Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting ATX Hard 1-2 Shift ?????

I have had the Merc for about a year now and put 15K mi on it with no problems. Thursday I am leaving a friends house and on medium acceleration it Slammed into second, causing the wheels to chirp. It only has a 2.0 and has never chirped. Sense then, it has been slamming into second hard. Once it is warm it softens up. No other gears do that.

Also, what RPM's should the 2.0 be running at 65mph? Mine is running between 2,700 & 3,000 RPM. Is this normal?

What is the verdict? Tranny rebuild?

Thanks,

Eric

When was the last time your tranny fluid was flushed?

I don't know when it was last flushed. I bought the car used AS-IS for $2,000 with 98,000 mi. I am planning on having it done this week to see if that helps. I was looking for some insight before spending $80 to have it flushed, and spend more on a rebuild the following week.

A tranny flush is a smart thing, but perhaps you should just reset the PCM. I'm not sure if it is different for a Zetec vs the Duratec. Try the FAQ or ask in the Zetec forum.

Why would resetting the PCM cause the computer in the ATX to adjust behavior? It sounds more mechanical than computer.

I already tried the FAQ, but came up with zilch.

And where is the Ztech forum?

Eric

hmm...i had that same problem in my V6, its still prevalent but it doesn't jerk and chirp the wheels as it used too. It used to happen as i accelerated from 1st, then let the gas off before it hit 2nd gear. Apparently, the throttle would hang at 3000-4000 rpm, then rev up as the transmission went to neutral and tried to engage second and then "POP! SQUEEK! BAM!" as my head lurched forward, as i said "damn, what the hell was that?". I've had my transmissoin fluid flushed, and i've changed my acceleration habits so i don't stop giving it gas till it goes through second gear (usualy it shifts at 2500 rpm in neighborhoods) so its not near as bad as when i first got the car.

I don't have a chirping problem, but I have realized not to let off the gas until I am into second. I let my brother drive the other night, and he though it was like his tracer he had just wrecked, so he left off the gas and it had trouble getting through to second. I guess I should have told him.

My '95 SE ATX will also hit second gear a little hard ( no chirping ) when it is cold. It has been that way ever since new. I change my ATX fluid about every 7,500 miles and that doesn't help. It may just be normal for the transmission which, in my opinion, sometimes has a hard time deciding what gear it should be in.

I took my mom's 95 zetec out one night when my last vehicle was broke down. I had that poor tranny so screwed up it was funny. I'd floor it till just before it shifted then again right after it shifted and then let off a little into second and let it slow down to where it would downshift into first when I floored it again to start the whole thing over. If I did that whole process two or three times it would finally just shift out of gear until I let off the gas. Poor car.

Consider a PCM reprogram. They can do it...the software is updated occasionally and they can smooth the shifts and such. Ask at a dealer.