The trans's symptoms are hard to describe because they change constantly, but here are three of the more prevalant symptoms;
1. It starts out in 2nd, even if you place the shifter in first. Shifts into 3rd as quick as it can, and promptly locks up the converter. You can go down to about 10 mph(locked up in 3rd), floor it, and it will lug the engine, locked up in 3rd all the way up!! lol. It will not go into 4th.

2. It will start out in 1st, rev up, and shift into neutral. If you rev it high enough, (to match ground speed) it'll grab 1st again. when off the gas, there is no engine breaking.

3. Goes in what ever gear the selector is in -like a manual valve body.

It will do one of those scenario's, you can stop start out again, and it may do the same one, or another. (?)

Trans was rebuild about a year ago, and it worked great for awhile. It still engages very firmly into gear, and when it shifts, it shifts with authority. No slippage.

I set the TV cable w/a main line presure gauge.

HELP! What can I test? What shoud I check?

 

i would check the governor, it sounds like it could be sticking.

 

Thanks for the reply.

We checked the governor about two weeks ago, and it seemed to be in good condition, clean, well lubed, and it seemed to "look fine".

Also, in a desparate attempt, we changed the fluid and filter about a week ago, though it didn't need it. That made no difference.

 

Pull it apart and check the valve body. I suspect one or more valves are sticking.

 

I kind of thought the same thing. Can I manipulate all the spool valves w/ the valve body on, or do I need to remove the valve body?

Also, the guy that rebuilt the trans thinks the problem is a "sticking" TV. His recomondation was to unclip the TV cable from the carb, and pull-release, pull-release over and over vigorously while the engine was off, to "free up" the TV. This is tough for me to believe. First off, a stuck TV wouldn't cause the thing to start off in 2nd gear. Do you have any comments on this, please? Thanks for the replies so far.

 

Too many strange problems for a stuck TV. A Stuck TV usually just changes shift speed and firmness. What bothers me is that you sya that there is no engine braking in first. Hopefully this is just a stuck valve...but what caused them to stick?

I'm afraid that you may have broken the overunning clutch ( or something else ), and that has sent shrapnel throughout the tranny.

You're going to have to take the valve body off and check each valve assembly one at a time. Do them in an orderly fashion and one piece at a time and it won't be so bad. Have a GM service manual handy.

Check for any burrs or binding. Hopefully you don't find any trash in the Valve body...but check it out throroughly. As soon as you remove the pan you should know if anything bad has happenned. Any significant metal on the magnet is of course bad news.

Won't hurt to try the TV cable trick....but I really think he's grasping at straws. Does the rebuilder stand behind his work? Any warranty?

 

I felt the same way.
Only when sypmptom #1 is happening. If it is doing the "manual valvebody", or the starting out in 2nd and locking up in 3rd symptoms (#3 and #2), then is DOES have normal engine braking.


Like I said above, out of desparation, we just changed the fluid a couple days ago, and it was slightly dark but not burnt or bad smelling. There was some very fine "furry" metal on the magnet, but no more than I have seen in the past on good trans'.

I think he's grasping too. I already did try the TV trick and it changed nothing. I tried it several times and quite vigorously. He can't warrenty the work unless we pull the trans and bring it to him. It is not practical to get the vehicle to his shop.

Plan:
1. Pull pan and valve body
2. Carefully inspect all spool valves
3. Fix any burrs, contaminants, ar bent valves
4. Clean thoroughly
5. Reassemble, fill, and reset TV w/main line presure gauge.
6. Road test and report back.

Thanks for your help.

 

Ok ...sounds like overrunning clutch is OK then . Good Luck...let us know what you find.

 

Thanks, and will do.

FYI, it will probably be a couple days before we get to perform that operation, just so you aren't wondering. I WILL reprt back though. Later!
-Tom