Stall converter slipping???'s

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dickeymoore

G-Body Guru
May 6, 2009
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113
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Atlanta,Georgia
I have a 1980 Chevy Monte Carlo with a small block Chevy 400 engine with a 525 lift hydraulic roller camshaft and a 700 R4 Transmission with a TCI Saturday Night Special stall converter 2000 rpm stall the transmission rides and shifts great on the normal operation but as you put pressure to it and it changes from 2nd to 3rd gear there's a delay like a hesitation and if you were going up hill while putting pressure on it is like it's slipping and also like the transmission is slipping when you take off on a incline is the slipping from the stall converter? THANKS
 

Kwik_Cutty88

Royal Smart Person
Nov 22, 2011
1,173
662
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Coastal North Carolina
700R4's can be a little tricky to diagnose, I'm by no means an expert, but I have a little experience with them in my car. But I'd start with the basics here.

Is the fluid clean and full? Does it look/smell burnt?
What is the history of the transmission/converter? New? Rebuilt?
The TV cable adjusted properly?
Have you changed anything at all recently, or did it just start acting like this out of the blue?

Just a few things to ask yourself to get you headed (hopefully) in the right direction.
 

dickeymoore

G-Body Guru
May 6, 2009
924
113
43
Atlanta,Georgia
I bought the transmission used the converter is new the fluid and filter was changed with new fluid and filter it doesn't do it all the time only does it when there's like pressure on it when going up a incline if i drive normal you can feel all the shift points and all the gears change the TV cable is adjusted properly.THANKS
 

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,659
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12,059
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Upstate NY
Doubt it's the converter. How's the line pressure? If the line pressure is good, then it's time for a rebuild most likely. Throw a rebuild kit and shift kit atit of your making less than 350HP.
 

marcar1993

G-Body Guru
Aug 31, 2007
702
209
43
New Jersey
It might be on the cusp of needing a rebuild, just the extra load causes it to slip. Additionally, the tv cable could be the issue, as that does control line pressure. Make sure it is adjusted right, sometimes there is some fine tuning to be done.
As for the trans, if it was bought without knowing where it came from, if you can afford a good rebuild, it makes sense, since you have no idea whats in there or if anything was wrong with it for the last owner as well.
 

84GP455

G-Body Guru
Jun 19, 2007
779
95
28
Methuen Ma.
My guess would be the TV cable adjustment, If i step on my gas pedal hard enough it will pull the cable slider out 1 click and that is enough for me to notice the slipping so I just pull over and push the tab in and push the slider back in one click and then it's fine. It only needs to be off by 1 click and it will cause slippage, at least for my setup anyways. One good thing that I did was to mark the slider shaft on the plastic with a white marker when I have the perfect setting, then If it moves out I can see where the mark is and then just adjust it back to the correct spot.
 
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transman

Apprentice
May 17, 2015
50
38
18
Western Canada
I have a 1980 Chevy Monte Carlo with a small block Chevy 400 engine with a 525 lift hydraulic roller camshaft and a 700 R4 Transmission with a TCI Saturday Night Special stall converter 2000 rpm stall the transmission rides and shifts great on the normal operation but as you put pressure to it and it changes from 2nd to 3rd gear there's a delay like a hesitation and if you were going up hill while putting pressure on it is like it's slipping and also like the transmission is slipping when you take off on a incline is the slipping from the stall converter? THANKS
From the factory, GM had 3 different stall speeds for the 700R4, depending upon the application. A your typical GM factory High stall was rated at 1800-2000 rpm. Hi stall converters(no matter who makes them) will have some slippage in them until they reach their rated stall speed. I've never heard of a high stall however causing any issues during gear changes fro 2nd to 3rd as your engine rpm typically would be past the rated stall speed.
As you've mentioned, all kinds of black and grey stuff in the pan, so it is rebuild time. Remember that all that gunk/junk that is in your pan is also in your transmission cooler, and most importantly IN THE CONVERTER. All that crap has to been cleaned out or it will just end up back in your freshly rebuild trans. If the converter is a lockup unit, the only way it can be cleaned out properly is to be taken apart. Not a nice thought I know, but just keep it in mind.
 
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