
Fig. 25: Measuring Differential Bearing Preload
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
3. Unthread gauge tool until differential bearings are seated. Install Differential Rotator into differential assembly. Using INCH lb. torque
wrench, rotate differential assembly while unthreading gauge tool. Unthread gauge tool until 4.3 INCH lbs. (.5 N.m) of turning torque is
obtained.
4. Using feeler gauge, measure gap of gauge tool. Select correct thrust shim(s) by adding .006" (.15 mm) to measured gauge tool ga p . S h ims
are available from in thicknesses of .043" (1.08 mm) to .079" (2.00 mm) in .040 mm increments.
5. Disassemble case halves. Remove gauge set and spacers. Install selected shim(s) in transaxle case. DO NOT exceed 3 shims. Remove
bearing race from gauge tool and install race in transaxle case. Reassemble transaxle case halves. Install bolts and tighten bolts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
.
6. Install Differential Rotator (T88C-77000-L) into differential assembly. Using INCH lb. torque wrench, rotate differential assembly to
confirm correct bearing preload. Turning torque should be 18-25 INCH lbs. (21.-2.8 N.m). If turning torque is not within specification,
repeat steps 1) through 6).
FINAL REASSEMBLY
1. Install low-reverse brake piston by applying even pressure on perimeter of piston while rotating slowly. Install 20 return springs and
low-reverse brake hub. Using appropriate compressor, compress return spring and install snap ring. See Fig. 9
.
2. Install dished plate with small end of dish facing away from piston. Install clutch discs, retainer ring and one-way clutch. Install one-
way clutch machined surface toward retainer ring. Install snap ring.
3. Using a feeler gauge, ensure clearance between one-way clutch and retainer plate is .031-.041" (.80-1.05 mm). If clearance is not within
specification, select correct retainer plate to obtain correct clearance. Retainer plates are available in thicknesses of .063" (1.60 mm)
to .102" (2.60 mm) in .20 mm increments. Apply air pressure to low-reverse oil passage and check for proper clutch operation. See Fig.
10 .
4. Place converter housing on bench with output shaft facing upward. Install needle bearing over output shaft. Install drum hub assembly
onto output shaft spline. Install needle bearing with thrust washer in recess of drum hub. Install rear planetary carrier onto one-way
clutch race. Install snap ring. Install rear planetary assembly into drum hub. Install oil tubes into transaxle case.
5. Install governor into transaxle case. Ensure alignment mark on governor sleeve is aligned with mark on transaxle case. Install go ve r n o r
cover.Tighten bolts to specification. Refer to TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
. Apply appropriate gasket sealant to converter housing
and install transaxle case. Once case halves are secured in place, ensure all parts previously installed rotate without resistance.
6. Lubricate servo piston with ATF. Assembly servo retainer, piston, piston large seal and spring. Insert assembly into transaxle. Usin g "C"
clamp and socket, compress assembly and install snap ring.
7. Install thrust bearing and thrust washer. Install sun gear shell with sun gear spacer and sun gear. See Fig. 8
. Install front planetary
carrier with thrust washer onto sun gear. Install thrust washer and thrust bearing onto front of front planetary carrier.
8. Install seal sleeve to center of front planetary carrier. Install front ring gear. Install front ring gear needle bearing with rollers facing
upward. Install thrust washer. Match tangs on thrust washer with mating holes in rear clutch assembly.
9. Install rear clutch assembly. Install needle bearing. Companion thrust washer is fitted to oil pump support later in reassembly procedure.
Install front clutch assembly. Install band, band strut and band adjusting stop. Tighten band adjusting stop until band is secured in
place.
TOTAL END PLAY ADJUSTMENT
1. Remove oil pump cover from oil pump housing. Set oil pump housing aside. Coat pump support thrust washer with petroleum jelly and
install on end of pump support. Ensure washer tangs mate with holes in pump support.
2. Install pump cover in front clutch drum. DO NOT have front drum adjusting thrust shim installed. Place a straightedge across transaxle
NOTE:Low/reverse snap ring m ay not have been installed during production. Snap ring is required
during overhaul reassem bly.
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case over pump cover. Measure clearance between straightedge and pump cover, or between straightedge and transaxle case. See Fig.
26 .
3. If pump cover is below edge of transaxle case, clearance between straightedge and pump cover should not exceed .004" (.10 mm). If
pump cover is above edge of transaxle case, clearance between straightedge and transaxle case should not exceed .006" (.15 mm).
4. If pump cover and/or transaxle case clearance is correct, total clutch assembly end play will be correct. Total clutch assembly end play
should be .010-.020" (.25-.50 mm). If pump cover and/or transaxle case clearance is incorrect, remove pump cover and replace pump
support thrust washer. Thrust washers are available in thicknesses from .047" (1.20 mm) to .087" (2.20 mm) in .20 mm increments.
5. Reassemble oil pump by aligning marks on oil pump gears. Place pump cover on pump housing. Install and tighten bolts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
. Install oil pump shaft in oil pump and check operation by turning shaft by hand.
Gears should move freely without binding.
6. Install front clutch thrust washer over pump support. Install oil pump to transaxle. Install oil pump bolts. Apply sealant on 2 lower
bolts and tighten bolts to specification. Refer to the TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
.
7. Position transaxle with oil pump facing down. Turn sun shell 2 revolutions. Insert screwdriver between tabs of front clutch and sun shell
deep slots. Using a feeler gauge, measure in the shallow slots. See Fig. 26
.
8. End play should be .020-.031" (.50-.80 mm). If end play is not within specification, remove oil pump and install correct thrust washer.
Thrust washers are available in thicknesses of .051" (1.30 mm) to .106" (2.70 mm) in .20 mm increments.
9. Tighten band adjusting stop bolt to 106-133 INCH lbs. (12-15 N.m). Loosen bolt 3 turns and then tighten lock nut to 41-59 ft. lbs. (56-
80 N.m). Install valve body steel check ball and spring in case. Install valve body and oil pan. Install turbine and oil pump sh aft s. In st al l
speedometer driven gear, oil dipstick and tube.
10. Install the vacuum modulator valve in transaxle. Make sure correct length control rod is installed in the modulator. Refer to VACUUM
THROTTLE VALVE DIAPHRAGM (MODULATOR) R & I under ON-VEHICLE SERVICE. Install kickdown solenoid and
park/neutral switch. Install torque converter. With converter properly installed, distance between machined pad on torque converter and
front edge of transaxle housing should be .50" (12.7 mm).
Fig. 26: Measuring Front Drum & Total End Play
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
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Back To Article
T RANSMISSION SERVICING - A/T
1988-93 T RANSMISSION SERVICING Ford Motor Co. Autom atic T ransm ission
IDENTIFICATION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION APPLICATIONS
LUBRICATION
SERVICE INTERVALS
Check fluid level at every engine oil change. Fluid, filter changes and band adjustments are not required under normal operation. Under severe
service operating conditions, change fluid every 30 months or 30,000 miles. Adjust band when fluid is changed.
CHECKING FLUID LEVEL
With transmission at normal operating temperature, place vehicle on level surface. Apply parking brake and run engine at idle. Run gearshift
lever through all positions, ending in Park. With engine running, fluid level should be between "F" and "L" marks. DO NOT overfill.
RECOMMENDED FLUID
Use Dexron-II ATF.
FLUID CAPACITIES
TRANSMISSION REFILL CAPACITIES
DRAINING & REFILLING
1. Remove undercover and side cover to gain access to transaxle oil pan. Remove drain plug and drain fluid. Remove oil pan and discard
gasket. Clean or replace filter screen as necessary. Tighten screen bolts to 71-97 INCH lbs. (8-11 N.m).
2. Install oil pan bolts. Tighten bolts to 44-71 INCH lbs. (5-8 N.m). On all models, install drain plug with NEW washer. Tighten plug to
29-40 ft. lbs. (39-54 N.m).
3. Install undercover and side cover. Add about 3 qts. of specified ATF through dipstick guide tube. DO NOT overfill. Run engine to
normal operating temperature and check fluid level.
ADJUSTMENTS
NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH
Combination neutral safety and back-up light switch is screwed into transaxle case. No adjustments are necessary.
SHIFT CONTROL CABLE
1. Disconnect negative battery cable. Remove shift console. Place shift lever in Park. Remove shift lever knob and lock nut. Remove 4 shift
quadrant attaching screws.
2. Loosen shift cable adjuster nuts until they reach end of cable threads. See Fig. 1
. Place shift lever in Park. Tighten lower adjustment
nut until it lightly touches "T" joint, then tighten upper adjustment nut to 80-97 INCH lbs. (9-11 N.m).
3. Lightly press selector push rod and make sure guide pin clearance is correct. See Fig. 2
. Check guide pin clearance when shift lever is
in Neutral and Drive. Readjust shift cable as necessary.
4. Install 4 shift quadrant attaching screws, shift lever knob, lock nut and shift console. Connect negative battery cable.
ModelTransmission
FestivaATX/3HAT
NOTE:Capacities given are approxim ate refill am ounts that apply to overhaul situation. Correct fluid level
should be determ ined by m ark on dipstick.
ApplicationQts. (L)
ATX/3HAT5.6 (5.3)
CAUT ION: DO NOT use any type of gasket sealer or RT V on oil pan gasket. DO NOT overtighten.
CAUT ION: After com pleting linkage adjustm ents, be sure neutral safety switch operates properly. With parking
brake and service brakes applied, try to start engine in each gear position. Engine m ust crank only
when gearshift lever is in Neutral and Park.
Page 1 of 4 MITCHELL 1 ARTICLE - TRANSMISSION SERVICING - A/T 1988-93 TRANSMISSION SERVICING Ford Motor Co. Aut
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Fig. 2: Checking Release Lever Clearance
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
CLUTCH PEDAL SPECIFICATIONS
CLUTCH PEDAL HEIGHT
1. Disconnect clutch cable from release lever at transaxle. Measure distance from upper center of pedal to firewall. See Fig. 1
. If not
within specifications, check pedal mounting for wear or damage. See CLUTCH PEDAL SPECIFICATIONS
.
2. If adjustment is required, remove instrument panel bracket and air duct located under steering column. Loosen clutch pedal switch lock
nut and rotate switch until correct clutch pedal height is obtained.
3. Install clutch cable at transaxle. Recheck pedal height. If connecting clutch cable changes pedal height, check cable for improper
routing, binding or adjustment. If connecting push rod changes pedal height, check for proper push rod adjustment. Install carpet and
insulation to complete adjustment.
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
Removal
1. Disconnect negative battery cable. Loosen clutch cable adjuster nut and disengage cable from release lever.
2. Remove starter. Disconnect back-up light switch and neutral switch. Disconnect ground cable/strap and supporting brackets. Disconnect
speedometer cable from transaxle.
3. Install Three Bar Engine Support (D88L-6000-A ) to engine hanger. See Fig. 3
. Remove top transaxle-to-engine bolts. Raise vehicle.
Remove bolt and nut retaining shift rod to input shift rail. Drain transaxle fluid. Remove all support brackets attached to transaxle.
Remove front wheels.
Fig. 3: Installing Engine Support Bar (Festiva Similar)
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
4. Remove engine splash shields. Remove front stabilizer bar. Disengage right and left side drive axle shafts from transaxle and support out
of the way. See the AXLE SHAFTS
- FRONT article in the DRIVE AXLES section.
5. Remove exhaust hanger from crossmember. Remove crossmember bolts in sequence, and remove crossmember. On Festiva, remove
crossmember mounting bracket and crossmember. Remove transaxle end plate bolts.
6. Place transmission jack under transaxle, ensuring it is secure. Remove remaining flywheel housing bolts. Lower transaxle by loosening
engine bracket bar hook bolt. Pull transaxle away from engine and lower from vehicle.
7. If reusing pressure plate, mark pressure plate-to-flywheel position for installation reference. Remove pressure plate retaining bolts
evenly. See Fig. 4
. To avoid dropping clutch assembly while removing bolts install clutch aligner. Remove pressure plate, clutch disc
and clutch aligner. Remove flywheel. Remove pilot bearing from flywheel (if replacing).
Inspection
ApplicationIn. (mm)
Pedal Height8.2-8.4 (208.2-213.2)
Free Play.35-.59 (9-15)
Release Lever-To-Pin.06-.10 (1.5-2.5)
Disengagement Height3.3 (84)
CAUT ION: DO NOT allow oil or grease to contact clutch disc face or m ating surfaces. Handle disc by edges.
DO NOT touch face.
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1. Check pressure plate surfaces for scoring, cracks or discoloration. Remove minor scratches or discoloration with fine emery cloth. Check
pressure plate diaphragm spring fingers for discoloration, scoring, broken or bent segments. Ensure all spring ends are the same height.
2. Check clutch disc lining surface for hardening or presence of oil. Check for worn clutch disc lining. Check for loose lining rivets.
Measure depth of rivet heads. Minimum allowable rivet depth is .012" (0.3 mm). Check for wear or rust on splines. Rust may be
removed with emery cloth.
3. Check flywheel surface for marks, scoring or discoloration. Minor surface repairs may be removed with fine emery cloth. Flywheel must
be machined if scoring, runout, or discoloration is excessive. Maximum flywheel runout is .008" (0.2 mm). Check for damaged or worn
ring gear teeth.
4. Check pilot bearing for wear. Check clutch release/throw out bearing for damage or wear at contact points. Rotate bearing in both
directions and check for binding or abnormal noise.
Installation
1. Replace release bearing and/or pilot bearing as necessary. Clean sealant from flywheel attaching bolt threads. Replace bolts if sealant
cannot be removed. Coat bolt threads with Stud/Bearing Mount Sealer (EOAZ-19554-B ), and install flywheel. Tighten bolts in a
diagonal sequence to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
at the end of this article.
2. Position clutch disc on flywheel with damper springs facing away from flywheel. Hold clutch disc in place with Clutch Aligner (T77F-
7137-A ). Position pressure plate over clutch disc. See Fig. 4
.
3. If reusing original pressure plate, align marks made during removal. Install pressure plate retaining bolts. Alternately tighten bolts to
specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
at the end of this article. Remove clutch aligner. Place transaxle on transmission jack.
4. Lightly coat input shaft splines with Clutch Grease (C1AZ-19590-B ). Install transaxle, taking care to align input shaft through the
clutch disc spline. Align clutch housing onto engine guide bushings.
5. Install transaxle lower attaching bolts and tighten to specification. Using transaxle jack, raise transaxle to correct height and tighten
engine bracket bar hook. Install front engine mount and bracket and tighten to specification. Install starter and lower mounting b o l t s,
tighten to specification.
6. Install control rod to transaxle and tighten bolts and nuts to specification. On Festiva, install crossmember and support braces. Install
support braces. On all models, install exhaust hanger to crossmember. Remove transaxle jack.
7. Install new circlips on each half-shaft with gap at top of clip grove and slide into transaxle differential. After circlip snaps into place,
pull outward on hubs to confirm half-shafts are retained by circlip. Install front suspension components, wire harness, underbody and
fender splash shields and front tire assemblies.
8. Connect neutral and back-up light switch and ground wire. Fill transaxle with Mercon ATF transmission fluid to specification. In st al l
and adjust clutch cable or slave cylinder line bracket. Lower vehicle and remove engine support bar. Install speedometer cable into
transaxle.
9. Install battery and/or connect battery cable. Install air cleaner. Adjust pedal free play. See CLUTCH PEDAL FREE PLAY
under
ADJUSTMENTS. Recheck transaxle fluid level and road test vehicle.
Fig. 4: Exploded View Of Clutch Assembly
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING & FORK
Removal
Remove transaxle. Remove release lever bolt and slide release bearing off. See Fig. 4 . Remove release lever shaft and remove release lever. CAUT ION: T ransaxle alum inum alloy construction requires precise tightening of m ounting bolts. T orque
specifications m ust be strictly adhered to. See T ORQUE SPECIFICAT IONS
.
NOTE:T he clutch release bearing is pre-lubricated and perm anently sealed. DO NOT clean release bearing in
solvent.
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