I guys, I own my 86 Trans am for a year now, I was happy cause I thought i got an TH700R4. My friend as a 86 T/A too but he have the carb version. I take a ride in his T/A and on highway at 60 mph the engine was running at around 2000 RPM, I found that wierd cause mine's running at 1600 RPM. Last night I was driving with friend and for the first time I counted how many time the tranny shift and it as 5 speeds.... Anyone know what's sitting under my shifter?

 

its the 700r4, and its a 4 speed with overdrive. thats why there are 5 "shifts" your friends trans may not be working correctly, or it may have different rear axle gears than yours, giving the extra rpm's

 

It's the Torque Converter locking up - at 60mph that will easily make a 300-400RPM difference. Your friend's car is not locking the torque converter - is it a factory carb setup (a computer-controlled Quadrajet) or is it aftermarket carb (like a Holley or Edelbrock)? If it's aftermarket, chances are the swap was done without making any provision for the TC to lock.

 

Ok, I thought the 700R4 was a 3 speed + an overdrive. Thank you guys!

 

false.
shift 1, 1-2
shift 2, 2-3
shift 3, 3-4
"shift" 4, lockup kicks in

 

I tried it manually, I put in the first gear, then I push the shifter to the second gear and when I put it in drive it goes on the third gear, but the tranny shift a fourth time in drive. And when i put it on the overdrive it shift again. Strange?

 

fine mr. technicality,

it has 5 "speeds" of forward travel 1 2 3 4 od

 

no thats normal, 4 speeds then OD. "D" is drive, not 3rd, so it will shift to 4th in "D"

 

no.
im not trying to be rude, but im wondering when the last time you drove a car with a 700r4 was.
a 700r4 has 4 and exactly 4 speeds.

1st gear
2nd gear
3rd gear
and 4th gear, which also happens to be an overdrive gear.

overdrive is simply defined as a gear where the output is faster than the input as opposed to the first 3 where the output speed is less than or equal to the input speed.

a lockup torque converter in theory can give you somewhat of a different gear, but its not really another gear ratio unless there is no slip, which is impossible to achieve with a regular torque converter.


its entirely possible that you have a 5 speed auto, but highly unlikely

 

Is there a casting number or something like that I could find too identify that tranny?
The oil pan is rectangular and around 12 inch front to rear and 10 inch from side to side

 

What RED_DRAGON is saying is correct.

You probably just have a 700r4 and are confusing the torque convertor lockup with a shift to a 5th gear. Find a picture of a 700r4 fluid pan on google and compare it to what you have.

 

look at the pan, google is your friend.