Hey all, just picked up a 1999 D1 SD with 148K miles, white with tan leather, new 235/70 Geolanders, no sunroofs, etc. It has the typical sagging headliner, and reverse gear is hit and miss. My question has to do with vehicle speed and rpms with the 4-speed automatic.

When I'm on the freeway going 60, the rpms are around 3K, which seems high to me. As I gradually accelerate to 70, the rpms climb to about 3800. Is it me, or are those rpms too high, and it's not kicking into the top gear? The car is so quiet I can't hear the engine/trans noise, I'm just watching the speedo and tach.

I have a '93 Explorer Sport, 4.0 V6 and 5-speed, and that thing will leave the D1 in the dust. However, I can feel the torque of the D1, and know it'll pull a tree stump outta the ground! I bought the PDF version of the shop manual, and printed out the 4wd shift lever instructions, and will play around with it tomorrow.

 

Those RPMs are too high, unless...

You have a crazy tire size.

Mine does 90-95 at just above 3k with stock tires. Did the PO change the gears? Just a thought.

 

Although it seems like that speed would not be possible, is your dif shifter in high, to the right and towards the back?

 

Sounds like maybe the trans isn't locking the TC?

 

Tire size is 235/70-16, so I don't think it's that. I tried moving the 4wd lever, and it's stuck, won't move anywhere (up/down, left/right, etc), so I'm assuming it's in AWD mode (hi), which should be "normal", yes? 'Course one thing I didn't think about, is maybe the tach isn't reading correctly?

 

Hmmm...might be on to something there...the seller said reverse is "finicky", in that it goes into reverse when cold, but has a difficult time engaging when it's warm. What would be other symptoms of it not locking the TC? Would it work like a worn out clutch, in that if I were to gas it while it's moving, it would rev up without a corresponding forward movement? It seemed to make the drive from Richmond down to Norfolk without too much drama, but it was so quiet I couldn't really tell if the engine was screaming, I was watching the tach...

 

You might have a problem with the shifter cable if reverse is finicky. The automatic shifter has nothing to do with locking the TC, the manual style shifter in front does that.

But there could be some adjustment needed on the auto shifter. Maybe you are actually in 3 and not D when it says D. Just a thought.

 

Just a few commentarios on the ZF/D1 variant.
Shifting performance is much dependent upon the shifter cable being correctly adjusted/set to allow the shifter spool to sit inside the casing lands without causing internal cross leakage.

Equally the KD cable must be set for optimum shift points. Prone to fraying it plays havoc with shifting if binding. Not easily discovered the best way is to drop it off the accelerator linkage and pull it with your fingers. You will feel the internal quadrant moving the KD spool against the return spring with no bind or sticking. Smooth operation in any case!

When refitting the cable (if good!) the bared bowden cable section has what can be described as a fishing weight crimped on the cable. Adjust this with the screwed adjuster so that a gap exists of 1mm (0. 040" ) between the "weight" and the adjuster.

That is you starting position for a final tweak after road test.

Don't praise mid 90's Ford Transmissions too hard!
I made a fortune fixing that crap on Expoloders /Scarostars / E40D's F150/250's and the "auto trans wreck of the last century" the Taurus!!
Put my kids through med school with the profits! Shame Ford doesn't produce the same level of crap these days. I would be retired back in Panama !
T/V

 

TC=torque convertor in this case.

 

too many acronyms... Sorry, my mistake.