1989karr

Hey guys, I bought a 87 Formula almost 10 years ago with a 305 TPI / 700 R4 and it's always shifted HARD going into forward and reverse. Its as if you instantly get reverse or forward as soon as you slip the shifter into gear, no delay whatsoever, and it chirps the tires...and throws my head back.

It ***** hard and firm going from first to second as well. Other shifts seem nice and smooth.

It feels like the park to drive / reverse would be if you were gassing it a bit while shifting it but idle seems normal, not excessively high or low etc... Looks like they also put a deeper transmission pan with a drain plug in it as well.


Does the hard shifting from park to reverse / drive seem to indicate that a shift kit was installed? I don't mind as I don't drive it much, but if I could put it into drive / reverse without snapping my neck, it would be nice!

red rock

iTrader: (2)

Quote;[It ***** hard and firm] I couldn't help it. As for a shift kit, you would only feel anything when the car is moving, not when you put it in gear. How many miles and has the fluid ever been changed?

1989karr

I saw that as soon as I posted it lol


Car has about 65K (odometer stopped working) but the fluid was bright red and clean about 10 years ago. I just changed it and it was still bright and clean (car was sitting for a while) but the car always did that with the old and new fluids.

Would a misadjusted TV cable do that by any chance?

red rock

iTrader: (2)

Even if the TV cable was maladjusted, it still wouldn't shift hard when you put it in gear. It almost sounds to me like your idle is set high. How is it if you put it in neutral and then go to reverse or drive?

Fast355

iTrader: (2)

Not exactly correct. For all we know this transmission could have a constant pressure valve body installed. Also the various shift kits and pressure regulators available are vast. A line pressure gauge would typically tell the tale. As for firm engagement into reverse and drive with a shift kit. ABSOLUTELY. You drill out the feed holes in the separator plate, install heavier springs in the various accumulators and other tweaks when you install a shift kit. EVERY shift kit I have ever installed has a much firmer initial engagement than a stock transmission. I had a S10 converter in the 700r4 in my G20 van and idling at 650 rpm, when you dropped it into reverse or drive it had a very solid engagement.

nhgator

My 85 has always banged into gear,with the 305 and now the 350,Idle doesn't seem to have an effect on it.

red rock

iTrader: (2)

I have had a few Transgo kit's in use, and currently have a Probuilt trans kit with another drilled out Transgo kit behind a 9 1/2" torque converter idling at 1000rpms. It runs 250 psi in reverse. It doesn't slam into gear. I'm not an expert transmission guy, but I have rebuilt a few. I also have a solid engagement, but it won't snap my neck. I agree, a pressure gauge would tell the tale, but to me, it sounds like either a stuck valve the valvebody, or someone really screwed up on a valvebody kit. Could even be a worn yoke spline, or slop in the rear end. Without witnessing it, it's hard to tell, but if a kit was installed, it should not slam into gear. Maybe even a worn out flexplate.

1989karr

I thought my idle was pretty normal, but I was looking at it yesterday and sometimes it's kinda high...like 1500. But it also does it when the idle is...I guess normal. I did a little research and from what I can tell when its "normal" it still shifts into gear super hard.

Usually when I shift my s-10 or 2.8 bird into gear, o any other car for that matter..., the idle kinda drops a bit then it engages.

on this car, it seems to immediately engage, no drop, no pause etc...

1989karr

I'm thinking it might be because there's quite a few minor things done to this car that makes me think the previous owner might have had one added.

Do you think it's something a decent trans shop would be able to identify and I guess.....undo? This is kind of a cruiser car...and a 305, so I'm not interested in the whole fast engagement performance etc.. my s-10 has a really nice smooth shifting 700r4 and I like it!

1989karr

Does it jerk the whole car super hard? mine feels like you've kinde been love tapped on the bumper most of the time.

1989karr

I honestly know nothing about the inner workings of a trans..I'm thinking only a shop would be able to tell what's in this thing then? I really think the previous owner had something done to this trans,

Lovely haha


I have a low mileage 700r4 from a 2WD s-10, that was going to go into my S-10.......I'm wondering if that might be compatible...or I might just live with it snce that's quite a bit of time / money

red rock

iTrader: (2)

First off, when your car is cold, it will fast idle at 1500 rpm's or a little more. When your car warms up, idle should come down to around 5-600 rpms. If you shift it on fast idle, it probably does slam into gear at 1500 rpm's. Normal idle is 5-600 rpm's. If it doesn't idle at that when warm, you need to address that problem first. What engine is in front of the 700r4 in the S-10? It would have helped in your first post if you would have mentioned the 1500 rpm "high" idle.

1989karr

I just noticed that it sometimes the 5.0 idles high when warm, but not always so that's another issue that needs to be taken care of now :/ I'm wondering if the CTS is bad. I think that a bad CTS used to make my old Camry idle high. Im currently looking for the easy possible vacuum leaks etc..


But when it's warm and not idling high but warm and idling normal at 5-600 it still ***** VERY hard into drive and reverse.




.
S-10 is a 4.3L so I think that has the same bolt pattern as the 5.0?

red rock

iTrader: (2)

The 700r4 only has one bolt pattern. The issue is how the gut's match up to the engine. On smaller engines, the clutches and valve body make up may be different. They built the transmission for the vehicle they were going into. A truck transmission will be heavier built than a car transmission etc. So to say, will the 4.3 700r4 work in your car with a 5.0, it will fit the engine, but probably won't match on performance. If your going to do anything, in my opinion, if you don't work on them yourself, take it to a reputable transmission shop. But make sure your engine is idling and working as it's suppose to. Have you cleaned and reset the IAC? Here is a link from the home page; https://www.thirdgen.org/tpimod2/ Unscrew the Idle air control and spray it with carb cleaner, but don't push on the pintle on the end of the sensor. They tend to get gummed up and stick.

RBob

iTrader: (1)

Two bolt patterns. One for the 90° engine, and another for the 60° engines. Of which our 3rd gens received both engines.

RBob.

red rock

iTrader: (2)

You are right. I should have clarified the 3.3 and bigger engines have the same bolt pattern. The 4.3 and the V8's bolt together. I tend to forget about the old "iron duke".

1989karr

Thanks! Those I definitely need to do that!

I'll probably be taking it to a trans shop though for them to give it a look over from what it seems.