REBUILDER

NEWS
Volume 4, Issue 2 / Second Quarter, 1996

Ford CD4E 2-4 Servo Cover Provides Better Sealing

from ®

4T80E Low & Reverse

Ford has replaced the servo cover on its
early-design CD4E transaxles with a
new cover that is stepped on the outside
diameter to provide better sealing.
lst Design Servo Cover
No
Step
2nd Design Servo Cover
Step
These transaxles had a cap that in- Lathe Cut Seal
stalled on the outside of the 2-4 servo
GM has changed the design of its
cover snap ring that is no longer
4T80E low and reverse apply servo
required and should be discarded.
seals from a lip seal design to a D-ring
The old design cover should be on the outer seal location.
replaced with the new cover, TransTec
The new seal, TransTec #25105
part #81673 (OEM #F4RZ-7D027-A).
(OEM #24200747), will be included in
The new servo cover will be included in
kits built with a date code of C96 and
all TransTec overhaul kits with a date
later. This new D-ring seal will retrofit
code of E96 and later.
all early built units using the lip seal.
2-4 Servo
2/4 Servo
Return Low/Reverse
Spring Outer Seal..
Changed to
Identification D-Ring
Groove Area

In this issue... Piston

Rod
• Our Troubleshooter feature
article will clear up confusion over 2/4
Ford's AX4N transmission. Servo
Servo Piston
• New Ford CD4E servo cover Cover
provides better sealing capability.
See cover article.
Cover
• Chrysler replaces clutch seals on Cap
Retaining
A604 and A606 transaxles with Ring DISCARD
Viton D-rings. See cover article.
• Design change made to GM
4T80E Low & Reverse Lathe Cut
Seal. See cover article. Chrysler Replaces Clutch Seals on 41TE (A604)
• GM 4T60E servo cover seal
and 42LE (A606) with Viton D-Rings
change. See page 2. Chrysler has replaced the inner and The lip seals can still be used, but
• Subaru 4-speed low/reverse outer lip seals on the 2nd & 4th clutch they will no longer be available once
outer piston seal. See page 2. piston with Viton D-ring seals. The D- stock is depleted. All gasket kits and
rings will retrofit all 604 and 606 overhaul kits with a date code of E96 or
• Another change made to GM transaxles. later will contain the D-rings.
4L80E Lower Valve Body Gasket.
See page 7. Lip Seal D-Ring
TransTec # OEM # TransTec # OEM #
• Subaru redesigns 4-speed Front
Case Gasket. See page 7. Outer Seal 28191 4412245 26677 4659374
Inner Seal 28192 4412246 26678 4659376
GM 4T60E Servo Cover Seal Change
Starting on February 20, 1995, GM
made a running change on the 4T60E
2-1 manual servo cover seal, changing
the axial thickness, or height of the
seal, from .066" to .132". At the same
time, the depth of the pocket in the
transaxle case was changed from .054"
to .112".
The seals and cases cannot be inter-
PREVIOUS DESIGN
1991 - 2/20/95
SEAL
.551"
.066" .066"
Subaru 4-Speed
changed! The new seal must be used in Low/Reverse
cases with a .112" pocket, and the
previous seal in cases with a .054" Outer Piston Seal
pocket.
Beginning in early 1992, Subaru made
The new seal, part #25104 (OEM
a design change in the low and reverse
#24204386), is included in all gasket
piston outer seal. The previous design
kits and overhaul kits starting with date
code E96. was a lip seal, TransTec #28255 (OEM
#31546-AA000). The current design is
a D-ring seal, TransTec #26683 (OEM
Seal and Pocket
Location in Case #31616-AA111).
The design change did not occur
across the board in 1992, which has
caused additional confusion. Break
dates between designs vary with model
applications. To accommodate the
change, the low/reverse piston was also
revised. The lip seal and the D-ring
seal will not interchange. Replace the
old seal with a new seal of the same
design. All TransTec kits with a date
code of E96 or later will contain both
seals.
NEW DESIGN
2/20/95 - 1996
SEAL Subaru 4-Speed
.551" Revised Low/Reverse
Piston Seals
.066" .132"

CASE SEAL POCKET CASE SEAL POCKET

Note
under cut
.054" .112"

Previous Design

NEWS
REBUILDER
Denny Scher, Editor
Rebuilder News is dedicated to providing current technical information to the automatic
transmission rebuilder. Reader's comments/suggestions are welcomed. Write: Editor,
Rebuilder News, P.O. Box 556, Milan, Ohio 44846-0556. © 1996 Freudenberg-NOK New Design
General Partnership. All rights reserved. Reproduction without prior written permission is
prohibited. Illustration for reference only.

2
 ® TROUBLESHOOTER
FORD's AX4N...
Clearing Up Some of the Confusion
By Bob Bodossian, TransTec Transmission Product Engineer
From all the calls I’ve received about
Ford's AX4N transmission, two things
are readily apparent. First of all, quite
a few of these units were showing up
in shops not long after they were in
production. While this may not be
good news for Ford, it probably won’t
make anyone in the aftermarket too
unhappy. Second, I found that a lot
of guys weren’t sure whether they
were looking at an AX4N, AX4S, or
an AXODE.
All the Confusion is Understandable
The AX4N was first used in 1995
in all Lincoln Continentals, plus some
Taurus and Sable models. Just one
year prior to that, Ford changed the
designation of the AXODE to AX4S,
and a lot of people thought that both
the 4S and 4N were new units.
Confusion grew with the Taurus
SHO version of the AX4S called the
AX4SH, which was used in 1993-95.
Then in 1996, the SHO got a new 3.4
litre V-8 engine with the AX4N trans,
instead of the AX4SH.
As confusing as all this sounds, it’s
really very easy to tell an AX4N from
an AX4S. For starters, the side cover
on the AX4N has “AX4N” stamped on
it in big letters. The AX4S does not
have any indentification on the side
cover. You don’t even have to know
what a transmission looks like to
figure that out.
Looking closer, you’ll notice that
there is no low-intermediate servo
cover on the outside of the AX4N, and Not Unlike an AXODE...
there isn't a governor cover as found on The AX4N should not present any
the AX4S. Instead, there's a hole in the problems to anyone that’s familiar with
case where the output speed sensor the AXODE (AX4S). The driveline is
goes. pretty much the same, except for the
section between the differential and the
What's Good for GM is Good for Ford reverse clutch. This is where the low-
intermediate clutch replaced the band,
Basically, Ford has done the same
as stated earlier. There is also a coast
thing to the AX4S (AXODE) that
band back there that’s applied only in
General Motors did to the 4T60
manual 1st and 2nd gears to provide
(TH440) when they introduced the
engine braking. The servo piston and
4T60E in 1991. The low-intermediate
cover for this band are both bonded
band has been replaced by a low-
rubber. These are accessed from inside
intermediate clutch pack and one-way
the transaxle pan instead of an external
roller clutch. This was done to elimi- servo cover like the AX4S. That’s the
nate shift timing pro- reason for the large
blems associated with bulge in the side of the
releasing the low- AX4N pan compared to
intermediate band and "... it’s really very the AX4S.
applying the direct easy to tell an
clutch during the 2-3 Two Pans in Two
AX4N from an
shift in the AX4S. Years
AX4S. For starters,
In the AX4N, the Speaking of pans, the
low-intermediate the side cover on AX4N already has two
clutch stays applied the AX4N has different pans and
and the roller clutch gaskets for the first two
“AX4N” stamped years it’s been in
just free-wheels when
the trans shifts from on it in big letters." production. The 1995
2nd to 3rd. Thus, the AX4N used a cork pan
release of one friction gasket and the pan had
built-in torque limiters
element and the application of another
just like the AX4S. In 1996, the pan
doesn’t have to be synchronized.
gasket was changed to an elastomeric
That’s the meaning behind the designa-
(molded plastic & rubber) material.
tions AX4N and AX4S. "N" means
The torque limiters were incorporated
non-synchronous (not-synchronized)
into the gasket and removed from the
shifts and "S" means synchronous
pan. You can’t use the cork gasket on
(synchronized) shifts. the '96 pan because it will leak, and the
3
elastomeric gasket won’t work on the
'95 pan because it won’t fit over the
torque limiters.
I guess what’s good for one pan is
good for another, because the same
change was made on the side cover
from '95 to '96. But it could have
been worse. You see, the AX4S also
went to the elastomeric gaskets in
1996. But the pan and side cover
bolts were changed from 8mm to
6mm, so you have a different AX4S
case for '96 than for '95 due to the
smaller bolts. At least Ford planned
ahead and used 6mm bolts from the
start on the AX4N.
One Too Many Seals
Inside the pan, the filter on my
AX4N core looked identical to the
AX4S filter. However, there were
Figure 1 Oil Tubes
Low-Intermediate
Clutch Transfer Tube
Rear Lube
Transfer Tube
4
two orange seals on the filter neck part numbers for the filter assembly.
instead of the usual one. Checking the The seal is what determines the
Ford parts catalog location of the filter in
didn’t help clear the pan.
things up. It still The short orange seal
lists an o-ring for a
A good rule of
is the one we’re all used
filter seal, which we thumb is to replace to seeing in the AXOD/
all know hasn’t been E’s and most AX4S’s. It
the filter with the
used in many years. is not used in the AX4N
same style that was at all. The tall orange
Go Right to the
removed. seal is used in the AX4SH
Source
and some AX4N models
It took a call to with a deep pan. The
Wayne Ferrel at green seal is used in all
Filtran, the O.E.M. supplier of the other AX4N’s and the AX4S starting in
filter, to get the facts. Yes, the filter '96. A good rule of thumb is to replace
by itself is the same as the AX4S and the filter with the same style that was
AXOD/E. But there are three different removed. (As for my filter having two
filter seals; a short orange, a tall short orange seals, that’s what Ford
orange, and a green seal that’s in used initially until the tall orange seal
between. Since the filters come with a replaced it.)
seal on them, there are three different
Ford Isn't Taking Any Chances
The AX4N has four oil transfer
tubes (fig. 1), one less than the AX4S.
The rear lube and the low-intermediate
Reverse tubes push into two small metal clad
Clutch seals that are pressed into the low-
Transfer intermediate housing. These seals are
Tube
similar to the AX4S rear lube seal, but
Low-Int larger. Unlike the AX4S, all four of
Servo Apply these tubes use o-rings at all the other
Transfer ends for a positive seal. You get the
Tube feeling that after the lube problems
with the AXODE, Ford isn’t taking any
chances?
Look Close or Look Out
Moving to the side cover, everything
in there looks about the same as the
AX4S. But if you look close, you’ll
notice that the shift solenoids are
arranged differently. The AX4N
arrangement from top to bottom is
solenoid 1, 2, and 3. In the AX4S, it’s
2, 1, and 3 from top to bottom. Not
only are shift solenoids 1 & 2 reversed,
but the solenoid apply timing is also
different between the two transaxles, as
 word of caution before you take your
Figure 2 AX4S Solenoids AX4N Solenoids
scraper to the main valve body gaskets.
Range Gear Sol. 1 Sol. 2 Sol. 3 Sol. 1 Sol. 2 Sol. 3 No, they’re not baked on from exces-
P-N Off Off Off Off Off Off sive heat. The gaskets are bonded to
the separator plate at the factory.
R Reverse Off Off Off Off Off Off
While this may be less costly and
lst Off On Off Off On Off easier for production, it raises the cost
D 2nd On On Off Off Off Off of an overhaul. It also presents a pro-
blem to kit packagers like TransTec.
3rd Off Off On On Off On
Due to the cost and the number of
4th On Off On On On On plates, we cannot include them in an
1st Off On Off Off On Off overhaul kit. So far, there are five
D 2nd On On Off Off Off Off different plates for the AX4N, and we
will make them available separately.
3rd Off Off On On Off Off
By the way, that’s the good news. The
L lst Off On Off Off On Off AX4S has also gone to bonded plates
for the valve body and the pump. To
you can see in figure 2. If you’re not AX4S, which has more variations of date, there are nine different plates.
careful here, you could go crazy checkball locations than I care to
trying to diagnose shift problems! remember, the AX4N only has one. Accumulator Locations Worth Noting
Not much chance of screwing up here.
Simplified Checkball Locations When you pull the chain cover off
Of course, now that that’s said, Ford
the AX4N, be sure to note the locations
Once the valve body is removed, will probably make major changes to
of the accumulator springs. (See figure
you’ll see that this unit has a total of the valve body.
4 on next page.) Here again, Ford
six checkballs. Five in the valve
changed things around just a bit. The
body and one in the oil pump body, Sticky Gaskets Can Stick You
accumulator nearest the top of the case
as shown in figure 3. Unlike the Speaking of the valve body, here’s a

Figure 3 Main Control Valve Body Oil Pump Body

Checkball
Locations

5
is the 1-2 in both the AX4N and
AX4S. That’s where the similarities
end. Not only are the
rest of the accumulators
switched around, but the
AX4N has one more
than the AX4S in the
chain cover, plus it has
one in the bottom of the
case. Figure 4 shows
the AX4N accumulator
locations in the chain
cover. The N-D
accumulator is in the
bottom of the case.
Similar, But Not Interchangeable
As I said earlier, the rest of the
driveline is pretty much the same as
the AX4S and so is the power flow.
The only thing you have to remember
is that the low-intermediate band is
gone. In its place is the low-interme-
diate clutch, the low-intermediate
one-way clutch, and the coast band.
This doesn’t mean you can
interchange any of the parts in the
Figure 4 Chain Cover (Transaxle Case Side)
6
drivelines between the AX4S and piston in this unit, except the reverse
AX4N. While some parts are identical, clutch, is a bonded assembly. It looks
a lot of them have like all the OEMs are going in this
small differences that direction. A few years from now, lip
Every clutch piston could be missed if seals will probably be a thing of the
you're not careful. past. It may take a little time for some
in this unit, except
For example, let’s guys to get used to replacing all the
the reverse clutch, look at the direct & pistons on every overhaul, but if you
is a bonded assem- intermediate clutch think about it, it makes sense. After
drum. The AX4S all, you wouldn’t overhaul a trans and
bly. It looks like all
used lip seals for both not replace the lip seals, would you?
the OEMs are going clutch inner seals.
in this direction. Then along came the Do It Right or Do It Over
AX4SH in the Taurus The use of molded pistons, molded
SHO and it had D-rings rubber gaskets, and bonded valve
for both clutch inner body gasket and plate assemblies is
seals. I guess Ford wanted the best of becoming more and more common.
both worlds for the AX4N. It uses the Some of you are probably thinking
lip seal for the direct clutch and the about how this will raise the cost of an
D-ring for the intermediate clutch. In overhaul, and that it’s easy for me to
other words, before you start replacing say you should replace all these parts.
any hard parts, make sure they match Well, in the 20 years spent at your end
what you took out. of the business, I've learned this. If
you explain the cost of a repair to a
Fewer Pieces Parts customer, they usually don’t like it,
but they understand and accept it.
Speaking of clutch seals, the AX4N
What they don't understand is if the
has very few of them. Every clutch
job comes back because you re-used a
few parts. The fact that you saved
them $70 or $80 originally doesn’t
Intermediate (1-2) Accumulator mean a whole lot at that point.
Direct (2-3) Accumulator
Cost-Plus Versus Compromise
In most successful businesses, the
price of the product is determined by
adding a profit margin to the cost. If
the cost goes up, it is usually passed
on to the consumer. In this business,
it seems like we have a lot of people
working in reverse. They set a price
first, and then spend all their time
trying to keep their cost within that
price. I don’t know about you, but
there’s no question in my mind which
Reverse (N-R)
approach I prefer.
Accumulator
TT
Overdrive (3-4) Accumulator
Change Made to 4L80E Lower Valve Body Gasket
GM has made another change to the illustration below. The previous retrofit all units back through 1991.
lower valve body gasket for the 4L80E gasket, TransTec #12657, is being This gasket will be included in all
transmission. The new gasket has an replaced by the new gasket, TransTec TransTec kits with a date code of C96
additional 1-7/8" hole, as shown in the #12853 (OEM #24201115), which will or later.

Previous Gasket - TransTec #12657 New Gasket - TransTec #12853

New
Hole

Subaru Redesigns 4-Speed Front Case Gasket

Subaru has replaced the paper front
case gasket on its 4-speed transmission
with a rubber-coated metal gasket. If
your transmission has an oil baffle (see
illustration), it should be discarded if
using the new metal gasket, TransTec
#10029 (OEM #31339-AA121). The
baffle is only used with the paper
gasket, TransTec #12578 (OEM
#31339-AA040).
The metal gasket was added to Oil
Baffle Plate
overhaul kit #2259 starting with date
code A96. The paper gasket will
remain in the kit until stock is depleted,
at which time it will no longer be
available.
Caution: Using the paper gasket
on a transmission that originally had a
metal gasket could cause fluid to leak
out of the transmission vent. Pump Cover

Appearing Soon Date City State

A TransTec representative August 24th Nashville Tennessee

will be at the following August 31st Denver Colorado
"Tech Seminars" September 7th Detroit Michigan