Auto Driving Style

[dipsomaniac]

I am hoping one of you FOKs on here can advise on whether my problem is the autobox or my driving style before returning car to the autobox specialists again.

 

Since having autobox rebuilt in May of this year 3rd to 4th shift is not always smooth. The problem seems to happen mostly after slowing from 4th to 3rd and then when accelerating again the change to 4th (but not every time) is very rough/jerky/clunky.

 

The autobox specialist have had the car back. It was test driven over 5 days by three different technicians who couldn't find any fault with the box. I even went out on a test drive with one of them and the box seemed OK. Yet on the 60 mile drive home 3rd to 4th was occassionally rough.

 

I have also noticed when driving between 30-40mph 4th gear is too high and the car starts to vibrate. Should I manually kick down the gears or should the box automatically change up or is it changing to 4th too quickly?

 

As it is a V6 I tend not to use much throttle, not just because I can hear gallons of fuel being sucked into the engine every time I put my foot down but also because the roads around here are in such a state it would probably be smoother driving on the moon.

 

Is it my driving style or is there a fault on the autobox? I would appreciate any thoughts from the Fonts of Knowledge on here.

[El Dingo]

To be honest, the autobox specialist should have found the problem, but maybe not if this is engine management related? I would look at the control module for the gearbox, engine management, or connected inputs.

 

I tend to drive autos on a light right foot, but I don't get 'rough' changes. What do you mean by rough? E.G. Jerky?

 

:angry:

[Sharanfx]

My VR6 changes smoothly like butter between 3rd and 4th gears. Especially when using light throttle to gently Accelerate, you dont either notice the change.

[dipsomaniac]

thanks for your replies. it seems like it misses the gear when changing to 4th, the revs increase and it bangs into 4th with a noticable 'bang'.

 

do either of you experience the vibration in 4th at low speed? should i be kicking down?

[Sharanfx]

Dont get any Vibrations in 4th but it goes through a flat spot in the rev range at low rpm and takes time to accelerate if running slow in 4th.

 

If you need accelerate a bit faster I just kickdown and watch my fuel gauge move to left a lot faster, but i get there a lot quicker than anyone else. :angry:

[Guest marcusheawood]

...Oh boy, I may be slightly out of kilter here but:

 

YOUR CAR HAS A PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS REPAIRING PROPERLY!

 

There, I said it; it's not you, it's the car. OK? :angry:

[dipsomaniac]

thanks all for your replies. this may be another thread but the only thing the auto specialists did find at the time was a 'thudding' sound under heavy braking or replicated when trying to pull away with a foot on the brake.

 

Again, this doesn't happen every time. Any ideas?

[dipsomaniac]

I should say that this came from the front as if an engine mounting was loose.

[Guest vr6galaxy]

Possibly the engine roll restrictor?

[dipsomaniac]

Is that a big job?

[Guest vr6galaxy]

Not really? I've done on the drive way, with just with a set of ramps and once by parking half on the road and half on the pavement :o drop the under tray and two bolts later it's off, IIRC Ford only sell it as a complete unit where as I believe VW sell the rubber bush that sits in one end seperately :(

7M0 399 365 E adjusting peice

7M0 399 201 AN support engine/transmission

 

to check it's ok pop the bonnet and get someone to rev the engine while you watch it :huh:

if it rocks back and forth a bit to much it maybe the roll restrictor needs replacing as the main rubber bush has gone soft or split?

[dipsomaniac]

thanks for all your replies. i will take the car back to the autobox specialists in the new year. engine doesn't appear to be moving excessively so i think roll resistor is ok.