91 Z, 700R4 trans... don't know how this problem started, but now i've got a hard shift in to drive. i've been driving the car when i can and with no drive train related problems. last time i drove it (little over a week), that was coming back from about a 400 mile trip. car has been sitting since while i was waiting on a part for something else and yesterday i drove it down the street. i thought i felt kind of a hard shift then but it seemed ok, today there is no doubt. it shifts into reverse "ok", not really hard at all, but when i put it in drive it "lurches" - hard. i was anticipating taking it out of town again tomorrow, but having second thoughts. somebody help me out, pls... i'm going to let it run a bit and get the fluid hot and check the level, and check the gear oil, too. those are the only things i can think of. car has been built up and finished for the most part and like i said, this just came out of nowhere. need to try and get this fixed today, would like to take it with me tomorrow...

just a wonder, but do you mean when you put it in drive it immediately lurches forward like it wants to move? if so.. mine does that too.. and i do not think it is a trans issue. i think it may have to do with the idle speed when you put it into gear. I know i have put mine in gear with it on high idle a few times (around 1100rpm) and before i changed brakes it would push the car forward about 6 inches... (reason i changed my brakes to some better ones).

Or do you mean it takes a minute to engage drive and then slams into gear throwing the car forward?

no, mine has no hesitation. put the shifter in drive and she lurches. just came in from checking the rear and trans, and the trans was down about 1/2 qt. i guess i failed to say in my original post that i have a 2000 stall converter, and i guess 1/2 qt makes a big diff. i put that in, and it shifts in to reverse and drive normally now. then for a few, i had an actual shift problem, but i played around with the t/v cable and then set it. seems to be ok for now. gonna go out and drive it later, i think. still confused as to why it would take all this time for this to show up - no leaks to explain the 1/2 qt, either...

First yes that is always caused for the fluid as my fluid is the same way and car acts the same way. Mine leaks out the tailshaft on long drives 800round trip and at high speeds 80+mph. Prob cause I drive her pretty hard but I just check the fluid before I go on my long trips and dont have problems. Check for leaking at the tailshaft, the lines of fluid would end up on the driveshaft. Hope this may help