Mikz86TA

iTrader: (4)

Hello again,
Well after a bit of a hiatus doing work and other projects I finally got time to finish the tranny in the '86 TransAm. While it was out I decided to restore the underbody cleaning the old gummy undercote off, repainting brackets, getting stainless hardware, and repainting it underneath. One thing led to another and I had not been able to get the tranny going after the rebuild.
So I finally got finishd up when the last peices of the new exhaust arrived. Now Im stoked at getting to drive the ol bird once again.
I followed procedures I had seen and read about for a fresh rebuild startup.
I had already had almost a qt in the Converter back when it went in and had probably a little in the tranny from assembly and some I added after I installed it.
I put 4 qts in to start out with B4 I had started the motor.
Its carb'ed and cammed, so it took a few tries to get the engine running since it has sat for a while. But she fired up on the 3rd try and ran good. Idle needed adjusting.
I shut it down, put more fluid in and cranked it up.
Since I was dong this solo and it was hard to keep it idleing cold, I did the shut down, fill a bit and restart over and over again.
Finally I ended up with 11 measured quarts in the tranny all toghteher counting the converter fill and the 4 B4 startup.
I ran it through the gears up on jackstands with the front of the car on ramps to keep it level.
My issue :
No shift. I ran it up to about 60 one time and 40 about every other time.
No shift.
I pulled the governor already and double checked it. Its perfect. No stocking, weights are free, gear is tight, no wear or chips.
The wheels turn effortlessly in Reverse or any Gear range selected. Just no shift.
In manual lo 1, I can run it to 20+ MPH and bump it to 2nd. I get a 'bump' feeling and the speedo shoots up a bit but no real RPM movement.
If I pull it back into 1st Lo from 2nd, I get the same 'bump' but no real RPM change.
Ive done the shifting B4 with no load on jackstands a few times in my life. So I know you still should see the RPM change and shift feel.
Any ideas?
Tranny is this :
1991 4L60 with aux VB
2100 Stall converter
Superior 700R4 HP kit
SPX Sunshell
Raybestos HP 2-4 Band
Raybestos clutchpacks new not refurbs
Upgraded 3-4 Clutchpack 8-count new steels and HE clutches
basic overhaul kit / full kit
TransGo new VB seperator plate
new bearings, thrust washers, etc
new band drum
vette servo
.471 TV Boost valve
Lo/Rev boost valve upgrade
new speedo gears plus misc. stff
THX Michel

Mikz86TA

iTrader: (4)

Anything?

I took the 2-4 servo out and doubel checked its operation and install. No problems there.

I guess Im dropping the pan and seeing if I can get to the 1-2 shift valve area. Try to remove that or try to see if its sticking.

Mikz86TA

iTrader: (4)

Well, I did get one reply via PM and got to talk over some stuff. Thanks Dana @ ProBuilt. Once again willing to take your time to help someone out.

It seems that the 'bump' I felt in manual shifting from 1st to 2nd was actually a gear change. Thats good but I still had no 2nd to 3rd action.

Since the VBody was out, I decided to inspect all the circuits. I found that the 2-3 shift spool valve (the one deepest inside the bore) was stuck. Like very stuck.
Well, I took the VBody to a local shop who I trust enough to assist. He cleaned the spool valve up and also ended up using a soft honeing device to smooth up the bore. The thing attached to a drill and resembles a gun cleaning bristle brush. Made of some type of abracive-inpregnated plastic.
Not the 2-3 spool valve slides nicely in place.

I decided to check out the rest of the v.body once again and see if I missed anything else.
Lo and behold I guess I did. For some reason the last builder left out the spring behind the spool valve on the TV UP circuit. The one next to it ( TV DN ) has one. I cant even gather a thought to explain why somone would leave that out. On tp of that, the TV UP spool valve sticks a bit also.
If there is anyone who can provide a reasoning for there not being a spring there, please feel free to let me know.
All my manuals, including the ATSG one, list that spring there and no side notes on why there wouldnt be one.

Im going to go to the Tranny Supply shop here locally and see if they have one or can get me one. I may pick up those bore cleaning tools also.

Im still going to remove and recheck all the other circuits once over. But they all seem OK at this point.

THX

bluechev

you should really disassemble the entire valve body and clean all the circuits out its pretty critical- good luck