burning smell from ATX tranny?

[1-5-0 SHO]

I was driving my 93 ATX (with stock PCM, I know I need a D4U1) on a turnpike yesterday at about 50 mph. Near the top when I was trying to merge I let off the gas so the ATX was then shifting from third to overdrive. I had thought it shifted already into overdrive, so I stepped it down, and the RPM shot from idle to about 5000 rpm instantly. I let off quickly, and the ATX completed a downshift into third (maybe second? I'm not completely sure). Once it completed the shift I smelled something burning for roughly 10 seconds but then went away completely.

Notes:
1. Tranny fluid was full before this incident and is still full afterwards.
2. The tranny fluid is nice and pink.
3. It still shifts fine, as if this was a one time thing.
4. My power steering is leaking a smidge.

My question is what might it have been? I'm hoping it might be something with the power steering from hard cornering, but the fact that the engine revved so fast as if in neutral and in between shifts makes me think it may have been the ATX.

Thoughts?

 

[SHOZ123]

Not sure about the Gen 2 ATX but the Gen 3 one has a special slightly longer filter neck. This avoids any starvation under hard cornering. Many people get the non SHO one because it is a couple bucks cheaper.

 

['94SHO]

Sort of...

My ATX will do sort of the same thing.. If you let off the gas before a hard turn, the tranny will slip for a second.. BUT, if I don't let off the gas all the way, it does not do it.. So, don't let up off the way before you turn.
I don't know if our sloppy T.C. is to blame, or if it is a classic Ford artifact.
My Crown Vic. tranny had a couple of quirks like that, I just learned to drive around them.

 

[1-5-0 SHO]

My ATX will do sort of the same thing.. If you let off the gas before a hard turn, the tranny will slip for a second.. BUT, if I don't let off the gas all the way, it does not do it.. So, don't let up off the way before you turn.
I don't know if our sloppy T.C. is to blame, or if it is a classic Ford artifact.
My Crown Vic. tranny had a couple of quirks like that, I just learned to drive around them.

This is what I'm thinking too. I'm just wondering how many miles left on my ATX that I used up in that split second.

 

[sho-n-tell]

yeah i have the same issues with both my atx's 93-94.been doing it for over a year,and i give em **** once in a while.but they manage to still hold up.maybe i need to sell 1 of them before 1 of them goes!!

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Chances are you have some kind of fluid landing on your y-pipe somewhere and that's what you were smelling -- it may be related to the 5K rpm surge, but usually if you can smell the tranny burning, your car won't move under its own power...

 

['94SHO]

Update!

Here is a new technique, I have been working on this same problem...
After going around a corner sharp enough to make the tranny "slip", simply
EASE back into the gas, just about half the throttle opening you would expect. I have a sharp left turn I take every day, and my car will do the same if I apply to much throttle, or apply it too quickly..
Usually, I brake early, and drive through the corner, but this is not always possible... Patience and practice can over come this problem...
Also, I have seen a LOT of ATX guy recommending adding an extra pint to
the tranny, past the marks on the dipstick... I am going to add a pint of
some "shift improver", and see if that helps...

 

[SHOZ123]

Don't know about the V6 SHO ATX but the V8 SHO uses a special ATX filter. It has a bit longer neck so it sits deeper in the pan. This prevents fluid starvation when under high cornering loads.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Just so you know, this is a precursor to tranny failure (backing out of the throttle and the transmission slipping after completing a turn) in the Gen II AXOD-series automatics.

Here is a new technique, I have been working on this same problem...

After going around a corner sharp enough to make the tranny "slip", simply EASE back into the gas, just about half the throttle opening you would expect. I have a sharp left turn I take every day, and my car will do the same if I apply to much throttle, or apply it too quickly.. Usually, I brake early, and drive through the corner, but this is not always possible... Patience and practice can over come this problem...

Also, I have seen a LOT of ATX guy recommending adding an extra pint to the tranny, past the marks on the dipstick... I am going to add a pint of some "shift improver", and see if that helps...