700r4 governor weight kit help, doesn't want to partial shift
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
700r4 governor weight kit help, doesn't want to partial shift
Is there a specific good brand or place to buy the weight/spring kit?
For good measure about approx 1 month ago I replaced the governor with a stock settings rebuilt governor and my 92 305tbi drives VERY good and smooth on the highway, it was very easy to go like 80mph on a ~22 mile roundtrip a few days ago at only like 2000-2200rpm once it shifted (into 2nd I'm guessing?)
I always drive it around in overdrive since I heard that can help mpg some....but the thing is, I had only driven about 58 miles and got some gas before this trip for good measure since my fuel gauge doesn't read right and didn't want to run out on the trip, and I filled up 5.5 gallons worth and there was still room, that's only like 10mpg or worse probably since there was still room.....I believe the high rpm's I have to shift in-town driving are killing my mpg basically........
it never wants to shift under partial throttle, and WOT won't till about 5000-5200. SOMETIMES if I'm lucky around 4700 on partial. And I once got it to shift at maybe 3800ish or so on partial. The partial shifts are weird I guess to put it simply and I'm hoping just putting in heavier weights on the partial shift side of the governor will greatly help that.
I read on here before from google that 1-2 on a 700r4 is supposed to shift at only like 15mph but mine doesn't...I actually go out of my way to avoid driving through normal neighborhoods with lots of stop signs since I have to rev it so high to even go about 30mph....it'll be at about 3500rpm going loud through a neighborhood and still hasn't shifted so the rpm would drop.....sucks.
sorry if that was a bit much info, just wanted to give a little history.....the bad mpg is puzzling to me and I can only assume it's the very high rpm shifting I'm having to do that's killing the mpg since people claim they've gotten 20mpg+ from a neglected tbi 305 on here before but yet I'm getting half that with a fresh complete entire tuneup overhaul with good namebrand parts too...I have no check engine light on and no codes either. Already adjusted the TV cable too. Possibly the previous owner installed some sort of "racing" shift kit inside the trans where you HAVE to rev it high to get it to shift, but that truly sucks for a daily driver for an average joe just trying to get from A to B without gas eating a hole in my wallet getting a sucky 10mpg or worse. I could get better mpg than this from a gas guzzler truck lol.
For good measure about approx 1 month ago I replaced the governor with a stock settings rebuilt governor and my 92 305tbi drives VERY good and smooth on the highway, it was very easy to go like 80mph on a ~22 mile roundtrip a few days ago at only like 2000-2200rpm once it shifted (into 2nd I'm guessing?)
I always drive it around in overdrive since I heard that can help mpg some....but the thing is, I had only driven about 58 miles and got some gas before this trip for good measure since my fuel gauge doesn't read right and didn't want to run out on the trip, and I filled up 5.5 gallons worth and there was still room, that's only like 10mpg or worse probably since there was still room.....I believe the high rpm's I have to shift in-town driving are killing my mpg basically........
it never wants to shift under partial throttle, and WOT won't till about 5000-5200. SOMETIMES if I'm lucky around 4700 on partial. And I once got it to shift at maybe 3800ish or so on partial. The partial shifts are weird I guess to put it simply and I'm hoping just putting in heavier weights on the partial shift side of the governor will greatly help that.
I read on here before from google that 1-2 on a 700r4 is supposed to shift at only like 15mph but mine doesn't...I actually go out of my way to avoid driving through normal neighborhoods with lots of stop signs since I have to rev it so high to even go about 30mph....it'll be at about 3500rpm going loud through a neighborhood and still hasn't shifted so the rpm would drop.....sucks.
sorry if that was a bit much info, just wanted to give a little history.....the bad mpg is puzzling to me and I can only assume it's the very high rpm shifting I'm having to do that's killing the mpg since people claim they've gotten 20mpg+ from a neglected tbi 305 on here before but yet I'm getting half that with a fresh complete entire tuneup overhaul with good namebrand parts too...I have no check engine light on and no codes either. Already adjusted the TV cable too. Possibly the previous owner installed some sort of "racing" shift kit inside the trans where you HAVE to rev it high to get it to shift, but that truly sucks for a daily driver for an average joe just trying to get from A to B without gas eating a hole in my wallet getting a sucky 10mpg or worse. I could get better mpg than this from a gas guzzler truck lol.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 427
From: Portland, OR
Car: 86 Imponte Ruiner 450GT, 91 Formula
Engine: 350 Vortec, FIRST TPI, 325 RWHP
Transmission: 700R4 3000 stall.
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt Torsen 3.70
Re: 700r4 governor weight kit help, doesn't want to partial shift
I have a race built transmission and it does not shift like that despite having pretty extreme components. It does shift with authority if you give it the loud pedal (breaks the tires loose on the 1/2 even with stock 305), but will shift easily at normal RPM - even softly if you are gentle with the pedal or let off before the shift.
Shift timing vs vehicle speed is controlled by the governor. But the speed of the governor vs actual ground speed depends on your gearing and tires size. Line pressure is controlled by the TV cable. You should be checking line pressure with a gauge to get your TV cable adjusted correctly. Then you can mess with the governor to get your ground speed vs. shift point setup. The higher your gearing (numerically lower) the slower your output shaft speed for a given ground speed. Means you would need lighter weights or lighter springs or both to get the shift points correct. Opposite is true to lower gearing. Gov. weight and spring setup is largely by trial and error.
GD
Shift timing vs vehicle speed is controlled by the governor. But the speed of the governor vs actual ground speed depends on your gearing and tires size. Line pressure is controlled by the TV cable. You should be checking line pressure with a gauge to get your TV cable adjusted correctly. Then you can mess with the governor to get your ground speed vs. shift point setup. The higher your gearing (numerically lower) the slower your output shaft speed for a given ground speed. Means you would need lighter weights or lighter springs or both to get the shift points correct. Opposite is true to lower gearing. Gov. weight and spring setup is largely by trial and error.
GD