1990 Mustang AOD Problems

Found an interesitng solution to what I thought was a dying AOD.

Had a battery problem with the car. First off, let me tell you SEAERS SUCKS.
Bought a 100 month Die Hard battery for my 1990 Mustang in (roughly) summer
of 2000. Misplaced the receipt. Sears keeps records of every DUMB thing
they've ever sold me and want to extend a warranty on. NOT CAR BATTERIES!
Apparently the advances in computers and databases, record keeping etc. does
NOT extend to Die Hard batteries. And (of course) the battery tester did not
work at the facility I went to to check if it was any good. Alls I had to do
was pay the 84.99 for the full battery and I'm in business. Screw that...

Went home with said battery, hooked it up to grandpa's old 6 amp battery
charger for about 8 hours and it worked fine. Car started like a champ. Ran
it for a while in the park and reved engine from the throttle body....WHICH
CAUSED (I THINK) transmission problems....I think I popped off the clip from
the TV cable to the throttle body. But before I realized it....

Went for a test drive in the stang to relearn fuel curve, get the engine
rolling, and see how it was and if I shouldbuy a new battery (NOT A SEARS
DIE HARD FOR SURE!) Got car on the highway, hit the gas and pedal was soft,
tranny slipping...I thought "oh ****, AOD death" and got the car home ASAP.
Car would not downshift and went through the gears real sloppy. Ful throttle
was like driving a wet noodle. Scary. Got home, and checked the transmission
fluid. Dark, not red...dead AOD for sure. No doubts. But wait...Google just
to check...

Suire enough a search on this list (RAMFM) provided the solution. Not to the
darkened transmission fluid, but to the ****tly shifting problem. There is a
clip that holds the TV cable to the throttle body. That clip went missing,
and transmission shifted like ****. Like it was dead/ gonna die real soon.
And one looke at the fluid (before I knew about the clip) "confirmed" my
problem. A google search of the old news archive provided this from mach1man
Dan:

-----
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...4c7a55148d643b

Hold your Horses Michael. I had the same symptoms from my car. got
real soft pedal. When I held down the pedal it would not shift then
fall into neutral. BUt it got real soft. DONT DRIVE THE CAR! tow,
push, pull it to your local reputable tranny shop. It is a little
bracket or connection type thing. Its plastic is in the engine Bay.
And cost me 25 bucks to have fix instead of the 1200 for a rebuild. I
talked to the guy over the phone and told him what type of car it was
he knew the problem without seeing the car. If you drive the car it
will ruin the tranny. They repaced the part with a metal replacement
and said it wont break any more. It is common in AOD's I guess.

Good Luck,
Let me know how it goes.
Dan
-----

THIS was exactly the problem. A couple of zip ties, and car was running FINE
despite discolored fluid (83,000 miles, and had car 15 years...time to
change it? Probably not...wait for it to die and go tremec...LOL)

Ordered new TV cable from ford for 54 bucks. AND THEY THROW IN THE CLIP....

So....before you think your AOD is D-E-A-D.....check that TV cable
attachment to the throttle body. And keep your battery terminals clean.

Happy Halloween!

Jimmy

"Sudden trans problems? Check trans cable at throttle body"


Good lesson... but change that fluid, anyway. You have no idea how long
you'll need that trans... put in a bottle of Lucas AT fix when you change
fluid and it will last you longer than you'll need it.

Good lesson #2: Dont fall for that 'diehard' crap! I learned my lesson
when the brand was new in early 70's... Sears refused to replace a new
one because tester showed it had enough amps at room temp. Problem was
it had a near-dead cell and wouldnt crank engine fast enough for good
start when temp was 30 deg or lower.

NEVER buy a 'diehard'... it ranks right up with Fram and Pennzoil as 'all
marketing hype'


"- Captain Ahab -" > wrote in
:

> Found an interesitng solution to what I thought was a dying AOD.
>
> Had a battery problem with the car. First off, let me tell you SEAERS
> SUCKS. Bought a 100 month Die Hard battery for my 1990 Mustang in
> (roughly) summer of 2000. Misplaced the receipt. Sears keeps records
> of every DUMB thing they've ever sold me and want to extend a
> warranty on. NOT CAR BATTERIES! Apparently the advances in computers
> and databases, record keeping etc. does NOT extend to Die Hard
> batteries. And (of course) the battery tester did not work at the
> facility I went to to check if it was any good. Alls I had to do was
> pay the 84.99 for the full battery and I'm in business. Screw that...
>
> Went home with said battery, hooked it up to grandpa's old 6 amp
> battery charger for about 8 hours and it worked fine. Car started like
> a champ. Ran it for a while in the park and reved engine from the
> throttle body....WHICH CAUSED (I THINK) transmission problems....I
> think I popped off the clip from the TV cable to the throttle body.
> But before I realized it....
>
> Went for a test drive in the stang to relearn fuel curve, get the
> engine rolling, and see how it was and if I shouldbuy a new battery
> (NOT A SEARS DIE HARD FOR SURE!) Got car on the highway, hit the gas
> and pedal was soft, tranny slipping...I thought "oh ****, AOD death"
> and got the car home ASAP. Car would not downshift and went through
> the gears real sloppy. Ful throttle was like driving a wet noodle.
> Scary. Got home, and checked the transmission fluid. Dark, not
> red...dead AOD for sure. No doubts. But wait...Google just to check...
>
> Suire enough a search on this list (RAMFM) provided the solution. Not
> to the darkened transmission fluid, but to the ****tly shifting
> problem. There is a clip that holds the TV cable to the throttle body.
> That clip went missing, and transmission shifted like ****. Like it
> was dead/ gonna die real soon. And one looke at the fluid (before I
> knew about the clip) "confirmed" my problem. A google search of the
> old news archive provided this from mach1man Dan:
>
> -----
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...ang/msg/384c7a
> 55148d643b
>
> Hold your Horses Michael. I had the same symptoms from my car. got
> real soft pedal. When I held down the pedal it would not shift then
> fall into neutral. BUt it got real soft. DONT DRIVE THE CAR! tow,
> push, pull it to your local reputable tranny shop. It is a little
> bracket or connection type thing. Its plastic is in the engine Bay.
> And cost me 25 bucks to have fix instead of the 1200 for a rebuild. I
> talked to the guy over the phone and told him what type of car it was
> he knew the problem without seeing the car. If you drive the car it
> will ruin the tranny. They repaced the part with a metal replacement
> and said it wont break any more. It is common in AOD's I guess.
>
> Good Luck,
> Let me know how it goes.
> Dan
> -----
>
> THIS was exactly the problem. A couple of zip ties, and car was
> running FINE despite discolored fluid (83,000 miles, and had car 15
> years...time to change it? Probably not...wait for it to die and go
> tremec...LOL)
>
> Ordered new TV cable from ford for 54 bucks. AND THEY THROW IN THE
> CLIP....
>
> So....before you think your AOD is D-E-A-D.....check that TV cable
> attachment to the throttle body. And keep your battery terminals
> clean.
>
> Happy Halloween!
>
> Jimmy
>
>
>
>
>
>

On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 12:00:58 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> wrote:

>"Sudden trans problems? Check trans cable at throttle body"
>
>
>Good lesson... but change that fluid, anyway. You have no idea how long
>you'll need that trans... put in a bottle of Lucas AT fix when you change
>fluid and it will last you longer than you'll need it.
>
>Good lesson #2: Dont fall for that 'diehard' crap! I learned my lesson
>when the brand was new in early 70's... Sears refused to replace a new
>one because tester showed it had enough amps at room temp. Problem was
>it had a near-dead cell and wouldnt crank engine fast enough for good
>start when temp was 30 deg or lower.
>
>NEVER buy a 'diehard'... it ranks right up with Fram and Pennzoil as 'all
>marketing hype'
>
>
Any recommends in place of Die Hard? I've been using them since the
early 70s when Sears exchanged them no questions asked, and only once
have had a problem.

Who makes Die Hard? As I understand it, there are really only a
couple or three battery makers who produce under many brand names.
A switch to another brand (WallyMart? Costco? Target? Les Schwab?)
might see a different name on the same battery.

>"- Captain Ahab -" > wrote in
:
>
>> Found an interesitng solution to what I thought was a dying AOD.
>>
>> Had a battery problem with the car. First off, let me tell you SEAERS
>> SUCKS. Bought a 100 month Die Hard battery for my 1990 Mustang in
>> (roughly) summer of 2000. Misplaced the receipt. Sears keeps records
>> of every DUMB thing they've ever sold me and want to extend a
>> warranty on. NOT CAR BATTERIES! Apparently the advances in computers
>> and databases, record keeping etc. does NOT extend to Die Hard
>> batteries. And (of course) the battery tester did not work at the
>> facility I went to to check if it was any good. Alls I had to do was
>> pay the 84.99 for the full battery and I'm in business. Screw that...
>>
>> Went home with said battery, hooked it up to grandpa's old 6 amp
>> battery charger for about 8 hours and it worked fine. Car started like
>> a champ. Ran it for a while in the park and reved engine from the
>> throttle body....WHICH CAUSED (I THINK) transmission problems....I
>> think I popped off the clip from the TV cable to the throttle body.
>> But before I realized it....
>>
>> Went for a test drive in the stang to relearn fuel curve, get the
>> engine rolling, and see how it was and if I shouldbuy a new battery
>> (NOT A SEARS DIE HARD FOR SURE!) Got car on the highway, hit the gas
>> and pedal was soft, tranny slipping...I thought "oh ****, AOD death"
>> and got the car home ASAP. Car would not downshift and went through
>> the gears real sloppy. Ful throttle was like driving a wet noodle.
>> Scary. Got home, and checked the transmission fluid. Dark, not
>> red...dead AOD for sure. No doubts. But wait...Google just to check...
>>
>> Suire enough a search on this list (RAMFM) provided the solution. Not
>> to the darkened transmission fluid, but to the ****tly shifting
>> problem. There is a clip that holds the TV cable to the throttle body.
>> That clip went missing, and transmission shifted like ****. Like it
>> was dead/ gonna die real soon. And one looke at the fluid (before I
>> knew about the clip) "confirmed" my problem. A google search of the
>> old news archive provided this from mach1man Dan:
>>
>> -----
>> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...ang/msg/384c7a
>> 55148d643b
>>
>> Hold your Horses Michael. I had the same symptoms from my car. got
>> real soft pedal. When I held down the pedal it would not shift then
>> fall into neutral. BUt it got real soft. DONT DRIVE THE CAR! tow,
>> push, pull it to your local reputable tranny shop. It is a little
>> bracket or connection type thing. Its plastic is in the engine Bay.
>> And cost me 25 bucks to have fix instead of the 1200 for a rebuild. I
>> talked to the guy over the phone and told him what type of car it was
>> he knew the problem without seeing the car. If you drive the car it
>> will ruin the tranny. They repaced the part with a metal replacement
>> and said it wont break any more. It is common in AOD's I guess.
>>
>> Good Luck,
>> Let me know how it goes.
>> Dan
>> -----
>>
>> THIS was exactly the problem. A couple of zip ties, and car was
>> running FINE despite discolored fluid (83,000 miles, and had car 15
>> years...time to change it? Probably not...wait for it to die and go
>> tremec...LOL)
>>
>> Ordered new TV cable from ford for 54 bucks. AND THEY THROW IN THE
>> CLIP....
>>
>> So....before you think your AOD is D-E-A-D.....check that TV cable
>> attachment to the throttle body. And keep your battery terminals
>> clean.
>>
>> Happy Halloween!
>>
>> Jimmy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
--
Spike
1965 Ford Mustang Fastback 2+2, Vintage Burgundy
w/Black Std Interior, A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok;
Vintage 40 16" rims w/225/50ZR16 KDWS BF Goodrich
gForce Radial T/As, Cobra drop; surround sound
audio-video...
See my ride at....
Feb 2004- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/d..._11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/E...ebuild_006.jpg

Spike > wrote

>>
> Any recommends in place of Die Hard? I've been using them since the
> early 70s when Sears exchanged them no questions asked, and only once
> have had a problem.
>
> Who makes Die Hard? As I understand it, there are really only a
> couple or three battery makers who produce under many brand names.
> A switch to another brand (WallyMart? Costco? Target? Les Schwab?)
> might see a different name on the same battery.

Never had a problem with one step above cheapest at Kmart, Walmart.

Maybe I've been lucky.

The same thing happened to me, TV cable clip broke off. Fortunatly for me I
destroyed the tranny!. Now I got to rebuild the tranny. I kept the AOD and
rebuilt the **** out of it with the help of a tranny guy. I put a little
glob of silicone on the plastic clip of the TV cable, keep an eye on it from
time to time. Been almost four years now and has never come off since.
"Spike" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 12:00:58 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> > wrote:
>
> >"Sudden trans problems? Check trans cable at throttle body"
> >
> >
> >Good lesson... but change that fluid, anyway. You have no idea how long
> >you'll need that trans... put in a bottle of Lucas AT fix when you change
> >fluid and it will last you longer than you'll need it.
> >
> >Good lesson #2: Dont fall for that 'diehard' crap! I learned my lesson
> >when the brand was new in early 70's... Sears refused to replace a new
> >one because tester showed it had enough amps at room temp. Problem was
> >it had a near-dead cell and wouldnt crank engine fast enough for good
> >start when temp was 30 deg or lower.
> >
> >NEVER buy a 'diehard'... it ranks right up with Fram and Pennzoil as 'all
> >marketing hype'
> >
> >
> Any recommends in place of Die Hard? I've been using them since the
> early 70s when Sears exchanged them no questions asked, and only once
> have had a problem.
>
> Who makes Die Hard? As I understand it, there are really only a
> couple or three battery makers who produce under many brand names.
> A switch to another brand (WallyMart? Costco? Target? Les Schwab?)
> might see a different name on the same battery.
>
> >"- Captain Ahab -" > wrote in
> :
> >
> >> Found an interesitng solution to what I thought was a dying AOD.
> >>
> >> Had a battery problem with the car. First off, let me tell you SEAERS
> >> SUCKS. Bought a 100 month Die Hard battery for my 1990 Mustang in
> >> (roughly) summer of 2000. Misplaced the receipt. Sears keeps records
> >> of every DUMB thing they've ever sold me and want to extend a
> >> warranty on. NOT CAR BATTERIES! Apparently the advances in computers
> >> and databases, record keeping etc. does NOT extend to Die Hard
> >> batteries. And (of course) the battery tester did not work at the
> >> facility I went to to check if it was any good. Alls I had to do was
> >> pay the 84.99 for the full battery and I'm in business. Screw that...
> >>
> >> Went home with said battery, hooked it up to grandpa's old 6 amp
> >> battery charger for about 8 hours and it worked fine. Car started like
> >> a champ. Ran it for a while in the park and reved engine from the
> >> throttle body....WHICH CAUSED (I THINK) transmission problems....I
> >> think I popped off the clip from the TV cable to the throttle body.
> >> But before I realized it....
> >>
> >> Went for a test drive in the stang to relearn fuel curve, get the
> >> engine rolling, and see how it was and if I shouldbuy a new battery
> >> (NOT A SEARS DIE HARD FOR SURE!) Got car on the highway, hit the gas
> >> and pedal was soft, tranny slipping...I thought "oh ****, AOD death"
> >> and got the car home ASAP. Car would not downshift and went through
> >> the gears real sloppy. Ful throttle was like driving a wet noodle.
> >> Scary. Got home, and checked the transmission fluid. Dark, not
> >> red...dead AOD for sure. No doubts. But wait...Google just to check...
> >>
> >> Suire enough a search on this list (RAMFM) provided the solution. Not
> >> to the darkened transmission fluid, but to the ****tly shifting
> >> problem. There is a clip that holds the TV cable to the throttle body.
> >> That clip went missing, and transmission shifted like ****. Like it
> >> was dead/ gonna die real soon. And one looke at the fluid (before I
> >> knew about the clip) "confirmed" my problem. A google search of the
> >> old news archive provided this from mach1man Dan:
> >>
> >> -----
> >> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...ang/msg/384c7a
> >> 55148d643b
> >>
> >> Hold your Horses Michael. I had the same symptoms from my car. got
> >> real soft pedal. When I held down the pedal it would not shift then
> >> fall into neutral. BUt it got real soft. DONT DRIVE THE CAR! tow,
> >> push, pull it to your local reputable tranny shop. It is a little
> >> bracket or connection type thing. Its plastic is in the engine Bay.
> >> And cost me 25 bucks to have fix instead of the 1200 for a rebuild. I
> >> talked to the guy over the phone and told him what type of car it was
> >> he knew the problem without seeing the car. If you drive the car it
> >> will ruin the tranny. They repaced the part with a metal replacement
> >> and said it wont break any more. It is common in AOD's I guess.
> >>
> >> Good Luck,
> >> Let me know how it goes.
> >> Dan
> >> -----
> >>
> >> THIS was exactly the problem. A couple of zip ties, and car was
> >> running FINE despite discolored fluid (83,000 miles, and had car 15
> >> years...time to change it? Probably not...wait for it to die and go
> >> tremec...LOL)
> >>
> >> Ordered new TV cable from ford for 54 bucks. AND THEY THROW IN THE
> >> CLIP....
> >>
> >> So....before you think your AOD is D-E-A-D.....check that TV cable
> >> attachment to the throttle body. And keep your battery terminals
> >> clean.
> >>
> >> Happy Halloween!
> >>
> >> Jimmy
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> --
> Spike
> 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback 2+2, Vintage Burgundy
> w/Black Std Interior, A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok;
> Vintage 40 16" rims w/225/50ZR16 KDWS BF Goodrich
> gForce Radial T/As, Cobra drop; surround sound
> audio-video...
> See my ride at....
> Feb 2004- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
> Feb 2004- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
> Jul 2005- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/d..._11_05_002.jpg
> Jul 2005- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/E...ebuild_006.jpg

On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:53:18 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> wrote:

>Spike > wrote
>
>>>
>> Any recommends in place of Die Hard? I've been using them since the
>> early 70s when Sears exchanged them no questions asked, and only once
>> have had a problem.
>>
>> Who makes Die Hard? As I understand it, there are really only a
>> couple or three battery makers who produce under many brand names.
>> A switch to another brand (WallyMart? Costco? Target? Les Schwab?)
>> might see a different name on the same battery.
>
>Never had a problem with one step above cheapest at Kmart, Walmart.
>
>Maybe I've been lucky.
My last one came from COSTCO and it worked great (not sure what
happened with it after I sold the car). Even the Die Hards I had
worked great, but I bought the Gold level which is, IIRC, the top of
the Die Hard line, and pricey.
--
Spike
1965 Ford Mustang Fastback 2+2, Vintage Burgundy
w/Black Std Interior, A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok;
Vintage 40 16" rims w/225/50ZR16 KDWS BF Goodrich
gForce Radial T/As, Cobra drop; surround sound
audio-video...
See my ride at....
Feb 2004- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/d..._11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005- http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/E...ebuild_006.jpg

"Spike" > wrote in message
news
> On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:53:18 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> > wrote:
>
>>Spike > wrote
>>
>>>>
>>> Any recommends in place of Die Hard? I've been using them since the
>>> early 70s when Sears exchanged them no questions asked, and only once
>>> have had a problem.
>>>
>>> Who makes Die Hard? As I understand it, there are really only a
>>> couple or three battery makers who produce under many brand names.
>>> A switch to another brand (WallyMart? Costco? Target? Les Schwab?)
>>> might see a different name on the same battery.
>>
>>Never had a problem with one step above cheapest at Kmart, Walmart.
>>
>>Maybe I've been lucky.
> My last one came from COSTCO and it worked great (not sure what
> happened with it after I sold the car). Even the Die Hards I had
> worked great, but I bought the Gold level which is, IIRC, the top of
> the Die Hard line, and pricey.
> --
> Spike

That's all I buy. Got one in each of the Mustangs and just put one in my
daughter's car. Never a problem from them.

dwight

dwight wrote:
> "Spike" > wrote in message
> news >
>>On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:53:18 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Spike > wrote
>>>
>>>
>>>>Any recommends in place of Die Hard? I've been using them since the
>>>>early 70s when Sears exchanged them no questions asked, and only once
>>>>have had a problem.
>>>>
>>>>Who makes Die Hard? As I understand it, there are really only a
>>>>couple or three battery makers who produce under many brand names.
>>>>A switch to another brand (WallyMart? Costco? Target? Les Schwab?)
>>>>might see a different name on the same battery.
>>>
>>>Never had a problem with one step above cheapest at Kmart, Walmart.
>>>
>>>Maybe I've been lucky.
>>
>>My last one came from COSTCO and it worked great (not sure what
>>happened with it after I sold the car). Even the Die Hards I had
>>worked great, but I bought the Gold level which is, IIRC, the top of
>>the Die Hard line, and pricey.
>>--
>>Spike
>
>
> That's all I buy. Got one in each of the Mustangs and just put one in my
> daughter's car. Never a problem from them.
>
> dwight
>
>

Consumer Reports does a test on car batteries just about every year. The top
rated are generally DieHard, Duralast, AC Delco, and Costco brand. The order seems
to change every year, so I don't think it matters all that much which one you pick.
Over the last few years I've been buying Duralast from Autozone with a lifetime
warranty. I wait for them to go on sale, so they are pretty cheap. I haven't had
one go bad yet, so I can't say anything about warranty replacement.
With winter coming up, they should go on sale soon. I'll be buying one for my
truck this year.

--
..boB
1997 HD FXDWG - Turbocharged!
2001 Dodge Dakota QC 5.9/4x4/3.92
1966 Mustang Coupe - Daily Driver
1965 FFR Cobra - Finally on the Road!