MK5 Auto Box Upgrade C3 to A4LD

[cortinadale 4]

When you say standard cable, do you mean cortina auto one?  This 4spd had an elec one

[Steve Walton 130]

46 minutes ago, cortinadale said:

When you say standard cable, do you mean cortina auto one?  This 4spd had an elec one

 

If you are using the nearside speedo fitting then a standard Cortina Auto cable should fit. But the 4 speed auto box is 115mm longer than the 3 speed box, making the speedo outlet further down the car.

So you might need a Sierra Auto cable. Craig " sheffieldcortinacentre" might know if there is adifference in the length of cables.

 

Cheers

Steve

[sheffieldcortinacentre 726]

Yes Sierra cable is longer to correspond with it being further back & is deal fit the cortina auto cog to match diff ratio.

[STEVE440 11]

I have found this thread very useful, I have recently fitted an A4LD into my 3.0 Capri and some of the advice given has been a great help.

I have taken it a stage further though with an electronic controller locking and unlocking the convertor when needed automatically and making the selector look as if fitted by the factory

As its a 3.0 I had to get a bellhousing modified and the torque convertor was a challenge

The flexplate has 3 holes and the convertor has 4 mounts, I ended up making an adapter plate so the two could be bolted together, this also meant I needed to make a spacer plate to go between the gearbox and engine so the convertor was not pushed up hard against the pump.

The speedo needed a ratio adapter as Ford dont make a cog with enough teeth to make the speedo read correctly.

The result is I am now doing 2250 rpm at 70mph instead of 3100 rpm.

 

 

[sheffieldcortinacentre 726]

That looks great, how did you do the electronic controller?

[STEVE440 11]

My son built it and wrote the code for it, he is thinking of marketing it. 

It needs a speed and TPS input. I used the speed sensor that was on the box originally but any 3 wire speed sensor will work like this.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304775834126?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=sazjkIm0SXa&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=UtRuSmmARyq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY. If you can't get the Ford speed sensor. It grounds the terminals on the 3 pin plug when the preset speed and Throttle position is reached both which are fully adjustable.I just made up a bracket off the carb for the TPS sensor. 

Luckily my A4LD came with two Speedo drive holes. One for the cable and one for the speed sensor. I used a Ford to GM Speedo drive converter as it's very tight coming out of the box on a Capri and a right angled adapter is available for GM Speedo cables, the new Speedo cable has a GM thread on the gearbox end and a Ford end for the speedometer and it runs parallel with the gearbox on the driver's side. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by STEVE440

[sheffieldcortinacentre 726]

Great it could prove useful as I'd like to convert my 1.6 crayford from 3 to 4 speed auto at some point & I know some one in the middle of doing a MK2 2.8 Granada.

[STEVE440 11]

This is what it looks like.

The middle button puts it into setting mode and the outer buttons increase and lower the values. If both outer buttons are pressed it puts it into setting mode so the amount of pulses per miles can be set ect.

It also has a lock up function, once you are travelling at what ever speed you set it will stay in Over drive and lock up what ever you do with the throttle, if you dont have this function if you wanted to max out your car it would never go into Overdrive an Lockup as the TPS would never drop below the required numbers. I have found 70mph works well for this.

Lock up is a great function of these gearboxes as it lowers the RPM about 250 rpm while cruising at 70mph.

 

 

[sheffieldcortinacentre 726]

I know they go into od at circa 40 mph.

[STEVE440 11]

1 hour ago, sheffieldcortinacentre said:

I know they go into od at circa 40 mph.

With this box you can set the speed to what ever you want within reason. Neither Overdrive or Lock up will engage until the Governor pressure is high enough.

Yes as you say I think the minimum for Overdrive is 44 and Lock up about 54mph on a A4LD even if selected. In theory you can have lock up in 3rd but it feels a bit odd having no torque convertor multiplication in 3rd and personally I prefer lock up only to be engaged when cruising, light acceleration or high speed.

One thing is very important with an Auto is torque convertor stall speed, having it to high or low changes the way a car drives and having driven American cars with a high stall convertor I would say avoid at all costs. This becomes more evident when the convertor locks as the rev drop is dramatic and can do some damage.

Edited October 30, 2023 by STEVE440

[STEVE440 11]

For anyone interested in the Gearbox controller for the A4LD this is the link to my sons website

https://www.gearboxcontroller.co.uk/

He is waiting for some components but if you message him he should be able to give you an idea of when they will be available.

 

[STEVE440 11]

My sons website is now selling these controllers for the A4LD, the one in my car has now done over 2000 trouble free miles and makes the installation feel as if done by the factory.

https://www.gearboxcontroller.co.uk/