Tempo AWD ?

Driving home today I saw a little old lady driving a pristine Tempo, complete with plastic flowers attached to flag holder on the window, with an emblem on the trunk saying it was 4 wheel drive or AWD. How many of these beasts were made ? Can't be too many left on the planet. Steve

Reply to
Steven Stone
Loading thread data ...

I remember Ford's last attempt at a AWD car. That must be it. They have an AWD model out now again. Fred

Reply to
Fred

Actually they have several AWD Models - Fusion, Taurus, Taurus X, Edge, Flex (not counting SUVs which also have AWD or A4WD - Escape, Explorer, Expedition).

Ed

Reply to
Ed White

I don't think those early 80/90's ford part time systems were particularly robust. As i recall, they had a lot of problems with them on aerostars.

I have not seem very many tempos with them.

Hard to say if ford got it right with the latest gen units. Like, why did they kill the CVT?

Bob

Reply to
Bob Urz

I would guess with he 3.5L engine in the Taurus (aka Five Hundred and Freestyle), and the new Ford built 6 speed, Ford felt the CVT was not an advantage. My Mother's 2005 Freestyle has the CVT and I like it, but some people aren't comfortable with the lack of distinctive shifts. The CVT offers little to no advantage compared to the more powerful 3.5L V6 engine and heavier duty 6 speed (the one in the Freestyle is actually a Ford unit, unlike the Fusion V6 which uses a Aisin-Warner 6 speed).

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

AWD Tempos were made in 1987 -1988. The idea was great, but the technology at that time was limited. The 2 "weak links" were the Viscous Coupling in the rear end and the "drop gear" setup on the ATX trans that provided power to the rear wheels. I drove a few of them and they were like friggin' mountain goats in snow and many off-road conditions. Excellent design, poorly executed, par for the course with Ford. They "almost" had a car to contend with Subaru.

The front "drop gear" setup off of the ATX trans was unique to Ford, but they took the rear "viscous coupling" from a Subaru design. The FWD was great until AWD was called for when the front wheels were spinning. Then, KA-CLUNK-BANG-GRRR, you had a regular FWD Tempo. There was no control over "when" the rear was engaged except an "on- off" switch. They didn't like high speed engagements. That took out the rear drive. The Viscous Coupling was a fluid coupled rear differential, instead of a ring and pinion and planet gears. They just didn't last in that application. (They didn't buy them from Subaru). The AWD Tempo was a great idea that was implemented about 2 years too early for the design to be perfected. And about 8 years too early to be widely received. IIRC, some of them had the short lived 2.5L HSC engine that was used in the Taurus.

If you want to start a Club/Forum for an unknown and unappreciated car, the AWD Tempo would be a good one. They're out there, but there aren't many. Total production was less than 10,000 .

Reply to
Tom Adkins

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.