[Shotimes] 95 ATX Problems

[Adam Parrott]

Actually, depending on the age and health of the tranny in question, a chip
CAN correct the harsh shifting problem that Jon and Dave both described,
provided the chip is properly programmed (stress on *properly*).  The
reason that the chips of yore (such as Ted's LPM) have been unsuccessful in
this is primarily due to the fact that they lack the proper (complete)
access to the areas of the code which need to be modified.  The good news
is that this problem is now fixable via a proper reprogramming of the PCM
through either one of Doug's new SCT chips or a TwEECer.  ;)

My apologies for digging up this old post - my reply to Jason's recent idle
hunt/converter problem post made me think of it.

Adam


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin & Cheryl Airth" <clubairth@peoplepc.com>
To: "Jon Heese" <heese@digi-net.com>; "SHO" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2004 11:26 AM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] 95 ATX Problems


Jon:
 You would think so but I have tried 3 different Ted B. versions of my LPM
and it did get worse and then he set it back to stock. I still can't get it
fixed so I understand the problem I think but lack enough knowledge on the
internal PCM programming. There is also an externally adjustable line
pressure mod that I have instructions for but it seems to only increase the
pressure. Which is NOT the direction I wanted to go for the street! I am
not sure that the chip can change what's needed. You can change parameters
in the look up table but not the relationships between those parameters.
Maybe the Tweecer could do this? The inputs for line pressure are throttle
position mainly (More throttle= higher line pressure) but how often is the
line pressure adjusted? Not often enough it seems. The regular SLO also has
this same identical behavior. Ford really should have figured this out by
now! Doug L. at FPS has stated that for less than $100 in parts Ford could
have fixed ALL the problems in the ATX. After having a FPS built ATX for
over 60K miles I believe him. The difference was and is huge!

Has anybody worn out a FPS tranny yet? Broke one? I did break mine but Doug
and everybody else I talked to had never seen this failure so I think that
I drive it pretty hard or it was just one of those rare things?  I sheared
the main input shaft that runs the oil pump. Car just coasted to a stop and
after Doug helped me with the troubleshooting, it turned out that the shaft
could be replaced WITHOUT removing the tranny! Plus it's the same part for
the SHO or SLO!
.
.
.


> So if the problem is rooted in a programming error, shouldn't a chip be
> able to fix this (better than just lessening it with the TransGo)?  I
> have both of the symptoms you describe in my 95 ATX.
>
>  - Jon Heese
>
>
> > Dave:
> >  The harsh 1-2 shift is very common. What happens is the line pressure
> > is controlled by the PCM. Higher line pressure = firmer, quicker
> > shifts. Ford has a logic error in the transmission programming. So long
> > story but short answer. It's entirely normal and your wife also found
> > out how to manage it with the throttle opening. The worse condition is
> > a quick jab of the throttle off the line and then let off completely.
> > This will make it bang the worse. I have found the TransGo shift kit,
> > at least on my FPS tranny tames this quite a bit.
> > .
> > .