car won't reverse --- it goes forward

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subzero24

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hey guys. i am kinda depressed right now.

ive got a 1996 mark viii

i started up today, and for a while it was shaking every time i would go into first.

that stopped, but then the reverse stopped working. the car runs fine going forward (no shaking), but when you go into reverse it goes forward.

also, when the car is in drive with foot on the break there is a high pitch whistling sound.

can anyone help me, what does this sound like?
 
Shaking and whistle, could be a vacuum leak. Carefully spraying a can of starting fluid (little squirts at a time) around the engine may locate it. If the engine revs, you found it.

I would say MLPS (Manual lever position sensor) but this sounds like a trans problem. Im not gonna touch it :)
 
i am thinking its something to do with the transmission. that would cost a lot and take tons of work. i am hoping not because if so, then i'll just part it out or something. i'd drive it but there is no where in my town with pull through parking. i'm gonna try and get a better diagnostic at pep boys. in the mean time i will be pushing my car out of parking spots and hoping in on the run.
 
In not an advocate of tossing parts til something is fixed. But if you are gonna part out, and I understand, then *maybe* putting a new MLPS on would be worth a shot. $30 and its fixed, or not and you know you will have to go into the trans to fix it.
 
Just throw in a junkyared tranny, prefarably a 98+ unit. These are cheap and would get you back on the road easily with not that much cost.
 
yeah, a cheap transmission would be ok as long as the gears worked. i just need to get by for a while..so i dont need anything special.

as far as selling it is concerned, it is probably worth a lot more to me than what someone would be willing to pay...unless you'd want to pay around expected part out cost that is. it also needs new door, fender, and windshield.

i just wish there was someone here who has had this exact problem, who might be able to point me in the right direction.

EDIT: also the whistling is gone...just the reverse problem now. The car also goes forward in neutral
 
the MLPS wont fix it, that just tells the computer what gear your in, sounds to me its internal, ill talk to the trans guy at work and get back to you
 
ok, now the car isn't going into neutral either.

it also seems to have trouble shifting into 4th gear.

these are all pretty different areas of the tranny, but everything happened at about the same time.

i've been looking into this problem, and was able to find something pretty specific to the mark. here it is :


"--- Automatic transmission: Transmission shudder or vibration under light acceleration or when shifting between third and fourth gear above 35 mph can be fixed by replacing the transmission fluid with Mercon fluid. (1992-94)

Automatic transmission: The transmission may slip and the engine may flare when the transmission shifts into fourth gear, which can often be traced to a bad TR/MLP sensor. (1993-95)"
-http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1993-to-1998-lincoln-mark-viii-2.htm

here's some stuff from another vehicle, but still has to do with transmission basics..it might have some info :

--- "...If the vehicle operates in the DRIVE position, then it would seem, mechanically, the transmission is fine. This would make me think there is a problem in the electrical portion of the system.

Most likely a problem with the line pressure, valve body or line pressure solenoid valve. If these components check out okay, then we are looking at a problem with the Reverse, High, Forward, Overrun Clutch or the Low and Reverse brake inside the transmission."
-http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl620h.htm



that gives me some hope, as far as not needing a whole new tranny.

the part about the line pressure seems like it might be relevant, because the car was having a very loud whistle around the time everything went bad. i'll try the starting fluid thing out first

if that doesnt work then i'll replace the manual lever position sensor and throttle position sensor too.

does anyone have any other thoughts or suggestions?

i was gonna sell it, but i just got another mark (94' and gold =D) and have been using this downed one for misc parts.

but, i think it'd be real nice to fix it up as my fun car if it could be done.

all that tony stewarting around is what got the car like this in the first place...did i mention it needs body work too? im ready for it though, the sun's coming out and the ladies are putting on less. i need a good project.
 
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