Here's my situation. I recently put an 86 700R4 w/B&M shift kit in my 82 Z28, but it wont go into OD. After checking the TV cable setup, I found that the Qjet has the connector pin 1.25" from shaft center, rather that 1.19"-1.125". The rest of the geometry is OK. Would that .125" diffence keep the trans out of OD?
Also, the 86 has three wires for the TCC connecter, the 82 only has a 2 wire connector. Can anyone tell me what the the diffences are between the two?

 

Are your shifts extremely late,
do you get overdrive when you let off.
If I can be of help call Dana 800-776-3288

 

No shifts are fine. I did forget to mention this important detail. W/shifter in OD, the car shifts 1-2-3 and then stays there, but when I let off the gas, the idle drops off like I'm in neutral, than spools back up when I get back on the gas. If I keep it in D and get off it, I get the normal engine brake. Does this have anything to do with the differnt ECM's?

 

I had the same problem you have, while in OD and letting off the gas the car drops to about idle, only advice I have is probably time for a rebuild.

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'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage, and just replaced a burnt plug wire
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"

 

Could be the overrun clutches and or sprag are gone, and or the overdrive servo is not apllying. Let me see what I can find out and I will get back to you.

 

First off, B&M NEVER made an SK.

Now check the travel of the TV Cable from min to max. It should be @1.3" if geometry is OK.

The wiring only affects L/U on these year vehicles. Did you cut the Teflon sealing ring on the piston in the Servo cover? Easy to do and will give you this problem.

If the Sprag was gone you would HAVE to put it into D, 2 or 1 to get it to move (use the O/R clutches).

 

OK. I've figured out that the lockup's not working. I put 12V power and grounded it and heard nothing. It's either stuck on or off. I'll replace it. That comes back to part of my original question. According to the wiring diagrams in the Chilton manuals, the gray(B terminal) wire on the 82 goes to the VSS, then to the ECM. The 86 goes to the ECM '4th gear discrete' output. Do they serve the same function? Will not having this wire hooked up keek the tranny out of OD? I'm thinking of going to a conversion kit for non-computerized cars (like B&M or TCI), but I want to make sure the tranny is working before i shell out the cash.

 

B&M Shift Improver Kit

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...%202506%202516

The uninformed should not speak.

 

I actually have the B&M Tranpak, but I don't think that'w what causing my problems. If I can eliminate all other causes. I think I have all the parts to put it back stock.

 

Are you now saying that you HAVE O/D but no L/U?

 

No. I don't have either. The bad solonoid is preventing lockup, but I can't figure out the OD problem.

 

Pull the servo cover and look at the seal on the first piston in there. That is O/D and there is a good chance it is cut.

[This message has been edited by transfixleo (edited August 04, 2001).]

 

I've never had the Servo cover off, but I'll check it out.
Since no1 has said that the wiring (to 4-3 or 4th clutch pressure switch)is at fault, should I assume that the problem is not electrical, and OD is totally hydraulic/mechanical.
By the way TV travel checks out @ 1.3" and snaps back quickly when released. As stated earlier, the only geamotry thats off is the CL of shaft to the TV pin is 1.25" rather than the recommended 1.094"-1.125". 1/8" difference.

 

IF you didn't have the cover off then it probably isn't that after all. I have seen the pressure switches cause this problem too, due to leaks.

 

What voltages are suppossed to feed th A and B terminals (for TCC and Pressure switch). I could temporarily run lines with 12V to each of them, ground the TCC ground wire, and then control everything using switches. I've checked the voltage in both of the wires on my car, and they are both well below 12V, more like 5V or less.

 

The A wire is 12 volts and the D wire is the ground wire.

 

What about the pressure switch wire? I'm assuming that's what determines the speed at which lockup (or is it OD) can occur - roughly 35 MPH from what I've been reading.

 

Is this possible? I haven't gone back into the trans to remove the shift kit, but...
I have 3.73 rear and standard size tires, 12.25" radius. I run about 4500rpm @55mph. Did that with the TH350 too.
I used the equations on this site, and according to that, the trasmission ratio wouldhave to be 1.63, which is the 2nd gear ratio. I know i see & feel 2 distinct shifts.
What gives?

 

So... you are in 2nd at 55MPH? Maybe that is why you don't get 4th, it is too late?

 

I getting very confused. Like I said in previous post, I feel 2 shifts, 1-2, 2-3, and I see the tach drop for both.
The 2-3 shift, if thats what it is, is much softer that the 1-2, even with the shift kit. I stumbled on this apparent 2nd gear thing cause I couldn't get the numbers to work in the calculators.
If I am really in 2nd, not 3rd, could that 2nd shift I feel actually be the TCC engaging? Doesn't make any sense to me. It behaved the same even without the TCC wires connected, hence my confussion.
p.s. I hope to get this thing up on the ramps next weekend, and remove the B&M mods. It will at least eliminate that as a source of my problems. Which accumalator spring is which. I have a blue and a plain one.

[This message has been edited by GuyRicardo (edited August 26, 2001).]

 

Yes it could be L/U.

Also PLEASE don't call what you have a 'shift kit' as others who read these quickly don't always put all of the pieces together and just start thinking that you have a REAL Shift Kit and it isn't working. That is why I always make this point. On the other hand if you HAVE B&M stuff and love it, people might not know and assume you mean TransGo.

 

OK this is the weekend. Going back to stock. Which accumulator spring is which? I've got a painted (lt. blue?) and unpainted spring. Didn't tag them cause I hadn't planned on putting them back.

Hey, transfix, I've noted you're comments about the B&M 'shift kit' in other posts. Maybe you can do us all the favor and explain why it not a shift kit.

 

Put the heavier spring of the two in the lower accumulator housing, the one with three bolts.

As to why nothing but a TransGo is a genuine Shift Kit here goes. First off, "Shift Kit" is an actual TradeMark, just like Xerox, or Kleenex and they all get used universally to describe a type of product.

The problem is two fold in this case. Most people associate the term Shift Kit with tire chirping shifts and nothing could be further from the truth. A Genuine TransGo Shift Kit in ALL cases will generally have shorter, what I call cleaner shifts because it is done more efficiently. They are actually meant to correct the usual 3 or 4 common weak points in a tranny, although some involve dozens of subtle changes. While soft, slipping shifts are blamed for a trannies failure the reason for those are usually some other underlying problem that lead to the burning of the band/clutch in the first place and NOW it slips. In other words just making a hard shift would NOT have corrected the problem that CAUSED the failure. A True Shift Kit would be right at home then in any passenger car or light truck and most people wouldn't notice all that much difference in the operation. It takes from minimum of one year to five or more to develop a given Shift Kit and then they are field tested by people (like me) for feedback. I know of one tranny, the Ford E4OD that they had for a year and a half. driving at around with pressure gauges on it before they even dropped the pan! Then they are released to the trade and are updated as further refinements are made. I know of some kits that are on their 'G' or 'H' versions.

If you DO want firmer shifts and more control, TransGo also offers Reprogramming Kits which are their HP/HD versions of the Shift Kits. They take the Shift Kit and add more torque capacity and increased manual control of gear selection and when needed they also have full manual versions too.

Now why is this important? Don't all the other kits do this too? NO! They are focused on just giving you a hard shift, which in most cases can be done very easily following the same formula on every tranny- higher pressure, bigger feed holes, and no accumulator (smoothing device). This is NOT designed to increase tranny life, just give you a brutal shift and that is what many people want and they deliver. The problem comes when things break from the shock shift or the tranny STILL burns out. Then it isn't so much fun.

I am emphatic about making sure that the correct name is used since if someone reads about how a 'Shift Kit' didn't work right or didn't last and they see TransGo SHIFT KIT, they assume it is the same thing. On the other hand, if someone just wants to impress the kids in high school they might be dissappointed in the TransGo kit and be happier with, say a B&M kit. While in many cases you will get a tire chirp out of the TransGo (Reprogramming) Kit it requires power and a certain lack of traction.

[This message has been edited by transfixleo (edited September 01, 2001).]

 

The key words are "do it yourself" which is why kits like B&M's are so popular, I think their goal is to make a kit more easy to install rather than make it 100% effective.
What do you think of Superior Products? I have their HP350 kit in one of my cars, removed the trans go for this one. I think TransGo has the best 700R4 kit though.

 

I haven't used any of their stuff because after trying to 'do it myself'(doing the same things that the hard shift packages do) for the first 10-12 years and making all of the usual mistakes I have found what really works and have stuck with them for the last 14 years. I can't see a reason to use anything else now.

[This message has been edited by transfixleo (edited September 01, 2001).]

 

Thanks for the info, transfix. All makes sence now. Learn something new everyday.:-)

I've dropped the pan and discovered that the TCC solonoid is DOA. Do I have to replace the 86 solonoid w/ another 86, or will other years work. I'm asking because i'm installing in an 82 Z28, which was internally grounded, rather than externally grounded. Only two wires to the trans. Part #'s would be nice if anyone knows them.

Keeping the year/wiring difference in mind, what can/should I do about the pressure switchs that's supposed to be wired to the ECM in the 86. I know there are vacuum switch setups to control lockup, and I can wire the TCC solonoid directly, rather than through the pressure switch like it is now. Any advice on this would be helpfull. I don't want to spend the money on the B&M or other lockup control if I don't have to.

 

You won't hear the solinoid for lockup if the trany's not up to pressure, you might want to tap a hot wire switch in and test this on the road.

 

I tested it out of the car. put 12v to the + lead, grounded the -. Nothing happened. Pretty sure it's dead. Can't do anything about it till Tuesday though.

 

Since you don't have the correct wiring anyways you might want to just go with an IN and out two wire solenoid and control the ground either with a switch or vacuum control or a one wire and control the power.

 

SUCCESS! I finally have OD! While I had the VB out, I gave it the once over, and found a stuck 3-4 shift valve. The B&M stuff is still in, but doesn't shift as hard as B4. Didn't have the parts to undo it anyway.
Also the lockuop solonoid did work when I retested it. Not sure if the harness working though. No change when I do the brake test. I'll have to work on that, but at least i don't have to go into the trans again.

Thanks for all your help everyone.

 

If your Lockup is not working:

With your key on / engine off, you should have constant 12v to the purple wire in your harness (at the trans). When you press your brakes...that 12v should go away. If it does not do this, then your brake pedal switch is broken. I fought this problem for a year before I found a wiring diagram and traced the wiring to the problem.... It is a $12 switch that controls the TCC power and also the Vacuum release for your cruise control. The ECM controls the ground wire, and will only complete the ground when it's parameters are met. Differs from year to year and the programming in your chip.

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Mike Metzler (Desert86Roc)[*] Check Out:SpeedWorldMotorplex.com[*] Check Out:Chevrolet F-Body Online Part & Illustration Manual[*] My 86 IROC 305 TPI Page (406 build in progress)

ET's @ 1250 ft[*] 14.28 @ 95.461 mph (uncorrected, NOS, no headers)[*] 15.362 @ 88.238 mph (uncorrected, headers, no NOS)
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