Ok, so here goes. We got the BTO 700R4 installed last weekend. Lock-up is wired up and the TV cable is installed. One of my dad's mechanic's adjusted everything out and had it running pretty well, except that the throttle was sticking. I'd have to tap the gas before hitting the breaks to get the engine to idle back down, which made driving around town a PITA. The other thing was it wouldn't down-shift quite right when running around 55. If I stepped on the gas, it wouldn't drop back down out of OD. So I started fiddling. BIG mistake!

I pulled the choke off just incase it was sticking and causing the sticking idle problem. That shouldn't hurt anything.

I noticed that when he adjusted the TV cable, he didn't push the big D button in and slide the housing all the way back to where it was supposed to be and the cam was locked down all the way at the bottom, where the instructions say to start from. So I pulled the housing back, again where the instructions said it should be, and went for a test drive.

The idle was fine, but it never would shift out of 1st. After that, I moved the cam to about the mid point. Then it would shift, but only at about 25 and then backing out of the gas. Then I tried it all the way the other direction, which put the idle way high and wouldn't shift again.

I'm going to call BTO tomorrow I guess during the day when I've had a chance to hook the pressure gauge back up, but does anyone have any suggestions that might help? The wife and I were going to take the car to a show this weekend, but I can't drive all the way in 1st

 

well its not hard to adjust, just drop the trans pan and follow the BTO instructions for how far the plunger is to be depressed when you hit WOT.....then adjust the TV cable adjustment so it is locked in place....if you know everything is working well from the past adjustments you may not need to check the pressure again.....then use the adjustable cam for fine tuning it/ or making it shift as you like.....

 

You can cheat on the adjustment (but it'll give BTO a chance to void your warranty). Here's how:

Set the D-shaped thingamajig so the cable is at full, tight extension with the throttle wide open. Drive the car. If the shifts are too firm, loosen the cable a couple of notches. If the shifts are too wimpy, tighten it a bit. Repeat procedure until happy. (That's how I do mine -- it's 2 years past warranty, so it's my head.)

With regards to OD, get used to it. That's just the way it is. It will go into 4th too soon, and stay there practically to a full stop. What you'll learn to do is keep it in 3rd in the city, and put it into OD only when you're on the freeway. This is very common.

 

Don't drive it until you no it is correct. You will burn up the trans if it isn't.
Three very important things concerning the adjustment;
1. The cable is fully extended when the throttle is full.
2. There is a slight increase in pressure when you attach the cable to the carb (2-3psi). This puts the valve in the correct start position causing an increase in pressure as soon as the throttle moves.
3. The angle that the cable is at in relation to the throttle plate, this is what changes the shift points.
OD Trans install

 

Well hopefully I haven't burned anything up yet. I talked to the Bowtie guys and wasn't aware that the cable housing ratchetted itself to adjustment, so I'll try that when I get home. They were kinda cranky that the pressures never got called in, so I'm guessing the warranty's a thing of the past at this point.

 

thats not right.....stepping on the pedal in OD should cause an instaneous downshift to 3.....a really slow pedal pressure will keep it in OD but anything over light pressure should cause a down shift....the cam adjusts those shift points.

 

Are you using the hydraulic hose/gauge to set the TVS line pressure? On my install, it was critical when you are sliding the cable adjustment back and forth. From the instructions I received, you have to have the gauge/hose connected to the fitting on the upper left side of the trans (there is a small brass threaded plug in the case). You will push the cable housing back (where it attaches to the carb plate) until the pressure stops dropping. Then, move the cable housing forward until the pressure appears to increase slightly. I settled around 82psi (bottomed out around 80psi). Then fasten the cable housing in place. That should ensure sufficient line pressure. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE download their adjustment procedure from the website AND get the gauge/hose (unless they have dramatically altered the pressure adjustment procedure to NOT require getting a pressure reading while making this critical adjustment).

I installed the BTO 700R4 in my '80 L48. Once adjusted, I loved it.

Having said all of this, I visited their website and they have a new setup procedure. Key point is that line pressure/TVS adjustment is still THE important procedure to ensure proper calibration. See the following link (print and read repeatedly):

http://www.tvmadeez.com/article/index.php

 

I went to that link and read the directions. Now I understand how that adjustment affects the trans. Thanks!

Ed

 

hopfully bto doesn't run around this site to much, because you basicly told them you voided you warranty. Also, how were the pressure tests? We had a pressure problem in ours and bto sent us a whole new valve body. Also, what are the tranny temps looks like?

 

Ok, using the advise from the BTO guy, I've got the cable adjusted out. Although, it sounds like I'm having the opposite of what everyone else says their 700r4 runs like. It's not shifting out of 1st until just shy of 20 unless I let off the gas and shifts into 3rd at just under 40, again, unless I let off the gas some. It's got a good hard shift though. It's going to take some getting used to putting around town.

 

Have you tried adjusting the cable a couple of notches looser? (You can always put it back to where it was...) You'd be amazed at how much difference a couple of notches in either direction will make!

 

BTO provided a linkage attachment for my 1904 Q-Jet that softened that. Essentially, it rivets to the lower portion of the linkage and helps to correcty position the TVS cable attachment in reference to the pivot point on the carb linkage. As a result, shifts are not as hard and occur at the correct times (without having to let off the gas).

What carb are you running and, if you have not installed this kit (and you have a carb), have you considered this linkage kit?

I'd be surprised BTO did not recommend it (if they didn't)...

 

It's a 1902, and nope, they didn't recommend it. I guess that's normal without this kit? I'm going to try clicking it back a couple of notches when I have a chance and see if it helps too.

 

You don't have the TV Made EZ kit? The Edelbrock QJet is almost impossible to set up properly without it.

Ironically, however, my old Rochester QJet works fine without it. I did some crude measurements and found the Rochester has 37mm of linear travel at the TV cable stud location, and the Edelbrock has 43mm. I thought they were the same carb. Go figure!

 

I have done the same thing also, 2 years and no problems
I bought nothing from BTO, except thier crossmember, that took
a couple hours of reworking it

 

They voided my warranty before I ever drove the car even with the correct pressures. I told them I used an external tranny cooler(because my Griffen aluminum radiator didn't have a tranny cooling circuit)and all bets were off. The trans lasted one week.I had it rebuilt locally and with the same cooler it stays at 160 degrees most of the time,and has lasted a few years so far.I'm not a big fan of BTO at this point.

 

They told us to get an external tranny cooler...

 

i agree this is what you want...the cam is what you adjust and it works great, the TV setting stays the same and the cam lets the cable rotate differently in relation to pedal pressure and it changes shift points etc.......

[IMG][/IMG]