Introduction

What sounds better: a $4 expense that is easy to fix or a very painful $1500 expense? If you ignore a dry rotted or missing throttle valve (TV) bushing you are almost guaranteed to have the $1500 expense of rebuilding your AOD transmission. The factory plastic bushing Ford installs at the factory will fail after 10+ years of heat, no longer keeping the TV cable firmly attached to the throttle of your 5.0L motor. When this happens, your AOD will suffer from “low blood pressure” and die a quick and expensive death.

Below are the affected vehicles:

VEHICLE INVOLVED	MODEL YEAR	ENGINE
Continental	1986 - 1987	5.0L
Ford / Mercury	1987 - 1991	5.0L
Ford	1990 - 1991	5.0L
Ford / Mercury	1991 - 1992	4.6L
Lincoln T C	1987 - 1990	5.0L
Lincoln T C	1991 - 1992	4.6L
Thunderbird / Cougar	1987 - 1993	5.0L
Thunderbird / Cougar	1989 - 1993	3.8L
Mustang	1987 - 1993	5.0L
Mark VII	1987 - 1992	5.0L

Fight low AOD blood pressure! Ford made a better replacement part made of brass for about $4 at any Ford dealer. Replacing this part is excellent preventative maintenance, especially if you are a new owner!


Below you will see a before and after picture of a TV cable on a 4.6L Lincoln Town Car; all Town Cars mentioned above should be similar.


And with the brass bushing:

The part number for the brass Transmission Throttle Valve bushing is F3SZ-7H303-B. Any Ford dealer can get it for you. It comes with a brass bushing and a new pin. Here is a picture of what the kit gives you.

Installation is self-explanatory.  On Mark VIIs and Continentals, remove the rubber intake hose by unscrewing it from the throttlebody and by releasing the four clips on the front airbox. Now you can see the TV cable easily. Slide the brass bushing on the TV cable and under the engine's throttle assembly: the smaller diameter section will slide into the hole in the throttle. Then push the TV cable up through the throttle assembly.

Below is a picture of the correctly installed assembly:

Now the pin installs on the TV cable above the bushing. No tools are necessary, just push the pin and it will lock in place. You are done!

 

Good job, you saved your wallet from a huge expense just waiting to happen!