A4LD into SE6b - is it worth doing?

Post by **metalmoth** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:13 pm

Hi anyone done this on the cologne? Is it worth all the work?

Post by **IanC** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:41 pm

I think AJL has done this on a GTC, I hope he'll be along shortly!
I'd be very interested in how this conversion is done.
Ian

Post by **AJL Electronics** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:32 pm

Well worth while. It makes it into a nice understressed cruiser if done properly. Many converters can't be bothered to wire up the clutch and so the gearbox can't give its best. It will mate happily with the 2.8 and you will need an SE5a propshaft. You will also need a Scorpio shifter, if you use a Granny one as Middlebridge, you will need to cut the tunnel and lay in a 1" deep tray or the console will not fit. Don't be tempted to grind out a three speed shifter, it is a horrible bodge.

Post by **peter freeman** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:35 pm

I was told some time ago that it was fairly easy to do - as a ex auto GTC owner and a current auto MB owner I can say IMO it is well worth it

Post by **metalmoth** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:18 pm

Thanks for the info. I didn’t realise there were electrical considerations on them

Post by **peter freeman** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:38 pm

The early 4 speed box does not have electrics to worry about apart from the start inhibits as per the 3 speed box

Post by **metalmoth** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:44 pm

Thanks that’s good to know

derekoss · Post by **derekoss** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:17 pm

The early boxes are also rather weak. The A4LD was improved almost annually ! There's been a Ford rebuild on fleabay for some time at around £350.

I'd consider it good value compared to rebuilding one.

Derek

Post by **AJL Electronics** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:26 pm

peter freeman wrote: ↑
Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:38 pm
The early 4 speed box does not have electrics to worry about apart from the start inhibits as per the 3 speed box

Yes it does. They all have the torque converter clutch. It's such a shame when people don't connect that up, it spoils it.

Post by **peter freeman** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 3:45 am

Don't know if my car has the torque converter wired Andy or how to wire it if its not - no details in the manual and this is only my 2nd auto. Where would I look to check. The gearbox and converter were changed by the PO about 50k ago (at 250k on the clock ) gearbox was changed because of vibration which was found afterwards to be due to the converter. Not been under the car since I bought it but need to adjust the gearstick movement sometime as the reversing lights only come on with the gearstick at the front of its slot

Post by **philhoward** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:25 am

If it’s in your MB, then it’s ECU controlled (as it was in the Ford it cane from). I believe yours is an A4LDe (or is it the E version?) where the ECU does a lot of the work. I believe the early A4LD (no “e”) are all hydraulic (like a C3) apart from the 4th gear and torque converter lockup?

Post by **peter freeman** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:55 am

Nothing on the wiring drawing that relates to the torque converter and only one connection on the ECU ( pin 21 ) which is brown/yellow and says it goes to the sst? - as yet to be identified what sst is - one day I will have to follow the wire to find out.

Post by **scimjim** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:29 am

It won’t be a wire to the torque converter, it’ll be a solenoid. Manual & auto 2.9i ECU are different. The detail is in AJLs conversion thread IIRC.

Post by **philhoward** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:33 am

SST wouldn't be Speed Signal Transducer, per chance? EFi systems of that era tend to like to know what speed the car is going for the fuel overrun cutoff.

Post by **AJL Electronics** » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:33 am

From what I have seen so far, all Middlebridge have the first version of the A4LD fitted. This has a cable operated kickdown for identification. All of them are fitted with TCC and the socket for it is at the side of the gearbox, just before the kickdown actuator. It has two pins and contains a diode. The power is supplied to it via an ignition switched circuit and goes via a vaccum switch mounted on the bulkhead, look in the clutch master area for it.

The next iteration of the A4LD changes the cable kickdown for solenoid kickdown. That has two windings, fed from a delay relay. The TCC is exactly the same on this model. As yet I haven't seen a Middlebridge with one, but maybe in the later cars?

Next came the A4LDe which features electronic control of the 3/4 change. That can be identified by having three pins in the TCC socket. The A4LDE is all ECU controlled and would only be useable with a matching 2.9i from the same car. Identified by the shifter having snow and sport buttons.

Most gearboxes up to the e model were fitted with mechanical speed senders and the electronic sender was fitted later. It is possible to swap one for the other, but daft on the e and E because the ECU needs to know the speed.