Had rear end rebuilt, now it's exposed transmission problems: Resolved!

[pontiacgp]

Don't lose your mind, you'll figure it out. I hope you don't mind my comment on the title of your thread but I had a good laugh when I read it the first time. It could mean that you had some enhancements done and now you're having issues hooking up with someone like Caitlin Jenner...😛

 

[Bar50]

Look, the ONLY GM cars that came with a 2004R and 3.73 gears are Monte SS and 442. The govenor has weights AND springs to match. I know vortec brackets are out there, mone are from Edelbrock. My aerocoupe has vortec heads on a healthy 383 with a 200R4 and 3.73 gears and it works like a champ.

You mentioned TBI, I don't know what set up your using, but, I know NONE of the 454 TBI units have the lug for a TV cable as they came with a manual, a TH400, or 4L80. If the TBI is raised, as sat on an taller performance intake, then the TV mount must be raised also to keep the cable to lug geometry correct.

As for the roll pin if you have some dental style picks or similar pick tools, the one with a 90° bend can sometimes be inserted into the open end of the roll pin and with some gentle upward pressure while rotating the pin and all...it will come out.

 

[oldmansmonte]

Don't lose your mind, you'll figure it out. I hope you don't mind my comment on the title of your thread but I had a good laugh when I read it the first time. It could mean that you had some enhancements done and now you're having issues hooking up with someone like Caitlin Jenner...😛

LOL

 

[oldmansmonte]

Look, the ONLY GM cars that came with a 2004R and 3.73 gears are Monte SS and 442. The govenor has weights AND springs to match. I know vortec brackets are out there, mone are from Edelbrock. My aerocoupe has vortec heads on a healthy 383 with a 200R4 and 3.73 gears and it works like a champ.

You mentioned TBI, I don't know what set up your using, but, I know NONE of the 454 TBI units have the lug for a TV cable as they came with a manual, a TH400, or 4L80. If the TBI is raised, as sat on an taller performance intake, then the TV mount must be raised also to keep the cable to lug geometry correct.

As for the roll pin if you have some dental style picks or similar pick tools, the one with a 90° bend can sometimes be inserted into the open end of the roll pin and with some gentle upward pressure while rotating the pin and all...it will come out.

Yeah it's seeming more and more apparent I need a Monte SS VB and gov to match. #1 problem with this car is it was the slowest most Grampa like model the sold and because of that it's fought me every step of the way.

Bow ties kit came with a bracket for the tv cable that lines up identical with the only in using so it seems in good there.

Good advice on the roll pin I'll try it.

 

[oldmansmonte]

Installed the Bow Tie Overdrives kit. Operation is different, but still messed up. Shifts are soft and stacked. Car is in 4th gear before you know it. Doesn't feel healthy. Sounds like it's time to visit a transmission shop. I'm pissed because I spent a ton on that rebuild.

 

[oldmansmonte]

Update:

Installed the BTO TV kit. Seems to function more in the realm of normal, but this transmission clearly needs more work. I'm still running with the light spring removed from the gov. Car does 1-2 okay,(15mph) 2-3 is shaky and early, but 3-4 is okay(in 4th at about 36). Prior to the BTO kit it was in 4th easily at 30 and detent downshifts were real strange. Previously every shift was form and recognizable, these are all a bit softer than I remember. Car does good burnouts.

I pressure tested it. My #'s were the same with both the TV cable connected and disconnected. It did have strong pressure increases in the full TV test. Bow Tie said the #'s were good. They said their transmission would perform slightly different, but mine was in good range(too lazy to go upstairs right now and get the #'s. I'll post them later).

So I have a friend of a friend that has his 2004r laying around from his 85' SS. He swapped in years ago in favor of the 7004r. So I will have the opportunity to buy the valve body, governor and any other parts pretty cheap.

I think installing a valve body at this point is beyond my level. Could I pull if off? Yes. But I would rather this job but handled by a professional in a professional setting, not by me, the first timer working in his garage with jackstands and no lift Anyhow communicating my issue to these transmission people is the hardest part. I've been in contact with Bow Tie, Competition transmission(the builder) and another local shop. Convincing them that this valve body is the main problem is tough. Mine is so off the chart being a 4.3 TBI, 2.41 rear end car. They're used to dealing with SS's, 442's, GN's. At worst a 307 Regal or base 305 Chevy. A rebuild kit on that with a few minor upgrades and your average bro just romping on the gas pedal with his newly installed 350 won't notice the difference. My car being a 4.3 TBI, 2.41 rear end car is just so off that charts. I've entered territory where I've done so much research and hands on work that I'm becoming more knowledgeable than the people I depend on.

I believe that valve body would need to be rebuilt/serviced from sitting. Who do i trust to do that? If I'm convincing a local guy to it, will it get done properly? Do I buy his core and just get that rebuilt? Thought would be great.

 

[Texas82GP]

Doesn't seem like it should go into 4th until 45+ mph.

 

[oldmansmonte]

Doesn't seem like it should go into 4th until 45+ mph.

With the 2.41 gears, it did. Right on time. The switch to 3:73's was the cause of the issue.

 

[Texas82GP]

With the 2.41 gears, it did. Right on time. The switch to 3:73's was the cause of the issue.

Understood, but as stated above, with the gear change, the trans needs to be tuned. You want to dial it in to get it to act the way it did before the gear swap.

 

[axisg]

I wouldn't be keen to swap valve bodies. When I swapped in the 200r4 and 3.73 rear into my car ( from an SS ) if shifted well but "factory" soft like the high mileage trans it was. I knew it was on borrowed time behind the 350. When I promptly cooked 2nd gear in the trans from the SS I left it in the car so I could limp it around. I had a spare trans from a friends 442 ( he went stick ) and had that build up. To be fair we put a healthy bunch of parts in it during the rebuild. And the trans tech spent a lot of time with the steels and friction disks checking the clutch pack with an air line until he got the right "feel" that he was looking for. When we put that rebuilt trans from the 442 in my car I found the shifts were happening sooner and much much firmer than the trans from the SS. Adjustment of the TV cable would either make the trans shift sooner or on the other end if we set it to delay the shifts they were too harsh. Trying to remedy the issue we swapped the VB from the SS into the 442 trans and it made the issues even worse. In the end we monkied with the governor to get it better ( see link below ). It still feels like it shifts too soon at part throttle but holds to just shy of 6k when you get into it so I am happy. But if I did it over again I would have rebuild the trans from the SS to begin with.
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/200r4-mod-info.7116/