HillbillyJeeper

I just got done installing a transgo shift kit in my car. When i tried to run it though the gears, still up in the air, i didnt have reverse, or a 2-3 upshift. I cant even feel it go into reverse. But i think i did the very first time i ran it through the gears, with my foot on the brake, then i got out, checked the fluid level, got back in to test the upshifts, and had no 2-3 upshift, and 1-2 seemed kinda slow. Then found i didnt have reverse, either. Gonna pull the pan back down tomarrow, and double check my work. Any ideas what to check first?

HillbillyJeeper

Problem found. After searching a bit on here, i had an idea what it probably was. and was right. pulled the pan off, and all the boost valve parts where lying in the pan. guess i didnt get the snapring seated enough. And i notieced, as some do with the B&M kit, my transgo snapring is thicker than my orginal one. May put the orginal back in, if i cant get the new one to seat right.

HillbillyJeeper

OK. so, maybe all's not good. Finaly got the car out of the garage to test drive it, and i have no second and up. Reverse and first are fine. Then it kinda goes into second and just slips. No third. Didn't get it fast enough to get it into OD. Didn't have this much trouble with the other shift kits i've done!!

ok, so i pulled the 2nd/4th servo cover. the 4th servo seal was torn completly in 2. one half stayed in the housing when i pulled the servo out. I cant really say if i did it taking it out tonight, or when i put it in yesterday. Would that seal being messed cause it to slip in second? I know i did something wrong somewhere. The trans was fine before the shift-kit install, with only about 30K on it.

Any ideas, anyone? I fixed the 4th servo seal, checked everything under the cover, and re-checked the band clearance. No difference. ON the stands, it feels like there is no 2nd or 3rd. Pulled the valve body back down. checked every hole i plugged/drilled, all the valves to make sure they move nicely in their bores, couldent find anything wrong. Not sure where to look now. I can put it back together, but i didnt do anything. Anyone have a clue where to look? The trans was fine before i touched it. Everything i touced has been done according to the directions.

HillbillyJeeper

Well. im at a complete loss. I've double checked every hole, taken apart and re-assembled every think i touched, checked to make sure all everyhing moved free, re-adjusted the TV cable. I cant seem to find anything i can tell out of place.
Running it on the stands, reverse and first are fine. Shift to second, it kinda slides into gear, and acctually looses speed, its slipping so bad. Cant get it to go into third. I guess its call the tranny shops or tansgo tomarrow. See if anyone has any idea.

HillbillyJeeper

Anybody got a T-56 for sale? Talked to transgo, they said check the pressures. So i did. have to call them back tomarrow.

Drive idle 125psi, 1,500 RPM 230psi with TV pulled out.
Reverse idle 190psi, 1,500 RPM 285psi with TV pulled out.
Manual low 240psi at 1,500 RPM
Pulling TV out adds about 60-80psi.

Some of these are a good deal higher then transgo said they should be. Are they way to high? i have a feeling when the trans was rebuilt last time, they upped the pressure.

I know all the check ***** are in the right location. As are my holes i drilled. I guess im gonna go back into the 2nd servo, double check everything, and replace the 4th seal with a new one. And air check the servo.

RebelRacer

thats crazy, i'm having the same problem, with the same shift kit. I got reverse, 1st and 3rd(if I wrap it out enough in first it will shift to 3rd. LMK when you find somthing

HillbillyJeeper

Except i havent been able to get 3rd. i only drove it on the road about 1/2 mile, casue i found it was slipping, but even coastin downhill at 35-40, still no third. Gonna pull the valve body again tomarrow after work, replace the seperator gaskets, just to be safe, and check all the valves, even the ones i didnt do anything to. Found a old thread on the exact same problem, and it was a stuck valve in the valve-body.

87zjeff

iTrader: (4)

the first time you drove it with the bad servo seal, you probably burnt the band. it doesn't take much to burn one up. the band could have also come off the band anchor under the valve body. that is a big danger when doing a shift kit and servo at the same time while the tranny is in the car.

HillbillyJeeper

I havent rulled out a burnt band, but its only seen about 1/4 mile in second gear, and not above about 30 under load. And ive read about the band thing, but it seems to be not as common. But that still dosent explane why i have no 3rd either. So, the valve body is comming back off in a bout 15 minuts. And every detail is getting looked over again.

ALso, i may be wrong, but it seems that if the band got burnt, it would slip, but mostly under load. 2nd dosent even do anything running it on the stands with the wheels of the ground.

87zjeff

iTrader: (4)

it doesn't take much to burn the band. when they are burnt, sometimes they will slip and sometimes they won't grab at all. to get to 3rd without second gear you have to go pretty fast. more than 30 or 40 mph. i have done the burnt band thing....lol. they are a pain in the a$$.

HillbillyJeeper

Well the first time i drove it, i hit about 40 downhill back to my house at a coast, and it didint go into 3rd even then. I'm really hopeing not burnt bad. Soemthing im overlooking, i hope. Got the valve body back out. Checked every single valve. they all move nicely. Took the boost valve back down. they were installed right. Getting ready to air-check the second servo assemble, If i can find the rubber tiped air gun. I only have about 1/16 play in the servo cover.

87zjeff

iTrader: (4)

i always check the play of the band at the opening where the linkage goes through the case. if there is too much play in the band on the drum, then i know something is wrong. i never can get enough leverage to push the servo cover when the tranny is installed. while you have the pan down, apply pressure on the servo cover and see if it applies the band very good. if the band moves while you have the cover pushed down, something is wrong.

on a side note, when i burnt my band, i got almost to 50 and still no third.

let me know how things go.

HillbillyJeeper

I know i can watch the band move when i push the cover down. Gonna have to check the play with the cover pushed in. I'm really hopeing that 1/2 mile on an aftermarket band didnt hurt it. The trans only had about 30k on a performance rebuild. Had the vette servo and such in it already. Didnt know it untill i started the transgo kit. On a side note, my pressure seem way high. And the tranny shop said the same. Any way to lower them other than the boost valves up in that bore? should i put my stock ones back in? (if there even stock?)

87zjeff

iTrader: (4)

the shop is gonna compare the pressure with the factory settings. the shift kit alters these settings. you might be able to contact transgo to see what they say the settings should be. i've never had a problem with the transgo shift kit.

the last band i burnt i didn't even drive to the end of the road. it was a brand new band.

HillbillyJeeper

Transgo told me 70-75 at idle in drive, i have about 125.
They said 70-95 in reverse at idle, i have 190.

So, i need to call them tomarrow.
And if the band is burnt, would there be any indication of discolouring from heat or anything? therse non that i can tell. Is there any way to get an idea without tearing the tranny down?

87zjeff

iTrader: (4)

some burnt places may show on the drum the band rides on but you may not be able to see it very well.

as to the line pressure, it is hard to tell without knowing what was done to it before. for example, which shift kit was used or how it was built.

HillbillyJeeper

Im about ready to swap in a 5 speed or a 6-speed, if i could afford it!
Guess im gonna put it back together again and try it once more. Call transgo, see if they have a clue.
Talk about a pain. the tranny worked great. Put it together with the shift kit, no reverse. fixed that, now no Upshifts. The last 2 shift kits i did didnte end up like this!!

HillbillyJeeper

Well, aparently the van computer i installed with the 350 dosent have a speed limiter. Got it all together, test ran it on the stands, and it shifted perfectly right up to about 130 on overdrive.

And i dont know what fixed it. Herse what i did.
Took the valve body back off. Cleaned it very throughly, checked every valve with a small screwdriver, made sure every one work. I put the boost valve components back in that where there orginally. With as high of pressures as i was running, figured i could safely drop a bit. There not stock anyways. Put it all back together carfully with new seperator plate gaskets. And it seems to shift fine. Tomarrow i get it off the stands and try it on the road.
I guess maybe *** was just teaching me a lesson in paitence, perservance, and anger management.
Anyways. It works. Wish i would say for sure what it was, tough!

87zjeff

iTrader: (4)

i hope you got it figured out but a road test wil confirm it...good luck

HillbillyJeeper

Pretty positive i got it figured out. Of course i wont know anything untill i road test it when i get home. But at least is shift nicely through every gear. 2nd gives a 20mph jump in tire speed. So, as long as it doesnt slip, i guess all is well! I really wish i had a better idea as to what it was that was causing it, So i could help out others who may have the same problem!

RebelRacer

i guess I need to tear mine back apart for some cleaning. thanks for the help

berly83

Ya I did that like three times before I figured out the slot was way up there for that snapring.

HillbillyJeeper

Took it for a drive. seems to be shifting just fine. Havent really opened it up yet, as the engine it new as well. No i just need to make the alternator work! Always something!!

HillbillyJeeper

SO, after about 1000 miles of driving, all is not well with my tranny. Where to start. The TC doesnt always stay locked, sometimes not locking, somtimes locking and unlocking rapidly, sometimes staying locked for 60 miles. Sometimes, in D3 and D4, it wont downshift even under full throttle. Other times, its fine. Soemtimes, at abou 35-40 in OD, when it does downshift, it clunks, and then clunks going back into OD. 1-2 shifts are sometimes soft, sometimes firm, but never hard(and i used all 3 washers in the 2nd acumulator). Ususaly, it shifts hardest at lower RPM, when i let up a bit right before the shift. 2-3 and 3-4 are usually harder than 1-2 when shifting auto. Shifting manual doesnt make much difference in shift firmness. Anybody have T-56 for sale??