Ok this might be a long read.

When I first bought my car it wouldn't get third gear so I bought a used tranny for $400 then once I installed the used the tranny it wouldn't get out of first gear so I took it to a shop and they told me to switch the governor so I put the one from the old tranny and it did shift but with the tv cable off. So then I had the car stored without moving for about 6months now it won't shift out of first again, could it be the governor or what could be the problem. I would appreciate the help because if I need to replace the tranny I rather just sell or part the car out.
Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

 

is the tv cable hooked up and adjusted properly? or was it pulled off for troubleshooting?

Both the governor and a disconnected TV cable will cause the car not to shift out of first. that cable is the transmission's only link to the outside world.

a TV cable not adjusted to 100% factory specs will throw off everything( shift timings/firmness/up/downshifts) and burn your transmission in half.

...literally will melt in half.

 

Well it was disconnected fr troubleshoothing and then he told me it was the governor. So I swapped it and it worked good without the tv cable and now that it's on it won't shift out of first how can I adjust it because if I could still make it work I will keep the car if not I will just get rid of it I already have too much money in it.

 

My TV cable was out of adjustment and it wouldn't come out of first either. After much adjusting we, my friend Tim and I decided the tranny fluid and cooler needed to be flushed. It now shifts like new! First to second scratch and all!

 

tv cable can be adjusted by hand... but needs to be properly done with a pressure gauge... by hand is just trial and error and you still might not have it right witch can cause damage

 

I was following other posts with exact description of how to adjust the TV cable. Even the owners manual shows how to do it, not using a pressure gauge.

 

Well the tranny has new oil and filter but I just put the cable but haven't adjust it because I don't know how and don't have the owners manual either.

 

Check out this thread for detent cable adjustment. Yours might not look the same but it's the same process.

https://www.thirdgen.org/detent

 

Ok thanks I will try that if it still doesn't work after that what other way can I find he problem or should I just take it to a tranny specialist.

 

My friend Tim is a 50 something hot rod building mechanic. It took several times and test drives to get it close. Tim suggested to flush the tranny and cooler with cleaner then fresh fluid. That cable can be a bear to adjust, I had very good help.

 

Well first off, don't adjust the cable by just moving the throttle body under the hood, you HAVE to do it with the pedal, it's kinda weird but when you move the throttle by hand, its a little bit different than by foot.

Next, its probably going to take a few times to get it adjusted correctly. With mine, I just adjusted it a few days ago, and at first I just made the adjustment by flooring the accelerator, and then I test drove it like that for about a day, shifted nice, but still didn't feel right.

Then the next day, I did the same thing, but after driving it around for a while the previous day, you can tell if theres too much, or too little line pressure. So I wiggled the cable ever so little back towards the firewall, and shazam! It shifts pretty good now. And I really do mean like I just tapped it with my finger, and it gave a completely different experience. The only weird thing about it though is that it still shifts hard out of first the first time that it shifts when I start driving the car, but after that its completely fine. Still don't know why but its good every other time after that, so I don't really see it a problem, plus its only at certain amounts of throttle.

Ever since my original cable was replaced, I've had a lot of problems with the damn TV cable, and its taken a while to get it adjusted correctly. You just HAVE to make sure that you have it within factory spec or you will have off shift points, harder shifts, or slushbox shifts depending on how you adjust it.

Also, like you said, you got new fluid and a new filter, which if your transmission is in good shape is always a good idea, but if your transmissions on its last leg, replacing the transmission fluid can kill it. If the transmissions all eaten up inside, the fluid has metal shavings and all kinds of stuff from the parts in the transmission, that keep it going, even though it may shift like **** or what ever its problem may be. Taking that away will just simply kill it. Its like a 80 year old smoker thats smoked since they were 15 suddenly stopping, not good....

Also, doesn't the VSS also have something to do with shifting? Correct me if wrong, but I think that if a VSS is messed up, your shifts will be too.

But the govenor is also very important, I do know that, but I don't know as much about it as I do the TV cable and the rest of it, so I'll leave it up to the other guys But I hope this can help point you somewhere in the right direction.

 

Thanks for all the advice you guys I am gonna try it this weekend and hope it works because I really don't want to sell it.

 

If you're getting different results between pressing the gas pedal and rotating the throttle by hand thats not good. You're not getting WOT if the pedal can't open the throttle all the way. I would personally look into a worn throttle cable or something like the carpet/floormat obstructing the gas pedal's travel.

I'm not going to tell you to spend more money, but read this article. Lots of good information, and the more we know about something the easier it is to fix.

http://www.tvmadeez.com/

 

Mine has always shifted very firm from first to second when the car first cranks up. It did it when it was new also. After the car warms up the shift is just right.

 

Been there, done that. Cheap replacement cables suck compared to GM originals. I had problems with off the shelf shifter and TV cables a few yrs ago.

...ending up getting a GM tranny cable off ebay. I run the TV made EZ on my holley, with a lokar adjustable throttle cable. The lokar is awesome!

 

That short cut you posted is very good! Lots of important info!
Thanks!

 

no problem! just wished i would have known all that information myself years earlier.

 

Yeah, I don't know what its deal is, sometimes, but I adjusted it from the linkage this time, and its shifting pretty nice now, so thanks for the good read!

 

Isn't it weird?! It pisses me off! Why does it do that?

 

I think it pisses my wife off more than me! I know it's coming! Ha! If you give it half throttle it will spin the tires every time!

 

I've noticed that the first take off in the car, it seems that theres just a boat load of torque thats not normally there when the cars hot, I park it in gravel, and when I first give it some gas, it kicks up rocks, even at just 1500RPM, and I usually squeal the tires pulling away from the first stop sign that I drive past too! And then of course the hard 1-2 shift....at least shes still kicking!

 

I tried adjusting it right now and throtthle will only go half way could it be the wrong cable or do I have to accelerate from inside the car because I tried doing it from the outside.

 

It could be the wrong cable. Can you get WOT without the TV cable?

 

Yea I could

 

It might be the wrong cable. have you checked at the tranny end to make sure it's connected there correctly? There is a sponsor on here that sells the correct GM TV cable.

 

Well when I installed the tranny it was connected

 

Mine has a little slack in it when in the off/idle position. If you can't get WOT the cable sure might be the wrong one.

 

I disconnected the tv cable and now it shifts can it mess up if I run it like that because the mechanic told me that nothing happens or what should I do.

 

That mechanic is full of ****!

 

So what should I do then

 

Get a GM cable. Don't run it with out the cable!

 

Can I use a tpi cable or does it have to be for tbi.

 

I'm not sure if there is a difference but I would check to see if the part numbers are the same or not. I'm leaning toward getting the right cable for your application, which would be TBI.

 

Just go to a dealer, tell them your VIN, and they will know which cable to get for it, its different for every different intake design.

 

Ok I'm gonna have to check on that thanks for all the advice you guys now I am gonna keep the car and finish what I started.

 

I was thinking about what I had posted and visualizing the TBI, the cable is probably shorter.

 

Hey can I use this cable http://www.google.com/m/products?gl=...362&fsdt=20585

 

Not sure about a third party cable. Did you call a dealer with your Vin? I saw some for TPI that were GM on one of the vendors that advertise here. Is the dorman cable made for your TBI?

 

I checked Oreillys, they have a dorman for mine that is an 04216. I haven't read any good things about any cables except to use a GM part. Hope this helps a little!

 

"Can I use a tpi cable or does it have to be for tbi."

If you have a carb car or tbi then you need the TBI cable. TPI is a longer cable.

 

 

Ok I already posted that I am lookin for one in the wanted parts.

 

All right! Good luck, hope you find one at a good price.

 

I bought one off advance auto parts for $28 shipped so it might get to me by Friday then I will reply again when I need help to adjust it.

 

Be sure and check this out for info on adjusting your cable!


http://www.tvmadeez.com/

 

I hope its the right one, I don't know why its so hard to go to a dealer and ask for a part, the one from GM is actually cheaper!

 

Did you get it from Advance Auto Parts? Or did you get the GM cable?

 

I got the one from advance auto parts and in the dealer they told me they didn't have it and they told me to look in other shops don't know why.

 

Damn, you're in car country out there! You would think it wouldn't be so hard to find a cable that fits a few hundred thousand cars! I had to order an oil pressure switch from Autozone, it took two days to get it. I live outside the fourth largest city in the US!

 

I think the dealer migt of hink i was jut bullshiting ainxe I
17 and it looked like they didn't even look through it in the computer.