Aod tv cable adjustment???

if all else fails, try a search. folks like Mustang John (who really know AOD's) have posted info before. The Shape had a thread a while back, and IIRC, i posted an article link on adjustment on that thread (im too lazy to find the article link again)....good luck.

You need to get the car to a shop to have the TV cable properly adjusted. A pressure guage has to be hooked up to the tranny, and the cable adjusted so that there is 0 psi of line pressure when sitting at idle, but the pressure should jump up the instant even a touch throttle is applied.

This is a delicate balance to achieve and takes a lot of trial and error.

Do a Google search on AOD TV cable adjustment, and you'll find some OK methods of adjusting it until you can get it to a shop. These methods usually wind up running around 5 psi at idle. A little extra line pressure is better than too little.

If your TV cable has never been touched, I can tell you how. Just don't blame me if the thing blows up on you (it shouldn't). If you don't have the bronze bushing that fits in the throttle arm and metal retaining pin that was supplied as part of a recall notice, go to your local Ford dealer and ask them to install it. They should do so for free.

1) Remove the air inlet tube from the throttle body and maf housing and place it aside. This will give you a bit of working room. Look under the throttle body. On of the attachments is the throttle cable and connects to the end of the throttle arm. The other is the TV cable adjustment. It is black and is held in place by a bronze or rubber bushing in the throttle arm(this is the item spoken of earlier).

2) Use a small knife or other sharp object to mark the long toothed plastic piece precisely where it runs through the adjustment mechanism. Don't cut yourself as I did. This way you know your stock position.

3) CAREFULLY pull the cotter pin holding the adjustment mechanism to the throttle arm off with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Place it in a VERY safe place or you will be looking for a needle in a haystack. Push the adjustment mechanism out of the throttle arm from the bottom and catch the bushing in your hand (it comes out from the top). Put the bushing and cotter pin in the same place.

4) Push the white retaining clip out (from the bottom, I believe) with a small screwdriver other sharp object. Pull the toothed plastic piece through the adjustment mechanism approx 1/8 in. past your mark and push the white retaining clip back into the adjustment mechanism. You've adjusted the TV pressure.

5) Put everything back together in reverse order and drive the car. The car should shift at a little higher RPM at part throttle and delay shifting into overdrive by about 5 mph. You will not notice any difference at full throttle. If you feel a very harsh clunk or have to let off the pedal for the transmission to shift into any of the other gears besides OD, you went too far. If your shifting is soft and sloppy you adjusted the wrong way. Immediately readjust in the opposite direction or you risk transmission damage.

Hope this helps and good luck.

I have a pretty cool Ford service dept near my house. They adjusted the TV cable (using the gauge) and installed the bronze grommet from the Ford TSB and charged me $30. Considering the time and potential risks involved if the cable is out of adjustment, it seemed like money well spent to me. (... and this is from a DIY'er...)

Good luck.

Sam in Denver
89 Vert LX 5.0

Having done this multiple times, I can assure you it really is a pretty straightforward operation. Just mark your previous setting, and you can always go back if you don't like it. The stock setting is a bit soft so your Mom (or Granny) can drive it. A slightly higher tension actually prolongs band life, may get you slightly higher gas mileage and makes the car a little more fun to drive.