overdrive goin bad?

That cable wouldn't do anything, but you
may want to check your throttle valve cable from the throttle arm on the throttle body to the trans. Check the adjustment at the throttle arm.

TCI's website has instructions for setting it with a pressure gauge. If you don't want to go thru that, pull the locking pin up, and set it just so there's no slack in the cable when the throttle is fully at idle.

To increase shift rpm and firmness a little, tighten the cable 1 notch at a time till you get what you want. Go the opposite direction to lower rpm shifts and soften the shifts.

Does sound like your OD band is going, though, or your OD servo, or both.

Here's some info on beefing AOD's to various levels depending on your motor,

www.lincolnsonline.com/article111.html

and here's more detailed info on the workings of AODs and /E's or 4R's,
which in many ways are similar,
plus some good links for more info.

www.lincolnsonline.com/article80.html

I'd definitely try the tv cable adjustment first -
and yes, you need the throttle body completely
in the idle position - it helps to keep a little pressure
on it when determining the cable position inside
the block that hooks to the throttle arm to make
sure it's fully closed. One simple thing you can
try that would tell you if adjusting the cable is
going to work is to just pull the adjustment out
one notch on the adjuster assy. That will firm
all shifts a little as well as raising the shift rpm
a little.

It's also possible your valve body is sticking for
that one shift, or has other problems. First, try a
can of trans treatment (I like the stuff in the blue
metal quart can, forget the name of it, might be
Trans X or something like that. Just make SURE
that whatever you use is NOT thick, like the Lucas
trans treatment stuff. I tried that once & gummed
up the whole valve body - had to take it all apart &
clean it out!) Follow the directions on the container,
I think you add it, drive it some to warm it up, shift it
into/out of OD a few times to circulate the cleaner
thru that valve and then see if the solvent cleans out
what might be some varnish in that valves.

If that doesn't help or cure it, and adjusting the
cable makes your other shifts too hard and/or too high rpm,
then it's time to look at the OD servo and maybe
the valve body internals.

To change the OD servo, you have to drain the
trans, drop the pan, remove the valve body.
There's basic info on the TCI website, but you'd
need the step by step out of a manual.

If you need that, I've got the oem service manual
and I can scan the pages and email to you.
macxx1@excite.com
Can also email you the schematic of the valve
body so you could disassemble the OD valve
and see if it's still sticking as long as you've
got the valve body out to check the OD servo.

However, if your 1-2 & 2-3 shifts are still OK,
not slipping, then it's most likely your OD band
is bad or a vb problem. Adjusting the cable
will affect all shifts similarly.

After checking the cable adjustment, I guess
the next least work would be to check that OD
servo. Just possible it might be developing a
leak so it's taking longer to come up to pressure.

Would be a good opportunity to install either
the stock A servo if you don't already have it,
or even a Super Servo A+ like from tCI, although
they can be quite a bit more money than the A
servo like from Ford. Also to install the updated
rubber-over-steel 2-3 accumulator.

I've just got the oem A servo in mine with the
stock narrow OD band, but I do have a Baumann
shift kit, which is a good thing both for shifting
and trans longevity and isn't hard to put in.
I think they're around $50 yet. I don't full
throttle shifts into OD or do totally full throttle
while in OD anyway, and it's been doing
fine for quite awhile.

Baumann's site has the Ford part #'s for the
A servo, or you can get them thru various
aftermarket builders.

When you pull the servo out, you disengage the
pin that the servo pushes that actually applies
the band. You need to make absolutely sure
that the end of the rod gets back into the socket
in the end of the OD band. There's a little slot
alongside the end of the band you can stick a
small screwdriver in to push the end of the band
into position so the rod engages into the socket.

Look thru the parts links on this article
for both the bigger servos and the 2-3
accumulator (and while you're at it, maybe
read the article )

www.lincolnsonline.com/article111.html

Also, if you do drop the valve body, go to the
Sonnax web site and look at their fixes for
common AOD valve body problems, very
worth while and also a good time to do it
if you have the valve body out. Also might
be the problem.


www.sonnax.com, look for "Transmissions",then go to
All Parts (in the header in small print), then go to
Valve Body Finder. Then look for the AOD link,
then go to "Miscellaneous Parts"
where they show an OD servo pin with an O ring, that
seals against excessive leakage caused by pin bore wear
in the case, which can also cause 3-4 & 4-3 shift problems.

Then go back to the "Valve Body Parts" link, and look
at especially the following - the Boost Valve & Sleeve,
the 3-4 Shift Valve Sleeve Assy & O-Ringed End Plugs -
and the TV Control Valve & Plunger.

All those are very worthwhile parts for a higher mileage
valve body, and the Boost Valve & 3-4 Shift parts might
also be at least part of the problem.


There's also other helpful things in that tech
section like how to remove/reinstall an AOD,
and lots of detailed info on the whole series
incl the electronic versions in the article
about AOD Parts Interchange.

macxx1@excite.com if I can be of any help

Good luck!