Please help Transmission and starter problem

5

Asked by davidgh1983 Jun 19, 2016 at 09:19 AM about the 1994 Ford Thunderbird LX RWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 94 Ford Thunderbird 4.6L. The other day my wife and I went all
over the place in it. When we were about to go home we went to get
groceries. I ran inside with the car running. When i got back into the car
and started driving i notice that the car wasn't shifting. At first i thought
maybe i wasn't go fast enough for it to shift. Then when we got on the main
road, that when i could definitely tell it wasn't shifting. I pulled over and
shifted the gear shifter through all of the gears. Started back driving and
nothing changed. I pulled over again and turn the car off, and turned the
key a few times and the car wouldn't start find out i need a new starter,
went and got one and had to get a wrecker to bring the car home. % hours
later got it home and off the wrecker and some how the car started. Put the
new starter in just in case it was bad. Drove it a little and notice it wasn't
shifting at first but then started shifting. Didn't get the car hot enough to tell
if it was fixed. The next day drove it again and it started not shifting again,
tried shifting manually and that seem to help for not even 5 miles. Then im
driving 10mph up to 20mph. Pulled into advance because the check engine
light came on and got the code P1407 no flow detected. I looked around
the EGR and notice that the hose was off, so that fixed that. Went to start
the car and the same thing car wouldn't start. Went to Autozone and got
another starter they said that the first one tested good. Put the new starter
in and lucas in the transmission. The car started fine no problems. Took it
for a drive, as soon as i pulled out of the neighborhood i notice it wasn't
shifting again. So i went to turn around put it in first to try to sift manually,
then second, and then drive and it went into 3rd and 4th. Drove the car for
about 10 miles in drive and it was working fine. No hesitation, no hard
shifting, it was running smooth. Got it home thinking everything was fixed.
Got in it the next day and it won't start again. So now the same thing is
happening with 3 starters, and can't even hear it throw the gear out to turn
the fly wheel. I still don't know what is going wrong with the transmission.
Does anyone know how to fix this? What is causing the transmission to not
shift and what is causing the starter to not work? I also want to add that i
took it to a transmission shop and they smelled the fluid and said it was
burn and i needed a rebuild or a new one. But im not sure about the
because why would it work great after putting lucas in it. Not shifting hard,
or slipping. I haven't been able yet to determined if thats fixed yet because i
haven't been able to get a new starter yet. Anyone please help

1 Answer

41,755

Yes, you will need a transmission replacement. Don't ever use "Lucas" it creates all kinds on issues Foaming and so many others.. But let someones else, (Next, here is some guy EXPERT, LOVING Lucas.. added 10MPG etc.)get into that. The starter motor is another separate issue. Have the starter circuit tested by a qualified Tech call around. I type this so much is unreal a $100 will pay for the cost of having this diagnosed (correctly). NO decent Tech charges a fee IF they can't say THIS is the problem! I was a prototype person in/at Ford Dearborn MI, years,and years. I know the Thunderbird's, and Ford / Lincoln vehicles very well, BUT SO WHAT! lots of personnel there were clueless. Regards

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