th350 won't auto shift

[TheRoaringEagle]

Drove to Santa Cruz from San Francisco, exiting an off ramp into slower traffic i down shifted to second, heard a whirly sound and then the car wouldn't accelerate. shifted back to 3rd and started going again.

Seems like the the gears won't engage until I reach a certain speed?

If I stop at a red light and sit, I have to shift down to First or my car won't go.... any ideas?

my tc?? - sounds like a whiiirrrrrr sound when not in First if the car is sitting. :drive: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[HILROD]

You can check if the vacuum hose came off the modulator. The bad news is if the trans is making noise, that it wasn't before, it might be time for a rebuild.

[Bandit]

Try changing fluid and filter though before you ask a shop to rebuild it--sometimes that's all it takes.

[TheRoaringEagle]

geez louise, this tranny has been rebuilt only 2 years ago. it did sit for a year, and when i hooked up the crate motor i filled it up with about 9 quarts (sound right?) of b&m trick shift. trouble is it's really hard to see if i over filled it cause the tranny oil is clear.

anyways i did check the vacuum hose, looks intact. i might pull it out to see if there is a leak, but if there was wouldnt it effect the engine idle? engine runs fine. so does the tranny when shifted manually.

I'll do a fluid swap though and use standard tranny oil. changing the fluid and filter is only a matter of dropping the pan and pulling the filter right?

thanks for the replies!

[Bandit]

I'll do a fluid swap though and use standard tranny oil. changing the fluid and filter is only a matter of dropping the pan and pulling the filter right?

yep yep yep
Make sure you do it with the tranny still warm so it all drains...and make sure you have a new pan gasket...I really hope it works.
I would just hate to see you pay for a rebuild if you didn't need it.
Oh yeah a new modulator wouldn't hurt--they are cheap.

[TheRoaringEagle]

awesome, i'm going to get on it tommorrow, i hope it works too. i was thinking bout installing a muncie 4 speed in a few months when my friend replaces his with a richmond 6 but i'm so broke.

btw your trans am looks killer!

[Bad Bowtie]

Another thing i would check would be the govenor. I've had these strip the plastic teeth off the drive gear and cause erratic shifting or no shift at all. Its located under the metal cup on the side of the tranny and has a metal clip that holds it on. Take that cover off and the govenor slides right out. Easy to check
BB

[TheRoaringEagle]

is there any precaution when taking it out? i don't want a bunch of pieces coming out, and is it easy to slide back in? i'll check it today.. but all i would be looking for is damage to teeth right?

thanks for your suggestion!

[TheRoaringEagle]

btw, judging from the fluid off the dipstick, it seems okay - nice and clean. this fluid has only been in it for... 4 months.

i forgot to mention that i've been running without a kickdown since it had been rebuilt. it had one before but the guys who installed it took it off?

[Z- man]

had a similar set of conditions on my Malibu. Turns out that the governor was busted in half (flyweights broke off the valve). Stabbed in a new governor and now all three gears! Also make sure the kick down valve isn't hanging open for some reason

[TheRoaringEagle]

hey thanks for the reply. took my camaro in to get an estimate. 1400 dollars to rebuild. they didn't pull the pan and i doubt they put it up on the lift even though they kept my car for three days. so it must be a sign that not be lazy and work on that damn thing myself.

i don't know how to tell if the kickdown valve is open. the cable is still inside the tranny and bolted down with retainer, but the cable itself is cut. about 7 inches from the base.

i have not checked the governor. nor have i pulled the pan. i'm going to do that this week when i have time.

i did replace the vacuum modulator, and checked the valve, but i cant tell myself if the valve isnt working. looks alright to me but what do i know.

anyways thanks for the suggestions. time to get my ass off the computer.