Tranny Cracked

[jasontbird]

I have a 93 SHO Automatic, 90,000 miles. Beautiful Silver car in great shape. Problem is that the transmission fluid was leaking out. It has been leaking slowly since I bought the car 4 months ago. A week ago it started leaking more and more until you couldn't get accross town without the fluid getting low on you.
I parked it and jacked it up to look for the leak. It was coming from a hair line crack at about the location where you can see the gearset from under the car (with the pan off) The crack is about 3 inches long running horizontally. When I did take the pan off to let the fluid out there was a bunch of diced steel stuck on the magnet. Little chuncks of steel. Almost looked like spline teeth. ??? not sure. I was not initially sure what the transmission could lose like that and still function properly, which it did, ran great. Somebody told me that the differential pin may have shot out of there and slammed the case hard enough to crack it. Said that can happen when you free spin the wheels in like snow or mud. What should I do from here?? Replace whole tranny or try to repair it. It was rebuilt somewhat recently by the previous owner. He had his son in college driving it. I think he was in Michigan or Minnasota. Probably screwed it up. Sorry the post is so long. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help, Jason.

 

[rangerj]

Jason,

The crack could be welded by someone who knows what they are doing with aluminum welding, but it would cost a bit. Add the metal bits you found in the trans and the cost to repair whatever damage was done, and I'd say start looking for another trans.

Find out which year of the SHO transmission is the better or best and look for one. If I remember right the 93 trans has a bad reputation. I think the folks on this forum say the 95 trans is a good vintage. Throw that question out to the forum.

I do not know much about the SHO automatic transmission because I think that an automatic transmission in a performance car is like putting slicks on a wheel chair. Why bother? You can't blame Ford because they did not want to get sued for discriminating against the handycapped!

As for the trans you have, it is good for a few parts at best. If it was rebuilt not to long ago it may havre some parts worth keeping, or putting into the trans you replace it with. The bands and clutch packs may be salvagable, maybe some bearings, the valve body, the torque converter, and maybe some of the gearing if it is not chewed up.

Sorry buddy, but I do not think you should put any money in the trans. You would be throwing it away. rangerj

 

[luigisho]

There have been a few tranny crapola rebuilds out there. If it was very recent it could still have a warranty on it but I doubt it. Look for a used tranny here, on ebay, and in the classifieds at shoclub.com. Preferrably not a '93 autotranny as they are weaker than the later ones.

 

[revhardSHO]

I think its time to get yourself a 94 or 95 trans and a D4U1(whatever the 94-95 computer is).

Rangerj,
I have been a die-hard MTX SHO guy since day one. I was an ATX h8ter. I just recently picked up a 94 ATX, and I like it just as much as any MTX I have!

 

[40BelowSummer]

I just recently picked up a 94 ATX, and I like it just as much as any MTX I have!

*off topic* just curious what do you like about the ATX (not being sarcastic)

 

[National #19]

I'll toss my 2 cents in on this post...I was moving my parts car one day, it has a bad transmission right, well it was slipping, and i only let it go up to 2,000 rpms and all of a sudden there was this big boom and smoke was flying out all over the place, metal chunks on the ground and something had come up and hit the hood and put two dents in it as well, sliced wires and hoses. The case itself has a good 2 inch by 2 inch hole in it.

 

[Axianator]

I would listen to rangerj on this one, Jason. The situation you described sounds almost identical to the situation that occured with my '95 last November (crack in the casing, fluid leaks under high RPM situations, destroyed planetaries and related gearing, etc.), only my car wasn't going anywhere when the tranny died. It it were me, I'd salvage what I could from the old tranny and then transplant those good parts into a new and properly-rebuilt ATX.

 

[jasontbird]

cool

Thanks for the advice guys. I will put in a new transmission. Prob. one from a salvage yard given my budget. Is there anything to look for when getting a used one? It seems I can get them for 400-600 bucks. If I go with one from a 94-95, I have to switch out the computer? Excuse me for not knowing much about this car but I just got it not too long ago and don't have a repair manual for it yet. I lover the car as a whole even if it is a little high maintenance. Thanks again, Jason.

 

[the on going reality of shopower]

hey as i am a transmission apprentice i would look for
BLACK flim in pan and COLOUR of TORQUE CONVERTER
if it is BLUE or PURPLE i would not take it this is due to LOCK UP CLUTCH
SLIPPING and also look for nice red fluid. MAKE SURE IT IS A AXOD SHO TRANSMISSION NOT A SLO TRANSMISSION

 

[revhardSHO]

*off topic* just curious what do you like about the ATX (not being sarcastic)

It offers nearly as much power as an MTX, gearing can be controlled to a certain extent (electronic o/d), you dont have to worry about manually shifting the crappy MTX-IV gearbox, and its much more of a road trip car for ease of driving. Im sure if you drove a healthy ATX you would see what I mean. They are a lot of fun! However, as much as I like my ATX i will be selling it someday for a nice gen II MTX. It is true, I crave brute power :evil_gri: