97 Taurus SHO

[4.0B2]

Alright, many of yall have heard me talk about the SHO that my mom has.. its a 97 3.4 V8 automatic.

we are having a problem w/ it not catching gears some when it shifts...only occassionally tho. from 1-2nd usually it just misses 2nd gear and acts like its in neutral. once you stop, put it in park and back in drive...it'll work right. sometimes for weeks before it does it again.

sometimes it builds up pressure or something in the transmission and pushes the dipstick out... some parts have been replaced, just don't know what my dad has done so far. i'll ask and post up when i can.

what's the most obvious things to replace first?

 

[RangerSVT]

I'd do a filter and fluid change...cheap insurance!


SVT

 

[4.0B2]

i know thats been done already. 2-3 times.... lol
you just had to job my memory lol.

 

[RangerSVT]

Put a scantool on it and see if the computer is sensing any slippage, or if any shift solenoids are malfunctioning...

SVT

 

[4.0B2]

i guess i need to find a different scan tool... mine doesn't do anything when hooked up and driving it.

 

[adsm08]

SHO ... its a 97 3.4 V8 automatic.

Found the problem.

what's the most obvious things to replace first?

The car.



If you haven't picked up on it yet, I don't think particularly highly of the Taurus SHO. Like with Mustangs though my disdain for the cars generally stems from the owners. But since you are ok and I don't know your mother, I'll try to provide some legitimately helpful information.

Fluid puking back out the dipstick tube (presumably the source of your pressure) is usually a pump issue or from putting fluid in too fast. The AX4 transmissions were known for pump issues, but it was usually a total failure that resulted in a completely inoperative transmission.

Intermittently missing shifts is likely an issue in the valve body, either a sticking valve or a dying solenoid.

How many miles are on the trans? If the number has 6 digits in it, or really anything over about 75,000 I'm gonna say skip the diag and rebuild the trans while carefully checking all the hard parts carefully for damage around the weld points.

 

[4.0B2]

its not puking fluid.. its just pushing the dipstick out.
i'm thinking, like you, that we need to pull it and do a full rebuild but i think my dad will sell the car before we do that.. Mom's kinda wanting an explorer or sport trac now.. so... who knows.

and we didn't buy a SHO b/c we wanted a SHO.... story is
my dad paid $200 for it from some old lady that needed money. it wasn't running when we got it. he did it b/c he knew her, and she NEEDED the money. after fixing it, he was gonna sell it... but mom kinda liked it so we kept it. its truly that simple. dad didn't even know it was a SHO when he bought it. lol.

know anyone wanting to buy a SHO? new interior, fresh paint!
it doesn't miss the gear a lot.. but will need attention soon probably tho lol.

 

[Will]

A V8 Taurus is a cool car and you don't need to apologize for it.

 

[adsm08]

A V8 Taurus is a cool car and you don't need to apologize for it.

I'm not saying it isn't. I'm saying that owning a "cool" car affects MOST people the same way as having power. It turns them into insufferable nut jobs.


Take as an example the guy who has his "show" Mustang in at our shop every so often. The chin spoiler is all chipped up because he drives it on the road, but after we replaced the radio he came in screaming that we scratched the center console. We couldn't see it but bought him a new piece to keep him from calling the owner.

After we cleaned all the armor all off we found a mark that was probably from a poor attempt to toss his cell phone into the cup holder. That was the ONLY imperfection on the part. I find him to be typical of Mustang and SHO owners.



Now if you really want to see a "cool" car, go find the 98 Tarus wagon that was built by a guy I used to work with. He swapped the SHO power train into it. That was cool. Idiot traded it straight up for a beat up 83 Mustang.

 

[86 slo-vo]

I hate the newer SHO's that body style is just plain ugly.

I had a 95 SHO, loved that car. Was a fun little sleeper, but was still a Taurus.

If it had been RWD I'd still have mine but if I found another cheap I'd rock it again for a while.

 

[4.0B2]

i never apologized for having one.. idc. its a nice car. other than the trans issue right now i wouldn't mind DD'ing it for awhile. it runs good, rides good.

so... about the trans issue... any ideas?! lol