Let me start by saying this was supposed to be a rebuilt trans so I don't know anything about it, First time out today and it want shift into 3rd and I tried letting it shift its self and manully shifting it and no 3rd. I have set the detent cable and the vacuum is hooked up
Let me start by saying this was supposed to be a rebuilt trans so I don't know anything about it, First time out today and it want shift into 3rd and I tried letting it shift its self and manully shifting it and no 3rd. I have set the detent cable and the vacuum is hooked up
Before you go back to whoever rebuilt the trans. Check the fluid level. Check that the selector in fact takes the quadrant all the way - disconnect the selector cable and manually click the selector on the trans into high gear then reconnect the selector cable.(pretty long shot if L and 2 work OK, but) Vacuum line connected to manifold vacuum (not ported) kickdown cable only activated last part of throttle travel. Apart from that, not much else you can do, IMHO.
Before you go back to whoever rebuilt the trans. Check the fluid level. Check that the selector in fact takes the quadrant all the way - disconnect the selector cable and manually click the selector on the trans into high gear then reconnect the selector cable.(pretty long shot if L and 2 work OK, but) Vacuum line connected to manifold vacuum (not ported) kickdown cable only activated last part of throttle travel. Apart from that, not much else you can do, IMHO.
Mango pretty well covered it. Sometimes a vaccuum modulator will go bad, the only way to check that is to really replace it....its cheap enough. If you look at the modulator and it has a sorta long screw with a jamnut on it....its a adjustable modulator.
Like Mango said, if the modulator is good, you have fluid, the front pump is working because without it, you wouldn't have 1/2/R....If replacing the modulator dosn't help, she'll have to be opened up.
If she's been good up till now....could be some crud in the valvebody.....
Check the adjustment on your kickdown cable. If it's pulled out too far it will prevent the trans from shifting into 3rd or delay it until very high RPM. As a test, you can disconnect it and drive the car without damage to the trans. The 350 only uses the cable to delay upshifts and drop the trans into passing gear.
Also, it could be a governor issue. That is located under the round cover on the side near the tailshaft. If you have access to a known good governor, you can change it out (most of the time) with the trans in the car.
Easy way to check the pump is to shift from park into reverse. A good pump will shift quickly into gear. Low pump pressure will show up as a long delay after you move the selector to R.
pull the gov out and check it very good for burrs on the shaft or for a small sliver of metal.
these would keep the inside rod from sliding all the way in , in that case the oil press would
not go to the proper port for 3rd gear. everything else will work fine. If you can try another gov
cause you might not see the problem on yours.
Should be.....the stock on is either 1/8 or 3/16 believe.....Just need good vaccuum to the modulator. The kickdown linkage is also critical, as was told. If adjusted too tight....the trans thinks its gotta kick down for passing.....and won't go into drive....as was told.
If its a recently rebuilt trans., take it back to the folks and tell then to fix their problem....How many miles you have on this trans? And yes....as you were told about the governor. Did the not shifting into drive happen all of a sudden or was it a gradual thing?
This was given to me, a man had it behind a HI PO SBC and it shifted to quick for him but he did not have the detent cable hooked up, he said it would shift at 5 mph , so I put it in mine and hooked up the cable and it shifts fine from 1st to 2nd but want shift to 3rd , Thats everything I know about it
The governor was most likely the reason for your friends short shifting. They were usually calibrated for the drivetrain components that were installed in the original donor car. Different gearing and/or tire size could cause the governor to call for an upshift too soon. One old low buck hot rod trick was to find a car with a small 4 or 6 cylinder engine that had the same trans and rob the governor out of it. They were usually calibrated for later upshifts.
How long did this trans sit up before you used it? I see you're located in the sunny south like me. It doesn't take long for our "liquid air" (humidity) to cause rust on bare steel. Your governor could be sticking due to surface rust or dirt if the tail shaft was left open while in storage.
I would also make sure the kickdown was retracting all the way. If your friend was running it disconnected, then varnish or dirt could have built up on the kickdown mechanism. The first time you pulled it out, it may have partially stuck and not returned properly.
I had a 350 trans that was shifting a bit weird and a old friend told me to put it in low and floor it, it will override the gov and shift with plenty of vigger, spin the tires when it shifts, went through all the gears fine, and shifted fine after that... (NOTE! second gear is weak in those trans in stock form, won't last with a good running Big block) You never know what is sticking in there ...
After that whenever I wanted real hard shifts, I left it in low gear all the way through, kinda fun having it shift that hard, but a ticket getter that way also... Lucky I did not get one...
The governor was most likely the reason for your friends short shifting. They were usually calibrated for the drivetrain components that were installed in the original donor car. Different gearing and/or tire size could cause the governor to call for an upshift too soon. One old low buck hot rod trick was to find a car with a small 4 or 6 cylinder engine that had the same trans and rob the governor out of it. They were usually calibrated for later upshifts.
How long did this trans sit up before you used it? I see you're located in the sunny south like me. It doesn't take long for our "liquid air" (humidity) to cause rust on bare steel. Your governor could be sticking due to surface rust or dirt if the tail shaft was left open while in storage.
I would also make sure the kickdown was retracting all the way. If your friend was running it disconnected, then varnish or dirt could have built up on the kickdown mechanism. The first time you pulled it out, it may have partially stuck and not returned properly.
I just took it for a drive and when I started it shifted 1,2 and slow going in 3 but it went and then to get it in 3rd you had to let off the gas and get back on it , after it warmed up all I have is 1st,2nd and reverse, and it is slow about going into reverse even when it is cold. I think it might need rebuilt, so much for building on no budget
Sounds like your detent cable is to tight. If you have to let off for it to go into 3rd. Unhook the cable from the carb and try it then, it will shift thru all the gears quickly but just see if it will go into 3rd, if so then its the (kickdown)detent cable adjustment
Sounds like your detent cable is to tight. If you have to let off for it to go into 3rd. Unhook the cable from the carb and try it then, it will shift thru all the gears quickly but just see if it will go into 3rd, if so then its the (kickdown)detent cable adjustment
What he said!! :thumb:
If you need to rebuild the trans consider a TCI manual valve body. That way you select which gear and when. If you get the reverse pattern one you also avoid the anxiety of shifting towards neutral and reverse.
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