Transmission Shift Trouble

[festiva427]

I have a 1990 Festiva auto trans and it wont shift properly. You have to get up to 25mph to shift out of 1st and 53 mph to shift out of 2nd ?? Any Ideas on this problem.

[Team Lightning]

Have you checked/changed the fluid in it? I'm thinking modulator valve but I haven't located it in my manual.
Also I'm thinking that a clogged filter might make it do that.

[Spike]

Isn't there also a vacuum line that goes to it? Once leaking, it does something funky if I remember my reading.

[Team Lightning]

I forgot to put vacuum in the modulator name but yes it should have a vacuum line attached to it.

[bravekozak]

According to the 1990 Ford Festiva shop manual,

shifting symptom: shift point incorrect

possible cause:
vacuum diaphragm
downshift circuit
hydraulic circuit
valve body
governor
clutch(es)
accumulators
band(s)

[festiva427]

I did change the modulator valve but it didn't help any ??

[FestYboy]

check your vac line to the trans, if it's leaking the trans thinks you're accelerating hard and will push the shift point higher in the RPM band.

[festiva427]

How would you know if the new modulator valve might be bad ??

[crazyrog17]

You may have to adjust the vacuum modulator. There is a flathead screw in the nipple the vac line goes to. In the ford service manual, there is a page directing this. Can't find mine though, the garage got packed for the winter.

[toecar]

My problem is just the opposite. It shifts OUT OF 1st. too soon. Would like it to shift out of first about 10 - 15mph under light throttle. Vacuum modulator defective?

[1990new]

There are several threads with the main topic being vacuum modulator so I just choose this one to do a post.

RockAuto has a closeout vacuum modulator listed for $4.39. The others listed start at $41.
O'Riley has one for $19.99 (Pioneer) that does fit the Festiva.
I ordered one (KEMPARTS VM605) from Rockauto and it does not fit.
I contacted RockAuto and they say they are not mistaken and it does fit and refuse to remove the link to the parts as fitting the Festiva.
About every other vehicle that it shows as fitting are 1972 Fords.

So do not order one of these KEMPARTS VM605 modulators for your Festiva.
They say they have had not complaints about it not fitting the Festiva before me.
You can see from the pictures in the RockAuto online catalog that it is completely different.
The threaded nipple is much smaller on this one and it has a wrench fitting.
Anyone ever ordered one of these from RockAuto?

[Advancedynamix]

Bump

[bhazard]

Festiva modulator: Press in and secured with bolt

Aspire modulator: threaded in, NOT the same as a 1972 Ford anything. I believe the Mazda MPV one works.

[1990new]

Festiva modulator: Press in and secured with bolt

Aspire modulator: threaded in, NOT the same as a 1972 Ford anything. I believe the Mazda MPV one works.

Please clarify.. The vacuum modulator on my 1992 GL screws in. Look at the picture of the modulators listed in the
online RockAuto catalog. All three of the non closeout ones listed for the 1992 Festiva look like mine and it is not pressed in.

Are we talking about the same thing? this screws in behind the Step down switch (which also screws in) and has a vacuum hose attached.

I just wrote a scathing email to RockAuto about not admitting they made an error.

[1990new]

Please clarify.. The vacuum modulator on my 1992 GL screws in. Look at the picture of the modulators listed in the
online RockAuto catalog. All three of the non closeout ones listed for the 1992 Festiva look like mine and it is not pressed in.

Are we talking about the same thing? this screws in behind the Step down switch (which also screws in) and has a vacuum hose attached.

I just wrote a scathing email to RockAuto about not admitting they made an error.

Replacing the vacuum modulator in my 92 GL automatic did not fix the up shift problem and the torque converter seal is leaking now so I will be replacing the automatic with a 5 speed within a few months.