looking at a 87 4banger
 

i am looking tonight at a 87 4 banger w/auto that has a slippage problem supposedly, the current owner was told that the "sprague (sp)" needed to be replaced, was the shop just pulling his leg or what, is this a term specific to stangs...i have searched my auto tranny book from school and cannot find reference to that, although they do reference the c1-c6 and a4ld tranny's and how they work. if it is the t/c slipping replacement is not a problem...but would kinda like to know if there is anything i should look out for in this particular year that might have been a catastrophic failure in the tranny's.. i.e. something that would require a complete rebuild of the tranny (again no big deal, but it might reduce the price some if i can convince him that it is necessary.)

tia

You'd be surprised what a fluid cahnge can do sometimes =).

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87 GT
3.73 gears
standard issue
goodies...

went to look at the car last night, engine runs great. new alternator, rad, has one flat tire, but that's ok...when i checked the tranny fluid it appeared to be mercon fluid, it's labeled as being dexron II needed, having worked extensively with both i can tell the difference (actually they do smell different and are different shades, but it didnt' smell burnt)...it is the a4ld o/d tranny, and the tranny was low...will change the filter and add dexronII when i get it home tonight. should correct the problem im sure...car runs excellent like i said, i think it's a good deal. interior is rough, some surface rust and the paint is peeling...but in our environment paint don't last too long. thanks for the input...

A4LD is evil, eeeeeevvvvviiiiillll. I have taken them apart on three seperate occations, overhauled twice. It's probably the bands. Make damn sure it's got the right filter on it. I bought one 88 LX 2.3L auto from a guy for $350, it was the deal of a lifetime. Anyway, the guy had the filter changed at Fina and the dumbasses there put the wrong filter on it. The filter was for a Ranger with 2.3L and Auto. It caused slippage and eventually it didn't move at all. The filter had a neck on the pickup side that contacted the bottom of the transmission pan, thus no fluid got sucked up. Even though my dad and I were able to bend the flange back and drive it away from his house, the transmission failed shortly after. The guy has no clue about the "sprague."

i doubt it has ever been serviced so the filter is probably filthy, the fluid is old, and definatly low...will take some with me tonight when i go back...hmm...guess chrysler isnt' the only one with a bad 4 speed http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/wink.gif

If it hasn't been serviced, I'd change the fluid and put a new filter on it. You won't get the fluid out of the torque converter that way, but it's bound to help some anyway.