When I first start in the morning, if I put the shifter in OD, it just looks at me funny. I sat there for 2 minutes and it was just like I was in neutral. If I put it in D, it goes. Trouble now is that its taking longer and longer for it to kick into gear. Like 10 seconds now till it starts moving, and another 15 till I hear another thud, and it feels like it kicked in.

How much longer is left in this transmission?

Will Lucas (the $7 tranny additive) do anything for me?

How much (ball-park) will a rebuilt/used 700r4 cost for a 89 V6 Firebird?
Anyone have any experience with shops in south florida (Broward?)

Not to be an @$$ but have you checked your fluid level when its warmed up with the shifter in park?

If your fluid level is correct, when hot, U have what is refered to as "morning sickness". It will not get better.

I do not know how to build trannys, but I did manage a tranny shop for a while and the additive usually just makes all the seals swell up so it doesn't leak as well as adds some better than normal lubrication. It's worth a try, but don't expect too much for very long. IMO!

Might also try a filter change--I've seen extreme cases where it was so dirty/clogged that until the fluid warmed up it could not get enough in the tranny to create the pressure necessary to make it work!

If the pan is full of crap--it won't be long before U will have to get it redone! 350's are famous for throwing a bunch of friction material in the pan, but for the most part, any other type that has any junk in the pan, IS NOT COOL!!!

Fluid level is OK warm in park. It's right at the top of the "full" line. I kinda just want to make it limp along to get me to work for the next month till I can afford to get it redone. Pretty sure its the original tranny with 217,000 miles on it. It has a bad TCC (when the brake pedal switch is engaged it locks and unlocks on its own all kinds of randomly, and the entire car exudes a candle wax, melted plasticy smell, but if its unhooked, the smell goes away)
and I had the tranny fluid/filter changed at a shop that claimed to replace 100% fluid, back in December 2003.
I think I'm going to just drive it like it is, and heres to hoping it stays together for a month!

Go ahead and try the Lucas additive. At this point it's a crap shoot, but probably won't hurt. If I were in your position, I'd probably add it, but remember that hindsight is 20/20 and that's why they don't make glasses to fit your butt!

Pump may be going bad.......seems like it is lacking some hydraulic pressure....

that doesn't sound good.. You may want to drop the pan, change the filter. That place may have changed all the, fluid but if they did they did it through the lines and that didn't help the filter or the magnet in the pan. The slow responce is lack of pressure caused by clogged filter, dirty or contaminated fliud (from a malf. converter), or a bad seal inside the tranny.

Like he saif, change the filter, leave the TC unhooked (sounds like TC sould be going bad), add the Lucas and let us know what happens!

Well I added the Lucas, I expect another 2 months till I can get the tranny replaced.

Results: It still doesn't go in OD, but it is shifting very solidly into plain old D in the morning. If I let it warm up for about 10 minutes first, It WILL go in OD right away. That never happened since this started... looks like Lucas is worth something. One of these days I'll need to get the filter looked at. I don't fancy dropping my tranny pan in my apartments parking lot..... I think I'd rather spend the $75 to get it done by a little shop that doesn't do the "100% fluid replacement" through the lines.

OK, nearly a year later. Same thing happening, tranny still working. Only put 5k on it in a year???!!! Wait, I also had the VSS wires cut themselves and the speedo wasn't hooked up. I couldn't possibly have gone more than a few more thousand delivering chinese food for a month when that happened.

Man I'm doing good! I thought I was doing really bad on the mileage. My father thinks its something like a stuck valve and he tells me to go get the fluid/filter changed. One of these days LOL.... BTW I've always had a very MINOR leak, losing about a half quart every 3 months. I usually top it off on the oil changes, never use a whole quart.

the original 700 that was in my car did the same thing. when i opened the old bastard up the low/reverse pistons seals were frayed/cracked. more than likely all the seals throughout the tranny are frayed with that many miles. they were on mine.

Depending on where your located, ive got a rebuilt 700R4 out of my 87 V-6 that has the VSS system on it, well the sensor atleast, with a brand new Lock up Converter. Its got 2k on it sense the rebuild, and ive got the papers on the rebuild from last year, engine died about a month after the tranny was rebuilt. Rebuild on it cost ~$1400 So if you wana pick up a used rebuilt one, give me a shout.