I was test driving a cheap car the other day and the only thing that was wrong with it was the tranny slipping.

When you put the car into drive it wouldn't pull away. It would just rev like it was in neutral or park. However, when you put it into 1st it would pull away. If you shifted it into 2nd it would continue to accelerate to the point that you could shift it into drive. However, if you shifted from first into drive it would just rev. Kickdown also wont work. It will just rev instead of doing anything.

Why can it accelerate when you shift it manually but not by itself? Does anyone know what the problem could be and would it be expensive to fix?

Thanks for the help

Gordon

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"I'm not shy.... I'm just studying my prey"

 

I've seen the "won't take off in drive but will in 1st" on a TH350 and a Torqueflight. In both cases, it was burn direct drive clutches. The reason is the fluid is routed differently when in drive than when in 1st. Once you get rolling, the other gears can take over.

I don't recall the other symptoms you mention, however. What I remember is once going in 1st, you could shift it to drive and it'd be fine until you came to a stop again.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, World 305 heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat & 3" cat-back).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlock header mufflers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1/94.6 @ 5800' Bandimere.

 

I don't mean to be picky but what kind of car or tranny was it? There are a number of possibilities. One is a bad low roller clutch. Another is a slipping forward clutch but the lower gears gives more pressure so it holds. Third is a bad input sprag but the overrun clutches hold in place of it. These all depend on what tranny it is. Nothing simple and cheap though if that was what you were thinking.

 

It was a 2.8 fuel injected V6 Camaro with 700R4 transmission.

 

Could be a couple sets of clutches burned up (lo/reverse and 3-4). Actually, there are a few things it could be, but it definately needs to come apart.

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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305 with 200,000 original miles!
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145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350 (ZZ430)
using primarily GMPP parts.
Short block sitting on a stand. (Man, those Fast-Burn heads sitting on it look good!)

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