How-to, Adjusting tranny bands?

[socalscott]

Shifting delays to D and R, also with passing downshifts. Seems like there's slip too. Actually one morning, less than 1/2 mile, felt like neutral. I stopped, took off again and it hasn't happened again. BTW, not many miles since fluid change and level is good.

So, any procedure info. on what to externally adjust and to what torque specs.?

Much appreciated

 

[formerknown]

Sounds like the MLPS sensor. It's a neutral safety switch located on the driver side of the tranny. You can find them at AutoZone for $25 and it removes with an 8mm wrench and a flat-tip screwdriver to disconnect it from the harness.

Just show up at AutoZone, or Advance, or whatever your local store is an ask for a "neutral safety switch" for the year of your car. Here is what it looks like:

 

[segxr7]

The Mark's 4R70W transmission is fully electronically-controlled and doesn't have any kind of external adjustments.

I second the MLPS. It can cause all sorts of weird shifting problems, but the most common is intermittently dropping into neutral while cruising at a steady speed. That's what my '95 did, and replacing it took care of the problem. I bought a replacement at Advance Auto for about $30; their "store brand" sensor was actually a Ford part with the updated gasket design.

 

[socalscott]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

The main issue is that when I switch from D to R for example, I have to wait 3 seconds for engagement.

I have a spare tranny that has at least 4 adjustable bolts above and along the pan. What are they for? I'm pretty certain that all Auto trannys have some external belt adjusters.

Thanks

 

[unity]

Do not adjust anything, its not meant to be adjusted and there are no adjustments to be made. Like said, its all electronically controlled and you can not adjust the bands unless you want to take the whole thing apart!

Its the MLPS or low trans fluid - which I am sure you would have checked by now since its the obvious thing to check first, therefore, MLPS.

It its not the MLPS then it may be stuck check balls or really BAD fluid. Sometimes the check balls can get wedged in the separator plate, not common but its happened to me (never had a problem though, odd) and when I went to a trans shop to pick up more they said they have see in plenty of times. They wear down and get smaller.

 

[formerknown]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

The main issue is that when I switch from D to R for example, I have to wait 3 seconds for engagement.

I have a spare tranny that has at least 4 adjustable bolts above and along the pan. What are they for? I'm pretty certain that all Auto trannys have some external belt adjusters.

Thanks

Okay. See the article in the tech section on the J-mod. Opening up hole #10 with a 3/32 drill bit on the valve body separator plate will engage reverse faster...
You can see #10 on this SP map:

 

[socalscott]

Well, $30, that's a no brainer, eh?
Isn't there something to mounting/adjusting it correctly?

Oh, Merc V fluid and it's @ full.

Thanks gents, nice touch with the pics. I know I've had my hands on that piece when I swaped engine/tranny in.

 

[segxr7]

The new MLPS should come set in the Neutral position. So you'll want to put the shifter in neutral before removing the old one, verify that they're in the same position (which you can see by the notches in the ring), and the new sensor should slide right on.

 

[southernbrothersgarage]

My '93 was slipping into neutral at 40-45 mph. Any change in throttle position and it would go to 3rd or 4th gear. I disconnected/reconnected the battery and this fix lasted a few months. Last weekend it came back. It didn't matter whether I was in 3rd or 4th it would slip in and out of gear at 45 mph. On the way home it started doing it at 55-60 mph. I nursed it home and changed the MLPS. So far so good, it quit acting up. I got it from Advance, made by Sorensen. It was $45 but they price matched Autozone at $30. They list it as a neutral safety switch. FYI, mine came not in the neutral position. It is clearly marked just pay attention how the old one comes off. It's a tight fit to work around the exhaust and the wires are tight too. The connector required a little cussin' to get it loose. Bottom line.... $30 well spent and about 30 minutes labor total. Thanks for the help guys.
Dave.

 

[formerknown]

93-94 MLPS switches are notorius for failure. New ones have gaskets that protect the electronics inside the switch. I'm surprised you didn't have to change is sooner...

 

[segxr7]

93-94 MLPS switches are notorius for failure. New ones have gaskets that protect the electronics inside the switch. I'm surprised you didn't have to change is sooner...

My 95 had the old gasket design. It was an early build though, so it might have gotten a carryover from '94.

 

[unity]

I think it was a bad design in all years, but in like 2000 or so they changed it. My 96 had the old design as well as my late 95.