Car wants to stall when I put it in gear

[ChunkFunky]

I know it's been asked a million times I'm sure but here goes again.

This is an AOD and it idles at about 1000 when in park, but then when I put it in gear the idle dips way down to like 500 and then the computer adjusts and gets to about 800 and idles fine there. I was under the impression that when you set the idle the computer will keep it at that idle at all times weather in gear or otherwise. When I PUT it in gear it starts to stumble and then it goes back to 800 and runs fine there... though I find if I put it in reverse it will stumbler harder, and infact will stall from time to time. It's not a big deal, though it was never like this before I did the heads and intake and all .
-as

[66StangGuy]

check for vaccume leaks and that the vaccume line to the trans is ok and not leaking. sounds like a vaccume issue of some kind to me.

[ChunkFunky]

is there a vacuum line to the tranny? I know there is on the TH350 on teh GMs but i dont recall seeing one on the AOD

[66StangGuy]

i could be wrong. there is a vaccume line for my c-4. maybe its different... also check the cable from the gas pedal to the trans. i know thats on the aod.

[ChunkFunky]

yeah my old th350 has em too... but no vacuum lines on teh AOD... ah well... i think it's a computer thing.. not sure what though.. it happend when I did the heads intake cam thing... could be a millionm things.. it's not too bad.. just kinda anoying
-as

[PKRWUD]

When is the last time you changed the filter in your tranny?

[ChunkFunky]

well... here's the whole deal... it all started when I did the heads, intake, cam swap... the tranny was rebuilt last year so it's not that old... but I just had a shift kit installed last week and they did the filter then and it didnt make a difference... it just seems like the LOAD is so much for the engine intialy it dips down to like 500 rpm and then bounces right back to like 900 or so... though sometimes, like if the wheel is turned, cause I'm backing into a parking spot, it'll just stall... I guess the tranny plus the power steering is enough to stall it out... I thought it might be an ignition thing, cause I have my what my tranny guy calls "trailer hitching" when I'm at about 1100 rpm on decel the car starts to kinda buck... I assumed it was the new combo moved my torque up the RPM scale so it was just kinda getting to that flash point of the torque converter, but my tranny guy said it could be an ignition problem... my base timing is around 16 or so... it idles OK, it's not super smoothe but it's decent... I guess I'm going to try to play with the timing... aside from not getting the most performance would 10 initial timing be ok for tthis combo.. just to smooth things out?
-as

[93GTDIN]

I had the EXACT same problem on my car, which isn't too odd considering they're almost identical in setup. If you call trick flow they'll say they recomment the against the use of their cams w/ automatics.

I'm not expert but from what I read it has something to do with the lobe seperation of the TFS 1, makes an automatic want to stall. Pretty much any cam other than stock will have this tendancy. A chip will fix multiple problems you're probably having. (Bad idle, bad gas mileage, sluggish down low) Am I right?

[ChunkFunky]

A chip will fix multiple problems you're probably having. (Bad idle, bad gas mileage, sluggish down low) Am I right?

Well the ONLY thing that isnt true is teh gas milage... I got about 20MPG with this setup, I was pleasantly surprised... the rest is true.. crappy idle and nothign till about 3000, then it screams though... I'v allways wanted to do teh T5 swap but at the same time, I like the auto too, It's a daily driver... tough call
-as

[rwhite65]

ok, I run a carb setup....but just a few thoughts. After you put your new setup on, did u disconnect the battery to let the comp reset?

Does the tranny downshift nicely where you think it should....if it feels like the kickdown is not proper....I know you just had a tranny guy look at it, but make sure the cable is properly adjusted. Mine use to do the "trailer ..." thing you talked about, ended up being the tranny specialist adjusted the cable wrong.

Third, if none of the top ideas are the problem...a looser convertor should fix the problem. PRob not what you wanted to hear due to the cost, but the performance gains you would also like.
Ryan

[ChunkFunky]

yeah I figured the converter would solve all my problems... I wanted to avoid that RIGHT NOW if possible.. cause dropping the tranny isnt a fun job... It's one of those things I can deal with it's just anoying... I feel like a retard everytime I do it... people must think I cant drive stick or something.. even though it's an auto... that makes it worse...

[PKRWUD]

10 degrees advanced is always a good place to start.

BTW, if you ever do swap in a T5, and the ECM, make sure you clip the wire going to pin 30 on the ECM. Your auto has a voltage carrying wire that the manuals don't, and it will fry the manual ECM.

Also, I don't remember, but I thought the auto Mustangs had a PSPS (power steering pressure switch) that bumped the idle speed when it detected pressure from the p/s pump. If it does, yours is probably bad.

Take care,
~Chris

[ChunkFunky]

That;s interesting, I was under the impression that you could use the AUTO ECM with the T5 or any tranny for that matter.. aside from the speed sensor what else does the computer know about the tranny?
-as

[PKRWUD]

Originally posted by ChunkFunky
That;s interesting, I was under the impression that you could use the AUTO ECM with the T5 or any tranny for that matter.. aside from the speed sensor what else does the computer know about the tranny?
-as

You can use the auto ECM in any application. If you use the manual ECM in a vehicle that had an auto, and you don't clip the wire going to pin 30, you will fry the ECM.

The auto ECMs detect the momentary pause when you apply the clutch pedal, disengaging the clutch, and slightly retard the timing, causing what some people refer to as "lazy shifting". From '92 on, it got worse. In the '92-'95 5.0 Mustangs, they had hyper pistons, and Ford drastically altered the spark advance tables to retard the timing in order to "protect" them and the cats at high rpm shifts.

Take care,
~Chris