AOD is shifting funny

[Aftrbrnr]

Was driving this morning, and I noticed that the transmission wouldn't shift into drive. I was at around 30 mph and I was still stuck in either 1st or 2nd. It was until I drove at 80 mph that the car went into Drive (a la 3rd) and when I slowed down, the car wouldn't put itself into 1st until it almost stalled out (like at around 900 RPM). Does anyone know what's wrong or what's causing this?

P.S. What's the TV cable and what does it do?

 

[The Shape]

The TV cable attatches to the throttle body right beside your throttle cable. It controls the line pressure of the AOD. The rubber grommet that attatches it to the throttle body is famous for rotting and letting the cable fall off causing the AOD to shift funky. Also check to see if you are low on fluid or if the fluid is brownish or burnt smelling.

 

[blk92stangg]

Be sure to fix the cable if that indeed is what is wrong, as you could destroy the AOD with a badly adjusted TV.

 

[HISSIN50]

Shape, i could not have said it better; those were my two (and only two - for the whole day), thoughts.

a search in here should yield lost of TV adjustment threads (if the fluid level looks ok, and it is not maple syrup).
here is one:
http://www.txchange.com/aodadj.htm
this one is pretty crude. i have read some that had excruciatingly painful precision and detail....but i found this one first.
good luck.

 

[The Shape]

Yeah HISSIN50 I have done alot of research trying to find out the correct way to adjust the TV cable for when the day comes that mine needs adjustment. I have seen that site you linked and several other sites like it as well as the Haynes manual recomend measuring from different points to determine the setting. I have also read on several sites that the only true way to adjust it is with some sort of pressure gauge. I asked a guy I know who has worked at the local Ford Dealership since the early 70's. He said he had installed hundreds of replacement AOD's as well as rebuilding them over the years. He said he always just set the cable about midways took it for a test drive and adjusted it which ever way needed so that is shifted into OD at 45 MPH. I still am not sure wich method is the "right way".

 

[Mustang John]

The pressure gauge is the right way. But the way you described the Ford Dealer tech did it, is the way almost everyone does it. You just adjust it till the shifts seem to be occuring at the proper RPMs. If the OD falls in around 45 MPH under medium throttle, that's about right. You might tailor it a bit if the 1-2 2-3 isn't quite right.

We have the pressure gauges, and I don't think I've ever even seen it used on an AOD to set throttle valve adjustment. But, the gauge is the "correct" way.