Well, I finally figured out how to do a TV cable adjustment by transfixleo's method. I had given up on it a few months ago after I couldn't find the D-shaped tab. Turns out that I knew where the D-shaped tab was all along, I just wasn't pressing it hard enough.

Anyway, today while I was looking for the "real" D-shaped tab (before I figured it out), I had the TV cable disconnected from the throttle and the engine running. I was pulling on the TV cable, and it would get to the point where I'd hear this hissing sound come from the transmission, so then I decided to leave it alone (really didn't ever pull it that far/hard). Anyway, after I figured out what I was doing and got the cable adjusted, I drove off to test things out.

First of all, as I drove off, I noticed a puddle of trans fluid on the driveway about 6" across (only after having had the car running for mabye seven minutes).

On the first run, I didn't go too far because as the engine speed approached and exceeded 3000 RPM, I heard an odd "sucking" sound come from around the engine compartment--reminded me of the sound that I heard when I was playing with the cable. I drove back home, checked the transmission fluid, and decided that I'd go and add about a half-a-quart of fluid. Drove it off for the second time, and I didn't really notice the sound anymore.

But it seems now that the shifts are much later than they used to be. For example, just when driving "normally" (not hard on the gas), I noticed that at 30 MPH, the engine was pulling somewhere around 3000-3250 RPMs. It hung there steadily for several seconds, and finally decided to upshift. When driving it a little harder (but still not "hard"), I found that it was not difficult at all to get it to rev up to beyond 4000 RPMs. That makes me scared to even really push it--for fear that I might redline or something. OD does kick in at about the same speed, though (@ a little more than 40MPH).

I'm not sure... mabye this isn't a "problem"--but it's definately shifts higher than it used to. I'm not used to bringing up the engine above 4000 RPM unless I'm really pushing it.

Does what it's doing sound about right, or might I have a problem?

Thanks

BTW -- This is on the '88 Camaro in my sig...

 

That noise you heard is the high pressure in the trans. It can be even louder if your fluid is low and its sucking in air as well.

If your cable was too loose, but now its right, then it will shift later than what you were used to. Definatly find out where that leak is.

 

Well, I was driving to school this morning and I noticed that OD comes in late as well. That is, if I were to be accelerating normally, I could be going 60 in 3rd... the only way I was able to get it to move into OD was to let off of the gas (I really wasn't giving it much gas to keep it in 3rd like that). Also, I've found that I can get it to double-downshift if I give it enough gas (like go from third to first--which really revs the engine).

About the fluid... Like I said, it's really difficult for me to tell what the level is because the fluid is so light. I will say that I've seen tiny bubbles on the end of the dipstick. Don't know if that means the level is low or what... (When I heard the noise, I was thinking it sounded like air, too.)

Also, I'm pretty sure now that the leak is comming from the rear seal on the tranny. Those aren't too difficult to change, are they? Will I have to drain all of my fluid do it?

EDIT -- Something else that I forgot to mention is that the 1-2 shift is *hard*. First gear takes me up to about 20 MPH now, and when it finally decides to shift into second (@ ~3500 RPM), the whole car lurches bigtime...

 

Not too difficult...
1. mark driveshaft
2. remove torque arm
3. remove driveshaft
4. remove tailhousing

replace seal

reassemble