Tranny just rebuilt /will barely shift 1/2 but that's all!

[Bob Avellar]

Yup, just installed the tranny that was rebuilt locally( new bands, rebuild kit, rebuilt the stock converter). The tranny guy rebuilt this back in 96 and it always worked fine. If I wind the motor up to around 5000 rpm it shifts into 2nd gear but I wasn't able to go fast enough to shift it into 3rd (don't think it will). Also when I come to a stop the car shudders and almost stalls- I think it is stuck in 2nd gear. Sometimes it will start off from a dead stop in 2nd gear. I adjusted the TV cable to a bunch of positions from all the way back to all the way forward and it seems to have NO effect. The cable is attached and free and it has some spring pressure that I can feel when I pull it forward. What the he%% is wrong with it now? Tranny shop is on vacation and I've been without the car for 3 weeks already. This is getting disheartening to say the least. Any ideas what I can check? We just put the thing in- the shop did all the internal stuff. Fluid is full. They put a Level 10 shift kit in it when they rebuilt it in 96. If they didn't know it was in there could that have screwed them up this time somehow??. I know the converter is the same one (D5) that was in the car and he has a good reputation around here. I know he builds special converters for some race cars and stuff. Any way, can I check anything else (externally) or does someone know what might be at fault? It was about 98 degrees here when we put it in and ny nerves have had it!

 

[Darrens89Z]

Originally posted by Bob Avellar
Yup, just installed the tranny that was rebuilt locally( new bands, rebuild kit, rebuilt the stock converter). The tranny guy rebuilt this back in 96 and it always worked fine. If I wind the motor up to around 5000 rpm it shifts into 2nd gear but I wasn't able to go fast enough to shift it into 3rd (don't think it will). Also when I come to a stop the car shudders and almost stalls- I think it is stuck in 2nd gear. Sometimes it will start off from a dead stop in 2nd gear. I adjusted the TV cable to a bunch of positions from all the way back to all the way forward and it seems to have NO effect. The cable is attached and free and it has some spring pressure that I can feel when I pull it forward. What the he%% is wrong with it now? Tranny shop is on vacation and I've been without the car for 3 weeks already. This is getting disheartening to say the least. Any ideas what I can check? We just put the thing in- the shop did all the internal stuff. Fluid is full. They put a Level 10 shift kit in it when they rebuilt it in 96. If they didn't know it was in there could that have screwed them up this time somehow??. I know the converter is the same one (D5) that was in the car and he has a good reputation around here. I know he builds special converters for some race cars and stuff. Any way, can I check anything else (externally) or does someone know what might be at fault? It was about 98 degrees here when we put it in and ny nerves have had it!

Bob.there is a really great tranny builder in Fall River,Kirks at Kirks transmission.He does alot of high performance cars and his share of GNs.He has done my tranny as well as all my friends and my brothers.Im sure he could help you out.Tell him Darren refered you.

 

[Bob Avellar]

Thanks for the info. However, I'd hate to have someone else try to fix someone else's work. After all, the guy that did mine is responsible for his work (6month/6000 mile warranty). Not to mention I'd have to pay for someone else to look at it. I think the TV valve might be stuck. It may just be shifting off the governer. I just took it on the hgwy and it will shift into 3rd but all the shifts are like full throttle shifts at high RPM. Only additional problem that has me worried is that it will also stick(sometimes) in 2nd when I come to a stop. It stalled the car a couple of times. When it does up shift into 2nd it chirps the tires a bunch. The TV cable adjustment really doesn't seem to have much if in fact any affect on the shift points. I never got it to shift into 4th because I couldn't get going fast enough due to too much traffic. Does anyone think it just might be the TV valve hanging up?? Could that cause it to not downshift properly too?? I just worry too much when things go wrong with this car. I worry more about the car than I do my own health. After 16 yrs of ownereship it is a member of the family! I hope the tranny doesn't have to come out to fix it - I sure don't want to do it again.

 

[HOTTOGO]

If I understand correctly this just started after a rebuild? Either way it sounds like (from you saying it stalls the eng.) that the lock/up is coming on to soon or in your case maybe staying on constantly. They may have pinched and/or cut the ground wire which should only get grounded from the ecm to turn on L/U. If you have or know someone that has a scanner hook it up and see if the T/C L/U is on or when its coming on. If you don't have a scanner pull the pan and look to see if any wires are cut or shorting out under the filter. Also check out this link for more info. http://www.montecarloss.com/TCC_Solenoid.html

 

[Bob Avellar]

YES THIS STARTED AFTER THE REBUILD. It is not the lockup solenoid because it locks only with a switch since I have a speedometer reducer that cuts the pulses from the vss aproximately in 1/2 for the recalibrated speedo face. I have to lock it manually because it would lock up at too high a speed otherwise. I did run the car with Dscan hooked up and it was not commanding lockup. It is definately starting off in 2nd gear. It will downshift to 1st if I do it with the shifter though. I hope they didn't change any parts that were installed previously with the Level 10 shift kit and that is somehow screwing things up. They installed it for me the first time they rebuilt the tranny. Oh, I was able to lock the converter with the switch when I tried it out.

 

[WE4]

"YES THIS STARTED AFTER THE REBUILD. It is not the lockup solenoid because it locks only with a switch since I have a speedometer reducer that cuts the pulses from the vss aproximately in 1/2 for the recalibrated speedo face. I have to lock it manually because it would lock up at too high a speed otherwise."


This statement is wrong. When the solenoid fails it sticks on not off. You can have to energize but it is release that fails. yes it will lock but unlock is the key. So what you are saying could be TRUE but solenoid can still be bad. It sounds to me like the gov spring shot out. That is where I would begin the journey but again like you said, Why should you have to deal with? Take it back..... BT

 

[Bob Avellar]

Would a governor spring being thrown out also cause it not to downshift into first gear? What I meant about the lockup switch was that I could feel it lock and unlock when I turned it on and off.

 

[WE4]

Take it back..... BT

Take it back..... BT

 

[Bob Avellar]

I will be taking it back Monday. They're on vacation this week- their whole shop is closed. Good week for them to be off, too because it's been so hot. I was planning on doing some repairs to the trunk floor, wheel wells and body mounts while I was on vacation but this has screwed me all up. I can't do too much work on it before I get the tranny fixed. Don't want the body to slide off the car! I have to go back to work next week too. Ah, stop your complaining. Man I miss driving this car.

 

[Bob Avellar]

Just thought I would update my tranny problem. I started the car and backed it up about 6 ft and then drove it forward up on a couple of ramps. I needed to take off my intercooler extension scoop that got damaged when I loaded it up on the ramp truck 3 weeks ago. When I crawled underneath to fix the scoop I saw tranny fluid leaking pretty heavily out of the flywheel cover. Guess something else let go in the tranny now. I don't think it would be the o ring on the (input shaft?) since we were very careful when installing the converter and had it lubed up good. I didn't have any leaks at all when I drove it home (in 2nd gear) after installing the tranny. I guess they will have to take the whole thing out now. I don't really feel like having to pay for them to take it out and replace it- that's why I took it out myself to begin with. Oh well, we'll see what happens next week.

 

[Bob Avellar]

Well, I trailered the car back to the Tranny place on Monday afternoon. I called about it today and all the guy said was He'd call me on Fri. and at least tell me "the status" on what's going on with my car. Dam it- and today was my birthday. I thought it would be nice to be able to drive the thing again. It's been over a month now that I've been without my car and I'm about fed up!!!. Anyway, that's where it's all at at the moment. I have a feeling this is never going to to be totally right. That's just the way a bunch of things have been going lately. Oh well- who really gives a %#&@. I feel sooo much better now that I vented.

 

[Bob Avellar]

Well I finally got my GN back today (Mon.) He said a clip fell off of the TV cable inside the pan or something to that effect. Adjusting the tv cable had no affect on the shift points. Also, they replaced a seal in the pump I think. It was leaking pretty bad after the last time I started the car and moved it in the driveway. The tranny seems to be fine. It chirps 2nd gear again and 3rd seems to be a little firmer than before also. They did not charge me for anything. I am a little embarresed though because the car was running like crap on the way home. When they test drove it to check the tranny they must have thought the car was junk. By the time I got home it had developed a full blown miss on one cylinder. Either a loose injector connection or plug wire was the cause. After fiddling with the wires it went away. The other part that made it run like junk was the fact that the alky pump quit pumping. I had to take the pump apart and found a distorted rubber doohiky. I will have to call Northern tool to see what I can get for it. The car was blowing smoke and retarding like crazy when I took it out to the Hgwy. Man, they must not have been impressed! Well, tomorrow I will takle the latest problem in my GN saga. Thanks for the help guys.