford down graded the turboengine to look after the French gearbox, a bad sign. It took 6 L-O-N-G years for Ford to make it tough enough for a really strong 207 hp, 250 lb-ft torque 4 liter V6 behind a 3800 pound truck.


    There is still a huge lack of smarts regards the imported A4LD. That was an early French Bordeaux built trans, C3 based, and eventually used in the 4.0 Explorer.


    Option 1: Best replacement for it is a T5.


    Option 2: The C4 2.3 bellhousing can be found or bought and a V8 C4 built up. That is probably is worthwhile if you want to keep it auto.

    You'll have to get the wide ratio gearset from Summit, a 2.92 1st, 1.68 2nd planetary gear set. This is a Poor Mans Overdrive, that is like a C3 auto with a 0.84 over drive top.

    You just have to ask your self about your current A4LD,


    1. are the shift points where you want them (the A4LDs lower gears are closer together), and


    2. is the OD that important to you.


    In either case, you are best off going to Option 1 a T5 manual or Option 2 wide ratio C4 auto, and you'll have to go through the auto transmission and no auto behind a turbo will survive without freshening up.

  4. #4
    FEP Power Member 86-TC/SVO's Avatar
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    Good luck, if you're keeping the A4LD. I just went threw all of that with my 87 TC. I hated to leave it in there but, wanted the car to be original (1 of 10). I had all of the parts to convert over to 5spd. Too much to put on here. I can PM the details.
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  5. #5

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    I am trying to keep the car cheap. I paid to much for it and don't want to swap to a 5spd, or lose the OD. I found a rebuild kit from PATC for $355 that is supposed to fix the issues with the trans.

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by EverydayBirdStuff View Post
    I am trying to keep the car cheap. I paid to much for it and don't want to swap to a 5spd, or lose the OD. I found a rebuild kit from PATC for $355 that is supposed to fix the issues with the trans.


    I wouldn't go near it. The dollar value is immaterial unless you are ensured eventual success. Rebuilding one is gilding a lily, that is, trying to make that borderline trans work excellent is unlikely.

    The front pump has to be renewed and parts are expensive and success, its highly dependent on not screwing up the basics. Get a spare A4LD gearbox, and by all means have a go, but there was a reason these 4 stage autos were down graded for reduced power. The trans is great, but its very hard to ensure success.

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member Tigger's Avatar
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    The A4LD is supposedly the Pinto C3 with an overdrive. Not a heavy duty performance transmission, its a light duty transmission.

    When I was dating my Wife she had a 1st gen explorer with a 4 inch lift and 32's, JBA headers, Borla exhaust, warn winch. It looked mean and it was fast for having those big tires on it. She went camping in it before we were dating and got a 100 miles out of town and the transmission let go. She had it towed back and had the transmission rebuilt to the tune of $2200. I did a bunch of work on it when we first started dating. Just got done with it and she let my step daughters dad borrow it to go take her to visit his mom ( grandma) and it did the same thing. About 100 miles out of town it let go. Transmission was 25 months old and had 9000 miles on it. Warranty was 2 years or 12K. I called them but they were not going to warranty it. They would give her a discount to go thru it again. I said no and towed it back and we put it in her garage at her apartment. 5 months later we moved in together and I brought it to our house and started the rebuild. I had it out and all apart and ready to rebuild. I took a ton of pictures but there are some special tools needed to take apart some of the sub assemblies. My buddy's landlord ran a transmission shop at the time so I took the parts to him. He said he would rebuild those parts that needed special tools for $400 or he would put the whole thing together for $700 and give me a warranty as long as I brought him the radiator and cooler and lines to flush out. Tools at the time were about $350-400. I probably would have bought them if I thought I was going to do another A4LD but I knew this would be my only one as I prefer 3 pedals. Anyway, I figured the $700 was a no brainer for me so I had him do it. Turns out the pump overheated BAD. I never noticed it when I took it out. It got super hot. The 32's made the A4LD work hard and it didn't have enough cooling. I am pretty sure this is what happened the first time and the first shop never told her. He did all the upgrades he could. The first shop did some already but not all. I was into it a little under $900 when it was all said and done due to the pump and some other parts that died when it overheated. The guy said to double the external cooler size and the transmission will out last the truck. I doubled the external cooler and put a transmission temp gauge in the pillar. First couple road trips the transmission got hot but did not get super hot. I put the original cooler in series and never had a problem with it getting hot again. I can pull my boat or tent trailer on 100 deg day and the transmission stays cool to where the fluid stays pink.

    We still have the explorer but it has been sitting for the past few years. Wife hit some ice early one morning a few years ago and slammed it into a dirt embankment. It buckled the drivers side suspension. I replaced it all and made it roll again but have not finished. Transmission has about 45K on it now. It is still strong. I think the guys statement might be true. The transmission might outlast the truck.

    I think you can make them last but it will take some money. You are probably better off buying a newer one and having that one rebuilt as the newer ones have all the upgraded parts already. Mine would have cost more had the previous transmission shop not added some already. Good luck to you.
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