head gaskets and aod issues

[havoc_qs]

Hello all. New member. Glad I found you guys! Recently picked up an 88 country squire. Love her to death, but I'm having 2 issues.

1. She overheated. Bad. Stalled, but didn't lock up. Apparently the thermostat was older than dirt and failed (one half had oxidised to the t-stat housing, the other broke loose and lodged itself into the intake...), blew up the radiator. Got those fixed, and found the head gasket had failed. Fixing to dig into that, but the tc we has previous had the 4.6, and I'm unfamiliar w/ the 302. Anything to watch out for or check while I'm rippin her guts out?

2. The aod learned a new trick. No first gear (I assume this would be "slip" but id feels more like it's stuck in neutral) when moving from stop for a second or 2 when in OD. Doesn't happen when in D. A wiggle to the shifter is greeted with a thud into forward motion. I know I need to do a complete flush & filter, as the fluid is amber/brown and smells like brake fluid. That can't be doing good things. Any known internal/mechanical issues that does this?

Engine also starts to bog after running for a bit, but I'm figuring that's from fluid loss. New ignition coil, pickup coil, and module are in the works too. Look like orignal pieces, and I don't really trust 20 yr old electronics...

Thanks in advance. You guys have a great resource here!

[gadget73]

1) relatively straightforward. I suggest if you're into the motor that far, simply throw the stock heads away and stick some better ones on. Stock Mustang or Explorer ones will help. At a minimum, consider having the originals rebuilt since the valve seals are probably shot from the heat. I'd also put a timing chain in since its not that much more to get the timing cover off. I'd actually stick a better cam in there too but thats me. HO swap would be very simple at this point.

2) Scary. If the fluid is that discolored, don't be surprised if changing it makes it blow up completely. If you don't change it, don't be surprised if it blows up eventually anyway. Either way I suspect you're in for a trans job soon. Check the TV bushing on the bottom of the throttle body. When that comes apart it bakes the transmissions real fast, but it will also cause gear engagement problems.

3) if you're running it with a bad head gasket, that would likely be a cause for problems. Also, running with a failed HG will cause the converters to clog up really nicely, so that may also be part of the problem. The coils seldom go bad, TFI modules usually work or they don't, ditto with the pickup but they fail from heat, so if that motor got good and hot they might be done in by now.


also, , since I see its your first post here

[havoc_qs]

I wish I could go that far, but as usual, budget does not permit. And I need a runner more than a rod @ the moment. However I'm a patient & thorough shadetree wrencher. I have to be. My other car is a 93 volvo 940...

I'm picking up a full fel-pro gasket set from autozone tomorrow. Has all gaskets from deck up, plus new valve seals, so that should cover pretty much everything I cooked on the top end unless I warped a head. Note to self. Never ignore an engine light in older cars. Any reccomendations on a good temp gauge? XD

I haven't been driving it since I realized I had a half empty rad, with oil in it. Smoke/no smoke depending on where timing is set, which seems odd. I question the ignition bits, as it seemed to let the timing wander as it warmed up, before coolant loss should be an issue unless the o2 sensor is going nuts, which it probably is. But again, feels temp sensative more than anything. At least everything is a lot more straight forward than that 4.6 was. Blech.

Also, forgive any grammar/spelling issues. I normally type well, but my only net connection is my pda right now.

[86VickyLX]

to GMN, Mang! The 302 is a cake walk compared to the 4.6 Modular engine. The head might not have been warped, those things are pretty tough, if it was an aluminum head I would have said 100% that it was dead. Won't know until you pull them off right?

[Lincolnmania]

get the heads resurfaced and replace the valve seals......yes i have seen cast iron heads warp......if you can get some e7 heads from the u-pull it yard cheap that would be the way to go.........the transmission sounds like it is on its way out.....where are you located? i have a bunch of used ones and my friend brian is an aod guru

[havoc_qs]

Waaaaayy out here in north texas. Fort worth, to be exact. And I lack a driveway or garage, so even the heads are gonna piss off the apt. managers. Apparently auto repair = lawsuit waiting to happen...

What years & models did the e7s show up in? This IS truck country, so I may get lucky off a few calls. Also, getting back to the trans failure I'd rather not hear about, if it goes would there be any benefit to looking @ other applications for a stronger unit? We have more F150s and explorers per capita than anywhere else in the nation, and I'd figure weight is about the same as my wagon. The passenger car aod just seems...weak. The towny aode suffered from the notorious converter "shudder." At least reman units seem to come pretty cheap.

One problem I'm running into is local shops won't touch the thing, as it's pre 1990. It's considered a "guranteed comeback." Asshats. Oh well, once all this is sorted out, it'll pretty much be a full mechanical resto!

Btw lm, noticed the 5.0 brick in your sig. I envy you. The 940 still has the solid-but-slow turboless redblock 4. /offtopic

[Lincolnmania]

e7 heads came on:
87-95 truck 302's
87-97 truck 351w's
87-95 mustang
87-92 lincoln mark VII

gt40 heads came on:
93-95 ford lightning
93-95 ford mustang cobra
96 ford explorer

gt40p heads came on 97-01 ford explorers

the strongest aod is the 91 unit....truck aod is the same and the aode is electronic.....you could go to a c6 but then you lose the overdrive

yea the volvo 760 is a fun car, but always something breaking......it was a ross converse conversion, the wiring is scary

[havoc_qs]

Awesome info. Thanks. There's bound to be at least one of the above in a yard somewhere in town. Any manifold or ecu compatibility issues?

Personally, I'd love a c4/6 swap, but I'd be on my own, in a parking lot, with only ramps and jackstands. Not a good prospect. My brother had a '69 fairlane 500 w/ a 302/c4 combo. Replaced the trans all of once during it's lifetime. Scrapped it when it threw a timing chain. No valve damage. I still cry about that..

Also, the gas gauge don't work. Any simple fixes yall know of?

[Lincolnmania]

aod's are very reliable.....the tv bushings break and they fry and they get a bad rep.......the aod is basically an overdrive cruise o matic
my town car has 203,000 on the transmission.......proper service intervals keep things alive.......like gadget said, change the fluid and filter, if it's going to die it's gonna happen anyway (my 86 vic wagon was slipping bad....new fluid and a filter fixed it, that was 10,000 mi ago) sometimes you get lucky......check the tv bushing!

[havoc_qs]

Just did. It's gummy. And kinda squashed lookin. And on the replacement list...

[gadget73]

If the timing wanders around, that sounds like a really shot timing chain. I'd strongly consider adding one to your list while you've got the accessories off the motor since thats about half the work of getting to the chain. They're about 25 bucks. Replace the water pump too while you're in there. Gotta take it off to do a timing chain anyway.

[91waggin]

Just did. It's gummy. And kinda squashed lookin. And on the replacement list...

Make sure you get the brass bushing/cotter pin combo. That's a lot more secure setup than another rubber one (idk if you can even get a new rubber one, but regardless, don't).

And welcome! Waggins are the shit!

[havoc_qs]

Yay progress! Have the upper off, and most of the wiring outta the way, but had to stop. 2 questions.

Is the coupling seperator on the fuel rails a dealer service tool, or can it be found @ sears, ect?

Is it normal to have rust accumulation in the intake water passages, and carbon buildup on the intake runners? The tb was pretty much fused to the upper, and the runners are just nasty. Way to clean that out?

I also need about a mile and a half of vac lines. And a shop vac to suck all the acorns off the lower manifold. I don't wanna know...

Thank's a ton guys. You've been awesome!

[Tiggie]

I had acorns hiding under my upper intake too!

The tool to separate the fuel lines is available at most any auto parts store. Just be sure to relieve the fuel pressure before messing with that. If it's been sitting overnight then you should be okay.

It's pretty normal to have rust in your water passages and carbon buildup in the intake runners. You can use some radiator flush once you get it running again, and you may have to do that several times. Other than a parts washer, the best way to clean the intake runners out is a little seafoam once the car is running again.

Be sure to label those vacuum lines and put them back in the right spot.

[Chris84]

just one question:

has anybody the part number(s) of the tv bushing?