Since the weather was ok yesterday I decided to take my car out and do some driveing and alittle christmas shopping. After stopping at a turn off I left the red light and notice when my car shifted to 3rd gear there was a slight rev before it caught the gear........as if I had knock the car in neutral for a instance. Since the traffic was thick I just kept going until another red light. After leaveing this red light the tranny shifted through 1st and 2nd perfectly like it has done but when it got ready to shift into 3rd the car just reved up almost like I shifted it into neutral. It seems like my car has only 1st and 2nd gears. Has plenty of fluid but someone has told me maybe the fluid is breaking down and keeping it from shifting cause the fluid didn't look too thick when we checked it.


Its a Auto 700R trans with a shift kit. The trannny hasen't made any signs since messing up. No kinda sounds and 1st and 2nd shift fine but D and OD has nothing above 2nd gear.

Do you guys know anything I can try before I take it to a professional?

Needless to say I drove the car home 23 miles in 2nd gear on 2500 RPM rideing 35MPH. We took the back roads home taking direction from my good buddy in the backseat name " Steve Steve" hes my little Navigation System system kinda like "Tom Tom" mine just had more screw ups and long wrong turns. Probably one of the funniest slow drive homes Ive ever had.

Thx for the help.

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Especially on Christmas eve. However, the 3-4 clutck pack failing in typically the way a 700r4 will die a gentle death. There are clutch kits that can improve durability. You may want to consider one when you have this one rebuilt.

 

It's slipping - burnt 3 & 4 packs = bad tranny. Mine does it too. Nothing helps (except a rebuild, or a replacement). Mine had no problems, until I swapped in my 350 - then there was enough torque to make it slip. I took it out, and noticed it had a shift kit like yours, but I could never feel the shift kit, even behind the 305 it was just normal. This tells me that the previous owner(s) had a slipping problem, took it to a shop where they charged some higher than hell price to "fix" it - when actually they put in a $30 shift kit to make it "feel" better.

1-2 shift usually works better because of the RPM range your in at that shift. 2-3 shift is when slipping is more noticeable - your usually running at higher RPM's then. Mine will still shift into 3rd, but it slips horribly. I tried the vette servo with no luck - it stiffened the 1-2 shift to whiplash point, but didn't help the 2-3 shift any - and now, I have fluid leaking out the front, which means something's foul inside and there's too much pressure some places (blew out my fresh front seal) and not enough other places (the slipping).

I was quoted $1200 for a stock rebuild (locally) - I'm not spending that for a stock rebuild when 700hp trannys are out there for $1500. After holiday spending spree is complete, I'm hunting another used 700r4 to buy me a year or so of driving, whilest I save for a nice built tranny.

You could try some additives (friction enhancers) to buy some time, but don't count on much time, and if it helps any, you'll have to granny drive - the more it slips, the more it will slip.

And next time around - stay away from the shift kits! Everyone says they're great, but all I hear from the tranny guys is that they ruin a good tranny, just to have your head jerked - if you want to get your head jerked, I'm sure you know someone that will volunteer - we all have our ghosts in the closet lol.

 

"and next time around - stay away from the shift kits! Everyone says they're great, but all I hear from the tranny guys is that they ruin a good tranny" If installed incorrectly, then this might be true. I have used them (Trans-Go) in "all of my units" going on 29 years with much success, and I set them up to be smooth at part throttle, and the shifts getting firmer with more throttle. There is "NO GOOD REASON" for a part throttle bang shift, as it does nothing good for the life of the transmision. The more you work with accumulation, the vast majority of times it will improve the shift at light & at WOT.

 

And that's probably why the local tranny guys say to stay away from the kits - improper installs - 'cause they know we are all trying to install ourselves (I know I always seem to mess up whatever I touch lol). I wouldn't have any fear from a kit installed by Pro Built, as he seems to be da man!

One day, I'll save enough $$$ to just get a tranny from Pro Built!

 

Pro-built's transmissions look pricey. But they are not. Quality parts, and attention to detail cost money. There are many guys who buy cheap reman transmission and have problems. Once you pay labor to have a trans removed and replaced a second time, bargain price is not a bargain anymore. Food for thought.

 

when my car slipped for the first time into 3rd i immidiately lost 3rd and 2nd. had to drove home 10 mph at 2000 rpm in first gear. i bought a gm rebuilt for it, and now i dont even want it, i want something built to handle my motor's power. so now im stuck selling a goodwrench trans, b&m kit, transgo kit, and a 2500 stall converter. if you guys need them you can get them real cheap. but seriously, im thinking of just doing a t5 since ill have more control over how hard the trans is being worked, plus itll be fun

 

I feel everyones pain. I'm in the process of another rebuild #2 of my 700. I tore it down because the inner foward cluthes are completly burnt. Then all the rest were on there way out the tail shaft also. I went to the local tranny shop and asked why the clutchs failed. The shop owner told me to look at the accumulator bores. If they are scored up and down then the fluid bleeds by the pistons and low pressure equals heat which destroys the 700. Maybe Pro-built can yea or nea this info. But now I either have to buy a new case and accumulator body or get a sleeve kit. I also didn't help the first time I rebuilt it and put the same old convertor back in.

 

Pro-builts look cheap to me! My wallet doesn't like it, but for what you seem to get, it's a deal! Hell, my local tranny shop wanted $1200 for a standard stock rebuild on my tranny - and that was me removing it and installing it! Whatever Pro Built wants has got to be a deal compared to that!

I'm saving my cash Pro Built! I'm coming your way - one way or another!

 

If the 2nd gear accumulator is torn up, get another one as all 700R4's have one and to get on in good shape should cost about $5.00. If the case 4th gear accumulator is torn up, then use the Trans-Go Performance Shift kit, as it will come with an accumulator plug. This means you will not be using a 4th accumulator, and that way you can reuse your case.

 

Thanks for the information Pro-Built. I was hoping that I would not have to look for another case.

I forgot to ask, I see there are a few different types of Trans-Go kits. Do I need to buy the most expensive kit or will any of them fix the problem. Thanks.

 

Senor Pro-Built, I was still wondering what Trans-go kit I need to buy. I see on you'r web site there are 2 or 3 kits. If you could let me know what kit your talking about, I will buy it from you.

Thanks and I'm sorry for highjacking this thread.

 

What kind of driving do you do with this vehicle?

 

When it's road worthy I drive it to work and save the miles on my truck. I don't take it to the track or anything like that. But when I'm driving it the kid in me comes out and the right foot gets really heavy. It's just to hard not to keep the foot out of it. Basically I drive it normally as long as I know there are no cops around I will drive it like I stole it.

Someone answered another thread I posted that I could just lodge a check ball into the fluid port that feeds the 4th accumulator. But I want to build this trans to last.

 

The Street/Strip Shift kit, should do what you want. It will block the 4th accumulator. What else do you require?

 

Thanks for the info. I have most of the innerds installed and they went together pretty smoothly. The only thing I F'd up was a lip seal and won't be able to replace it until friday.