FORD CAPRI AUTOBOX TROUBLES

QI

have a 1975 Ford Capri 2.0 automatic with the Ford Bordeaux (C3) gearbox. I have the following faults with the transmission:

1. Reverse gear is very slow to engage – it can take a few minutes after selection before the car will move, and sometimes this happens with quite a jolt. It does occasionally select as it should, but this is now getting quite rare.

2. When I am driving at a steady 30mph and the box is in top gear (third), the gearbox appears to change down and the engine will race before changing back up to top gear again. This will only occur at around 30mph, and when I am driving at higher speeds (anything above 40mph) everything is good.

I have already checked the gear linkage as this was my first thought.

Harry Horseman

AThe first point to check is the vacuum pipe running from the manifold to the canister near the distributor

– this is the source of the engine speed and load detection which controls the gear selection by sensing the load on the engine. This pipe should be removed and checked for any fuel which may have entered the pipe and be impeding the vacuum operation. It was not uncommon for fuel to get drawn into this pipe and cause the problems you have.

I would of course also check the condition and the level of the gearbox fluid; any darkening of the fluid accompanied by the smell of burning would indicate that the clutch packs may be wearing. Whilst a change of oil in the gearbox may help matters initially, if wear has taken place then a full gearbox overhaul may ultimately be needed.