Alright here’s a scenario and question with it. Among others.
Not sure if this is relevant but this is doing with a V6 application.

swap has been done (700r4 to 700r4 because i had lost 3rd and 4th/overdrive)

first drive it hit overdrive and functioned as it should’ve. Unbeknownst to me, it leaked overnight dude to a bolt not being tight on the pan. Before fixing said leak, i drove it 5 minutes to work and another 5 minutes 4 hours later.
Got back, fixed leak, did the refill process (it’s full now).

since the leak fix I’ve noticed it’s no longer shifting into 4th/overdrive, I can’t tell if it’s improved since.

Questions:
- would driving it ‘dry’ (not BONE bone dry), burn up my overdrive gear? Tons of people saying no.

- Would a final TV cable adjustment do anything?

- Would installing a corvette servo help at all in terms of it getting into OD? (Im aware it applies pressure to 1-2 and 2-3 , not sure abt OD stuff)

- finally, is it sounding like another swap is necessary?

This is driving me nuts, any input would be appreciated.

 

The fluid level has to be maintained for a reason. The converter sucks up a lot of fluid when in operation. There's a chance the 4th gear clutches burned up with fluid level slowly draining. Before pulling it I'd at least drop the pan to see if there's any material in there.

 

How did you "fix" the leak from loose bolt? Using too much RTV on the gasket sometimes covers the drain hole necessary for overdrive function.

 

There was a corner of the pan that was leaking so i tightened 3 bolts around it, they were pretty loose, once it was tightened it quit.

Further more, I discovered a puddle today, warmed it up ran it through the gears and checked my level, and it was still full.

*edit* could you give me a link or short explanation on where said drain hole for the OD is? That’s one thing I haven’t heard yet.

If I burned up my 4th i’ll save for a good transmission, this one was only 75$

 

Yeah I’ve been hearing all about maintaining level, the car running on empty fluid for 10 min< total was my fault for not checking the actual level.

But I’ll check when I have time again to see if anything’s in the pan, fluid still looks good and it was full again today (even after i found a fresh puddle this morning)

 

Update as of today at around 7:30 PM

Drove around and tried speeding up to see if it’d shift, and it did, a little late but it did.

So 4th gear still exists and isn’t burnt up.
assuming a TV cable adjustment will help.

Still have a leak somewhere, dripping near the front where the converter is. The original converter is still in so I’m assuming that has something to do with it as I’m aware you’re supposed to get a new one.

 

Just adjust your TV cable all the back and you'll be fine

 

I’ll try that thanks, will update afterwards (tonight/tomorrow)

 

Adjusting my TV cable had an incredibly negative effect, made me shift incredibly late and hard, putting it back forward helped the issue, still tinkering as it’s not going into 4th on its own.

 

You gotta pull that transmission. Or buy a better one. The TV cable is like your line pressure adjustment sort of. My 700 was "built" and I always had the cable adjusted to the back. Is your shifter cable adjusted properly??

 

Probably, now I’m not sure. Pulling the trans/getting a new one is gonna have to wait another couple months or something then, don’t have money for a new one unfortunately.

for me when i adjust the cable forward it helps, backwards makes it horrendous. I never bought a new TV cable either because I didn’t know I had to get a new one, least that’s what I’ve been told.

There’s 100% a plethora of stuff I didn’t do that I probably should’ve. This was also my first swap ever, basically went in with knowledge from here and elsewhere.

**edit - inside the car before the shifter itself had a lot of leeway between neutral and drive, now it clicks right with every single one (1,2,D,OD etc)

 

Sounds like you're a few issues away from a good ride bro. Don't sweat it tho you'll get there

 

I’m trying my best out here. So many nooks and crannies. At least i know how to do a swap if I need to do it again.

any suggestions where to buy bolts/hardware? Figurin on replacing a few next time

 

What hardware needs to be replaced?? Should able to use all of it except maybe some of the pan bolts

 

Cross member bolts, and then there were two bolts on each lower side of the bell-housing that didn’t seem to anything but are/have been missing.

pan bolts are good, everything else was alright too

 

Gonna continue adding to this thread until I’m out of the woods with my transmission stuff.

update as of today:
- 4th gear exists, a TV cable adjustment helped and it goes into 4th on its own no problem

- it is leaking like crazy though and I can’t pinpoint exactly where it’s coming from (I’ll attempt to attach some form of photo/video)

- to add, it seems to be leaking from the pan gasket on the pass side of it, and from where the speedo gear goes (pretty sure thats what it is) but I think I stopped that leak (not sure)

After I looked it over, i loosened some pan bolts, fiddled with gasket, re-tightened, cleaned up area and all fluid under car, when I get home tonight or tomorrow morning I’m gonna look again to see if i can get a more accurate view of where the leak is coming from.

Been brainstorming, if it’s the gasket I’m gonna silicone seal it (or whatever people use in place of gaskets). If it isn’t the gasket I’m not quite sure.

There’s nothing coming from the front where the rear main seal is (another possibility that was talked about in this thread)
Visibly speaking, the leak appears on the gasket, and behind the transmission.

Input always welcomed and appreciated.

pan bolts that have fluid dripping from them

front of trans looking towards back of car (from torque converter cover)

Speedo gear thing (I don’t know what everything’s called, I’m a newbie)

pass side pan bolts again (getting a look of gasket)

repeat photo just larger area