700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 584
Likes: 0
From: toledo
Car: 1987 Z28
Engine: LG4
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.23
700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
hi all,
im having an issue with my tpi car shifting into 3rd while accelerating at WOT. If i lift off the gas petal it will shift into 3rd no problem. While driving lightly it will shift thought the gears fine and firmly. I have adjusted the tv or downshift cable by the book and this site.
i have a 327 with stock 1991 heads/intake from L98 tpi
the trans supposedly has been rebuilt and has shift kit
i have a 3300rpm stall and 3.23 gears
i plan on doing a 5spd swap asap.....but funds hold me back to using the 700r4 for a while....someone help please?
im having an issue with my tpi car shifting into 3rd while accelerating at WOT. If i lift off the gas petal it will shift into 3rd no problem. While driving lightly it will shift thought the gears fine and firmly. I have adjusted the tv or downshift cable by the book and this site.
i have a 327 with stock 1991 heads/intake from L98 tpi
the trans supposedly has been rebuilt and has shift kit
i have a 3300rpm stall and 3.23 gears
i plan on doing a 5spd swap asap.....but funds hold me back to using the 700r4 for a while....someone help please?
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Spirit Lake, Idaho
Car: 91 RS and 89 RS, 99 Tacoma TRD
Engine: 91-L03, 89-350 TBI
Transmission: 91-700r4, 89-T5
Re: 700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
Something to do with a flaw or preventative measure by GM that only allows 1/2 to 3/4 throttle in fourth gear.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...-kickdown.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...-kickdown.html
Supreme Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,391
Likes: 1
From: Newark, DE
Car: '86 Camaro, '02 WRX, '87 K5, '67
Engine: 350 TPI, 2.0turbo, 383 in the works, 289-4BBL, 232, A-head 4-cylinder
Transmission: T56, 5-speed, 700R4, C4, T176, semi-auto 2-speed
Axle/Gears: 3.73, 3.90, 4.88, 3.55, 3.54, 7.00
Re: 700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
He said the trans won't shift into 3rd at WOT, not 4th. It should shift into 3rd at WOT. The let off to kick it into gear is a dead giveaway. The trans is slipping. It can't hold the clutches under WOT. Your engine is making too much power for the stock clutches, so if it was just a stock rebuild the trans is going to slip (I'm assuming you're the same guy who posted a question on the TPI forum, how many 327 TPIs can there be out there?). If yo're swapping to a 5 speed in the future I would just be easy on the car and live with it. Rebuilding the trans will be costly, so why waste the money if you are going to dump it soon anyway?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 584
Likes: 0
From: toledo
Car: 1987 Z28
Engine: LG4
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: 700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
He said the trans won't shift into 3rd at WOT, not 4th. It should shift into 3rd at WOT. The let off to kick it into gear is a dead giveaway. The trans is slipping. It can't hold the clutches under WOT. Your engine is making too much power for the stock clutches, so if it was just a stock rebuild the trans is going to slip (I'm assuming you're the same guy who posted a question on the TPI forum, how many 327 TPIs can there be out there?). If yo're swapping to a 5 speed in the future I would just be easy on the car and live with it. Rebuilding the trans will be costly, so why waste the money if you are going to dump it soon anyway?
WTF?i havent posted about how many tpi 327's are there yet

looks like im going to have to grab buddies th350 setup until i can get a t56 lol
eww i hate the idea of a th350...oh well i guess.
id rock a tko600 but damn 4000 for a trans....lol yah right ill do a ls1 swap before that.
Supreme Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,391
Likes: 1
From: Newark, DE
Car: '86 Camaro, '02 WRX, '87 K5, '67
Engine: 350 TPI, 2.0turbo, 383 in the works, 289-4BBL, 232, A-head 4-cylinder
Transmission: T56, 5-speed, 700R4, C4, T176, semi-auto 2-speed
Axle/Gears: 3.73, 3.90, 4.88, 3.55, 3.54, 7.00
Re: 700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
It doesn't take much over stock to make them slip. One thing you might try is swapping out the servo for a Corvette one. This will allow more apply pressure to hold the clutches more firmly. It might fix the problem, especially if the trans is otherwise fresh. GM did this with the HO 350 kit they used to sell for the 3rd gens. It came with that servo.
I wouldn't want to go to a TH350 either. Why give up the overdrive? The T56 is a swap you will not regret. It's as close to a bolt in as you can get, and you can use a use trans, which cuts down the cost considerably.
I wouldn't want to go to a TH350 either. Why give up the overdrive? The T56 is a swap you will not regret. It's as close to a bolt in as you can get, and you can use a use trans, which cuts down the cost considerably.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: killeen, tx
Car: 1990 camaro rs
Engine: 383 engine
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: 700-r4 wont shift into 3rd at WOT?
I had the same problem with my 700r4. All 700r4 do that, that i know of. i was starting not to shif to 3rd on wot. I had a TCI vale body full manual and i still do the same thing. i had to rebuilt the whole trans to fine out it was the cluches. and i do have the vette servo in there too. it works great and shifs really hard now just the way i like it until it goes out again lol
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