Dead transmission

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luccianoduckman

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97 Mark viii base.
This happened while on the freeway today. Driving at 80mph. Took my foot off the gas. Normally the rpm falls to about idle, but this time it's like the transmission was down shifting. With my foot off the gas, the engine revved to about 3k and the Trans was engaged so the car started slowing way down (almost like it thought it was a manual transmission with the clutch out). This happened for about 1 second. Then the rev fell to idle as usual for about 1 sec. Then it happened again. It's like the trans was hopping in and out of gear once per second.
I got off the freeway and the trans was slipping something awful. Had to rev past 2000 to get the car to creep along. Before shifting into 2nd, there was a bad vibration. After shifting into 2nd, I had to rev over 2500 to get the car up to 25mph. Now the same thing is happening in reverse....have to rev to 2500 to get the car to creep in reverse.
Fresh synthetic fluid and new filter 1 month ago. Fluid is nice and clean.

Uuggggg....time to replace the transmission?
 
luccianoduckman said:
97 Mark viii base.
This happened while on the freeway today. Driving at 80mph. Took my foot off the gas. Normally the rpm falls to about idle, but this time it's like the transmission was down shifting. With my foot off the gas, the engine revved to about 3k and the Trans was engaged so the car started slowing way down (almost like it thought it was a manual transmission with the clutch out). This happened for about 1 second. Then the rev fell to idle as usual for about 1 sec. Then it happened again. It's like the trans was hopping in and out of gear once per second.
I got off the freeway and the trans was slipping something awful. Had to rev past 2000 to get the car to creep along. Before shifting into 2nd, there was a bad vibration. After shifting into 2nd, I had to rev over 2500 to get the car up to 25mph. Now the same thing is happening in reverse....have to rev to 2500 to get the car to creep in reverse.
Fresh synthetic fluid and new filter 1 month ago. Fluid is nice and clean.

Uuggggg....time to replace the transmission?
Click to expand...
With the exception of clean tran fluid, everything you describe soud like it needs pa re build . But the clean fluid, try smelling the fluid and if it smell burnt, its for sure needs parts. With he shifting the fluid would expect to be not clean. Getting a tranny shop thats fair and honest is one of the services most hard to find in my years of taking car for trans fixing. Try to call a few to see what they think is now needed and drive it over provided it can go. Its might be some small thing althoght it wishfull thinking. Pick a shop that you know. I have friends who lived out ther. I always notices a lot of high labor compaired to Ohio. So try to find a shop to inspect and recommend.. The synthentic fluid as opposed to ford orginal exact for the mark needs to be re checked to see if thaty stuff is harmful to the mark's tranny. I put exactly the ford non synthntic as per factory specs when I changed my 96. The torque converter can be drained so it didn't mix with the syn fluid. I dfo not use syn motor oil or syn tran fluid. Motor must be oil tight as well as tranny./ Leaks can cost 5.00 a quart.
 
Last edited:
Thanks. I should have mentioned that the fluid smells like it does in the bottle. No burnt smell or discoloration. Fluid level is good too. Doesn't appear to be leaking anywhere.
 
Yeah the stuff that's in there now is Redline D4 ATF. I drained the torque conventer too before refilling it. That took forever.
 
luccianoduckman said:
Thanks. I should have mentioned that the fluid smells like it does in the bottle. No burnt smell or discoloration. Fluid level is good too. Doesn't appear to be leaking anywhere.
Click to expand...
Well. if the fluid is up to the right level on the stick, it rules out low fluid causing it. You could drain the pan and save it thus allowing you to look for metal large bits to indicate a broken part. If none might be something electrical. This way you can stay out of the tranny shops. Thee the worst although these legit and honests one but you don't know who they are. So diy is safer at this point.
 
luccianoduckman said:
Thanks. I should have mentioned that the fluid smells like it does in the bottle. No burnt smell or discoloration. Fluid level is good too. Doesn't appear to be leaking anywhere.
Click to expand...
I agree with Only tony. Mercon 5 should be inside the tranny regradless of red line showing its o.k. for 1996 n\mark. I noticed when I scanned the red add a lot of people were driving hondas, toyota, rios, but I did see big cars . Take the pan off and check for broken metal. If none, dump the red line(I see its 16 a quart) way over priced for the results you get with ford spec. mercon 5 which has features that help shudder. I had shudder and it quit after a mercon 5 You can get mercon 5 for 4.50
 
that redline d4 is mercon v spec'ed.
seems like a waste of money to drain it at this point.
 
luccianoduckman said:
97 Mark viii base.
This happened while on the freeway today. Driving at 80mph. Took my foot off the gas. Normally the rpm falls to about idle, but this time it's like the transmission was down shifting. With my foot off the gas, the engine revved to about 3k and the Trans was engaged so the car started slowing way down (almost like it thought it was a manual transmission with the clutch out). This happened for about 1 second. Then the rev fell to idle as usual for about 1 sec. Then it happened again. It's like the trans was hopping in and out of gear once per second.
I got off the freeway and the trans was slipping something awful. Had to rev past 2000 to get the car to creep along. Before shifting into 2nd, there was a bad vibration. After shifting into 2nd, I had to rev over 2500 to get the car up to 25mph. Now the same thing is happening in reverse....have to rev to 2500 to get the car to creep in reverse.
Fresh synthetic fluid and new filter 1 month ago. Fluid is nice and clean.

Uuggggg....time to replace the transmission?
Click to expand...
luccianoduckman said:
97 Mark viii base.
This happened while on the freeway today. Driving at 80mph. Took my foot off the gas. Normally the rpm falls to about idle, but this time it's like the transmission was down shifting. With my foot off the gas, the engine revved to about 3k and the Trans was engaged so the car started slowing way down (almost like it thought it was a manual transmission with the clutch out). This happened for about 1 second. Then the rev fell to idle as usual for about 1 sec. Then it happened again. It's like the trans was hopping in and out of gear once per second.
I got off the freeway and the trans was slipping something awful. Had to rev past 2000 to get the car to creep along. Before shifting into 2nd, there was a bad vibration. After shifting into 2nd, I had to rev over 2500 to get the car up to 25mph. Now the same thing is happening in reverse....have to rev to 2500 to get the car to creep in reverse.
Fresh synthetic fluid and new filter 1 month ago. Fluid is nice and clean.

Uuggggg....time to replace the transmission?
Click to expand...
HI, Whats the latest you have found out about the 97 transmission? Write us please
 
Could he be having an electrical issue? Seems odd that the transmission would just drop dead without any warning signs before it did?
 
93mark8rules said:
Could he be having an electrical issue? Seems odd that the transmission would just drop dead without any warning signs before it did?
Click to expand...
Did you investigate whats inside the transmission pan ? Or are ya too discouraged by the thought of the cost for another transmission. Go ahead and try . Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.
 
luccianoduckman said:
97 Mark viii base.
This happened while on the freeway today. Driving at 80mph. Took my foot off the gas. Normally the rpm falls to about idle, but this time it's like the transmission was down shifting. With my foot off the gas, the engine revved to about 3k and the Trans was engaged so the car started slowing way down (almost like it thought it was a manual transmission with the clutch out). This happened for about 1 second. Then the rev fell to idle as usual for about 1 sec. Then it happened again. It's like the trans was hopping in and out of gear once per second.
I got off the freeway and the trans was slipping something awful. Had to rev past 2000 to get the car to creep along. Before shifting into 2nd, there was a bad vibration. After shifting into 2nd, I had to rev over 2500 to get the car up to 25mph. Now the same thing is happening in reverse....have to rev to 2500 to get the car to creep in reverse.
Fresh synthetic fluid and new filter 1 month ago. Fluid is nice and clean.

Uuggggg....time to replace the transmission?
Click to expand...
Hot Hot, Just spoke with an ASE certified transmission mechanic on Just answers. I asked hi what difference red was from mercon 5. Her is what he said" change the red over to mercon 5 because the friction modifiers in red are not chemicaly designed to move the internals. The mark 8's transmission not is it designed for the red transmission fluid friction modifiers. Change it over to mercon 5 including filter, torque converter fluid, and drive for 100 miles ." It should restore the transmission back provided no broken metal part".
 
93mark8rules said:
Could he be having an electrical issue? Seems odd that the transmission would just drop dead without any warning signs before it did?
Click to expand...

yes he could. also it is quite common for them to "drop dead." mine went from perfect to nothing in under 5 minutes.
reverse is mechanical, if you unplug the solenoid pack, you still have reverse and 2nd when in drive.
if it slips quite badly in reverse, as well as other gears, its probably a dying front pump.
you can install a pressure gauge to confirm.

Rockbottom said:
Hot Hot, Just spoke with an ASE certified transmission mechanic on Just answers. I asked hi what difference red was from mercon 5. Her is what he said" change the red over to mercon 5 because the friction modifiers in red are not chemicaly designed to move the internals. The mark 8's transmission not is it designed for the red transmission fluid friction modifiers. Change it over to mercon 5 including filter, torque converter fluid, and drive for 100 miles ." It should restore the transmission back provided no broken metal part".
Click to expand...

that's cool, but it won't help now.
chemically designed to move the internals?
what does that even mean?
don't believe everything you read on the internet.

mercon v is a spec, redline d4 meets this spec.
it's full synthetic and pretty decent.
 
My source is from JUST Answers, a pay per question , web site Not some unqualified back yard mechanic. The tec was ASE certified and vetted before he could be hired. The tec is ASE certified transmission mechanic. Not some internet pretender blowing off his jaws. I quote" Yes change out the fluid to the mercon 5. It will make all the difference in the world. You want to use a fluid exchanger machine to change it so you can get as much as possible changes. The friction modifiers in Red Line are not what this transmission was designed for. Cheap fluid or Motorcraft fluid is best here. Drive 100 miles with the new fluid and it be back to normal" Please let me know what questions you may have, George H. ase certified transmission tec,.
 
oh he was ASE certified was he?
does he know that redline d4 meets the specs set forth by ford motor company for mercon v?
the mercon name is trademarked by Ford. not just anyone gets to stick that on a bottle.
and if its stuck on the bottle, that now means ford must uphold their end of a warranty claim.
kinda sounds like they need to make sure it meets their standards doesn't it?

BITOG link:
Mercon V Question | ATF, Differential, Trans, Brakes, P/S | Bob Is The Oil Guy

Redline link:
Red Line Synthetic Oil - Automatic Transmission Fluids - D4 ATF

here is "George H." reminding you that mercon v is a spec, and any fluid that meets the spec is compatible.
justanswer link:
I found this helpful answer from a lincoln mechanic on JustAnswer.com
 
Red line is a multi application fluid and as such is approved to replace dexitron(GM) (mercon) without specific transmission designations. The lincoln, mark 8 transmissions are not designed to be compatible with the friction modifiers in Red Line Atf. Mercon 5 is limited to the 460 transmissions. Ford recommends mercon 5 to eliminate transmission shudder plagued in all 460 transmissions due to the small clutches that quickly overheat. Now, for the cost of trying a change over to mercon 5 versus buying another transmission what would be your choice ?
 
Transmission rebuilds arent too bad. I would recommend doing it yourself.
1. Remove the exhaust
2. Drop the gas tank
3.Remove the driveshaft
4. Remove the starter(make sure batterys disconnected)
5. Remove crossmembers
6. Remove flywheel inspection plate and torque converter nuts. Use an 18mm on the crank to turn the motor
7. Remove wiper tray.
8. Support the tranny
9. Remove cooler lines should be 13 or 14mm
10. Remove lower tranny bolts
11. Remove upper bolts

You will need some extensions but nothing too bad. Look up jimmy on transmission bench, he has a good tutorial
 
chris2523 said:
sorry man. a fluid change didn't cause this, and a fluid change won't fix it.
Click to expand...
Red line may have caused the failure .When the luccian------- Santa cruz member removes the pan and looks inside no one with certainty knows if its the red line fluid or broken transmission parts. To say its one or the other now is a 50/50 bet.
 
If you pull the trans dont bother dropping the gas tank.... Its a huge pain in the ass and you dont have to. Mark where the yoke meets the drive shaft so you can put it back the same way. Then go in the back and crack all the bolts that go from the drive shaft to the rear end loose, now go in the front and knock the u joint out of the drive shaft. Once youve knocked it out you can unbolt the drive shaft and just slide it to the side and it will clear your trans and save you about 2 or 3 hours of cursing..... Not to mention youre better off with a new U joint anyway...
 
93mark8rules said:
If you pull the trans dont bother dropping the gas tank.... Its a huge pain in the ass and you dont have to. Mark where the yoke meets the drive shaft so you can put it back the same way. Then go in the back and crack all the bolts that go from the drive shaft to the rear end loose, now go in the front and knock the u joint out of the drive shaft. Once youve knocked it out you can unbolt the drive shaft and just slide it to the side and it will clear your trans and save you about 2 or 3 hours of cursing..... Not to mention youre better off with a new U joint anyway...
Click to expand...
Thanks Appreciate the short cut in labor
 
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