If it's not one thing...

[Buford T. JuSStice]

Okay, took the pan off to check out the state of the fluid and see where the detent is sitting. Now, I don't know where it was on the first, second, and third trip, but I suspect the first one it was probably too loose (I adjusted it because it was shifting hard and late) the second and third trip it was probably wayyyy too tight (overcompensating for thinking I was too loose) and when I pulled the pan it was near perfect. I should have left it where it was on that last trip though, because I readjusted it one last time and called it a night last night. I made some minor adjustments to it and that picture of it is where I ended up.

Fluid looks okay... smells okay... it's bright pink like it's supposed to be. You can see the paper towel swab I did in that one picture, any thoughts would be appreciated, but I was under the impression that's to be expected after a few hundred miles or so, so it didn't worry me too much. Cleaned out the pan, wiped up the gasket, wiped up the magnet (it had some stuff on it, but I don't think it was a whole lot) and put the pan back on. I was able to capture all of the oil in a brand new sealed oil pan, so I'll probably end up reusing it.

Tomorrow I'll try pulling the governor to see what it looks like, and while I'm at it I'll wire up the torque converter lockup... because why not?

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

So my line of thinking is as follows... if on the first trip it was too loose, that would explain no shifting. Now, I didn't go anywhere over 20-25 mph because I know it should shift before then and if it wasn't shifting something's wrong. The car took one trip around the block which is about 1/4 mile.

From what I understand about these cables, if it's adjusted too tight, it will cause hard and late shifts, thus why I adjusted it in the first place. I'm thinking that it's possible that I simply didn't go fast enough for the shift to take place, because the second and third trips I didn't even go partway around the block, I simply backed it out onto the street, went about 100-200 feet, never getting more than 20mph and then immediately stopping and going back to prevent any damage.

Now, I know Art Carr says that the TV Cable being too loose can cause damage within feet, but just how many feet are we talking here? Are talking 1/4 mile at a snail's pace being potential for damage, or are we talking you gotta go a mile or more trying to get the sucker to shift by stomping on the gas?

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

I was going to pull the governor today and report on my findings, but after the day I had at work, I'm just gonna kick back, relax, and enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet instead.

Has anybody got any second opinions on the pan pics though? Anybody think I've got a problem just looking at that, or does it look like "so far, so good".

 

[565bbchevy]

I was able to capture all of the oil in a brand new sealed oil pan, so I'll probably end up reusing it.

IMO I would still not use trans fluid you captured in a new sealed drain pan regardless if it looks new.

 

[500/600]

I would re-use the fluid without a second thought.

You sure are fighting the thought of pulling that governor. It's one of the top 4 easiest jobs in the world, but you seem to want to try more time consuming and costly things. Why?

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

Well, decided to go out and try at the governor anyway, realized that it's right in between the body and the crossmember so taking the cover off might be possible, but getting it back on would be nearly impossible. Might try tomorrow when I'm fresh, or I'll fill it back up with the fluid I took out and give it a shot anyway.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

I would re-use the fluid without a second thought.

You sure are fighting the thought of pulling that governor. It's one of the top 4 easiest jobs in the world, but you seem to want to try more time consuming and costly things. Why?

See above comment lol. I have to remove the crossmember to gain access to it. Otherwise it would be easy as pie.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

Well, in an unrelated bit, I was having trouble shifting into park fully (it was causing all sorts of other problems unrelated to this one) and I had thought I had adjusted the shift lever to be just about right. Well, it dawned on me as I was sitting on the throne (where most great thoughts occur) that my father had mentioned this weekend something about the reverse lights not coming on when I was in reverse. I didn't think much of it at the time because I was too concentrated on the whole "not shifting" problem.

So I tried to see where the lights came on... and they come on when the car is in Neutral. Well, that ain't right... so I went under the car, loosened the adjusting bolt, went into the cab and tried pulling up on the shift lever... it was as far up as it could go. Transmission is in park, shifter is in park... but reverse is neutral... huh...

So I thought, why not try adjusting it based on reverse instead? The shifter has a detent to hold it in place there, and it's just one click on the transmission... super easy even for a dummy like me. Loosened up the adjuster bolt, clicked the transmission into reverse, moved the shifter until it clicked and the reverse lights came on, and then went under to tighten the adjusting bolt. Went to put it into park and it was stuck! The shift rod is too long! That was my problem all along with that! So tomorrow I'll cut off about half an inch and try it again. If all else fails, I have a backup shift rod since I bought the one I'm using now just to find out it's identical to the one I have. (They said it was for a 200-4R but of course, it was ebay, they probably lied). If cutting off half an inch works, then honestly there's no need to buy 200-4R shift linkage. The original will work with very little modification.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

I don't think that would have an impact on my shifting problem though, because if the linkage was one detent off, then it would be shifting into regular Drive rather than shifting into second, or first gear. It is possible though that I've never actually driven the car in OD. However, it is also possible that it was only off between reverse and neutral, since Reverse it the only one with a shifter detent whereas the others are all on the transmission... either way, I'm gonna fix it and that'll be one less problem on my plate.

 

[Wageslave]

If I recall correctly, a 700-R4 needs that TV cable set with a pressure gauge. Anything else is just guessing and running the risk of damage. Here is a table to compare the line pressure to what you have.