Browneye

Hi everyone, I have an '85 Trans Am with a 'box problem.
Was driving in town yesterday and stopped at some lights. Light turned green, drove away normally (in OD, as on the shifter) but it wouldn't change up into 2nd or 3rd, Etc.
Reverse is OK as is N and D. There is no slipping in 1st, the oil is still red, the level OK, and there is no burnt smell. If you accelerate with the car in OD (to say 3000 revs) and then remove your foot off the throttle it will coast, just like having your foot on the clutch, then if you manually shift it into 1st it will start to engine brake.
I'm an Aussie living and working in the back blocks of Saudi Arabia and don't have much faith in the trouble shooting capabilities or workmanship of the mechanics here (from past experience) so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I'm hopping to fix the thing without dropping it out, if that is possible but I'll leave that up to the capable guys that use this board.

TomP

Sounds like the trans is dead... that lack of engine braking was happening to mine before I lost 3rd altogether. I'd imagine dropping it down & replacing/rebuilding it is the only way out. You could always try dropping the pan, removing the filter, and opening the filter up (I use pliers around the edge). The material inside is folded over; unfolding it sometimes shows a crapload of metal filings... and you know what that means!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

GMTech

Is it that the car just won't shift, or the trans slips when it finally does? It makes a big difference.

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Browneye

Thanks GMtech.
Yes the 'box will not shift from 1st when other than 1st is selected, it ran great up until the time it started playing up. All the changes before this point were nice and firm, not slurrry and with slipping. My thoughts are that it is a valving problem and not a cluch pack problem, but auto's are a black art to me.

Pro Built Automatics

Sounds like you broke the governor gear.
Hope This Helps!!!

Browneye

Thanks for the info about governor gear. But what is it, what does it do and where in the box is it.
I plan on repairing this 'box myself, I am quite adept mechanically, so the more info I can get the better. PS, my mate here used to work on auto's for a living but, regretfully, hasn't touched a 700-R4.

Blade

First of all it's called a transmission, not a "box". I think it's complicated enough to rise above the level of a simple "box". LOL

Anyway, I had the same problem with mine. I took the governor out and I found out it wasnt the gear, but the little piston in it was stuck! Sooo... I took some brake cleaner and sprayed the crap out of it. Moved the piston up and down the bore until I made sure it was sliding easily again. The reason this happened to ME is because my clutches are gone and a lot of metal shavings got lodged in there. If it's just the gear like someone else suggested then you're lucky. If not, then I'd pull the pan, and look for metal shavings. If you see a lot on the bottom of the pan I think it's time for a rebuild. I was able to drive mine (and still do) for a couple more weeks by cleaning the governor and changing the fluid and filter a couple times to get all the shavings out of it. I'd do that just in case. Anyway, good luck

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92 Z28 L98 350
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Browneye

Thanks Blade.
A bit of comforting info, my thinking has always been that it is a hydraulic problem, basically some sort of blockage, and your ideas sound very similar to my thoughts.
Just one question though, can the governor gear and piston assembly be accessed with:-
a. just the pan off
b. pan off and with the valve body out, or
c. do I have to drop the transmission and strip it.

Blade

Well it's a lot easier then you'd think.

The governor assembly consists of the gear, piston, governor body and the attached springs and weights. What you would have to do to take it out is look on the driver's side of the tranny towards the tailhousing. You'll see a cap that looks like the dust cap on your wheels but it's about twice the size. You will have to pry it out. I used a flat blade screwdriver lodged between the lip of the cap and tranny and worked my way around it until it popped out. Be ready to have a container ready because as soon as that cap if off, tranny fluid will start seeping out. Well after the cap is off you'll see the top of the governor. If the car has been sitting even for an hour or two it'll still be hot as hell, so I'd do it with a rag if it's too hot. What you wanna do is grab it and twist it out. Go back and forth until it comes out.
At this point you can inspect the gear, if the teeth are still on it then it's probably dirty, if not, you can get away with buying a new gear but I'd be wondering where all those plastic shavings that used to be teeth went. Hehe
If it's not the gear, just clean it real good and make sure the litte piston in it slides easily. You can do this by using a small screwdriver to push on the top of the piston. You can see it where the weight push on it at the top of the governor.

Good luck

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92 Z28 L98 350
---------------
Ported stock heads, XR270HR-10 cam, TES headers, Crane AFPR, Flowmaster catback, MSD ignition components.

Best ET 12.9@107 mph

"Take that auto, drop it in first, hold the brakes, stomp the gas and grin from ear to ear! :-)

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Browneye

Thanks Blade
Great info. I'll probably have a crack at it tomorrow. I flying blind here, without a book to guide me but your info has painted a picture for me already. Once again thanks.
I'll put the results of my findings on here for the benefit of the other users.

Browneye

Hi everyone,
well my thanks go to Blade, he was dead right about the gear on my governor. My gear hadn't stripped though, it wasn't there at all. The gear had snapped off and I had to retieve it by droppin off the drive shaft and removing the tail housing of the trans. But we are back underway now for less than $20 and a bit of getting dirty.

Blade

Hehe! Glad it was that easy When I lost all gears but 1st on mine, it was a very costly rebuild. At least I'm happy with my new "high performance" transmission now

TomP

That is awesome! A $20 fix saved at least $1000... great info! Thanks, I'll have to save this somewhere


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

yellowiroc

A $1000... what are you smokin'?

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86 IROC 305 TPI LB9 700R4 W/ Shift kit, K & N, Flowmaster, airfoil, 160 thermo, removed emissions.