So I got my 1982 a couple weeks ago, and I've driven it almost every day. I've noticed some inconsistent behavior with how it shifts.

Normally, it shifts quickly, apparently trying to keep RPMs as low as possible, often just below 1,000 RPM. Most days, this works fine. One thing which is odd to me is that when I stomp on the gas, sometimes it will not downshift, even if I'm only at ~2,000 RPM to begin with. Also, from a stop with the throttle fully open, it will often shift at ~3,500 RPM, rather than letting it run up higher like I'd expect. Every once in a while, it'll go up into higher RPM just like I want it to.

Aside from that issue, it willl occasionally decide to have higher than normal shift points under little to no throttle. I'll get up to 35-40 mph and about 2,500-3,000 RPM and the car won't go into 4th. Letting off the gas will drop the RPM, but the car will not accelerate any more until it revs back up to 3,000 RPM or so, almost like it's in neutral until the engine gets back up to speed. It'll finally shift around 3,500-4,000. When it does shift, it's smooth.

I'm told by the former owner that the transmission has GM synthetic AFT in it. I checked the dipstick, and it looks like it's possibly over filled.

Any thoughts?

 

any time you buy something you dont know what has been done to your car .when i got mine i changed all fluids .now would be a good time to change the filter and fluid of the trans .you can get a chip that will change the shift points some [hyper chip]you can also change the valve body. i also would check the tv cable from the rear tb to the trans.

 

I actually don't even know what type of transmission this thing has. Is it the 700-R4?

 

The factory trans would be a 700-R4. Check your TV cable for adjustment and freedom of movement for starters.

 

From my searches I found several people talking about the TV cable. Can you enlighten me as to what that is, and what "TV" stands for. I've still got a lot of learning to do for this car, but I'll get it all eventually.

 

T.V. stands for "throttle valve". The TV cable replaced the vacuum modulator. Both items try to adjust shift timing according to throttle position. If you had a vacuum modulator on your tranny, I would have said that is your problem. If you have a TV cable (700R4 was the stock unit in '82), it is probably 'hanging up' or binding somewhere. If you have an AIM for '82, it should show that set up and give instructions on adjustment. You may also have a problem with your 'kickdown' switch for downshifting at WOT.

 

Yeah, It would be a 700 R4 and it sounds like a TV cable problem. Try adjusting it. I think the procedure is to push the adjustment button, pull the sleeve out towards front of car, have someone step on the gas while holding the adjustment button. Then at max TV push sleeve back in and release button. Check here for instructions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQlCk...next=1&index=1) and also seach the internet for "tv cable adjustment" and some other articles will come up.

Will

 

Thanks guys. I'll give that a try this weekend.

I have ordered my AIM, so looking forward to getting that and learning a lot more about the car.

 

Read the computer and see if it is holding any error codes.

 

How do you read the computer on these old cars?

 

Is the engine light on?

The plug is under the ashtray.

Turn the ignition to on. Watch for the engine light to come on. Use a paperclip and insert into plugs marked A and B on the plug to get the codes to start coming out. It will flash code 12 three times.The light flashes 1 time for the number 1 and two faster flashes for the number 2 followed by a pause. After it flashes 12 three times the codes will come out. Watch carfully. Example if its code 43 it will flash 4 times quickly then 3 times quickly then pause and go on to the next code. After its done it will flash code 12 three times to signal the end of the codes.

If it flashes 12 six times there ar no codes.

Codes mean this

http://www.crossfire.homeip.net/index.php?showtopic=447

As an example if codes 43 and 53 we stored it would flash this:

12 12 12 43 53 12 12 12

 

It comes on briefly when I start the car, then turns off and stays off.

 

I finally took the intake off today and adjusted the TV cable per the instructions y'all posted. Seems to have worked perfectly, though I haven't driven it too much yet. In the 10 minutes I drove, shifting was finally what I'd expect. Downshifted nicely and got the engine up to 5,500 RPM, and kept the RPM low when I was cruising.

Thanks for the help!

 

Excellent! Thats good news, glad we could help! Now its time for more cruising.

Will

 

did you take off the air filter?if you took off the intake,,,,,,, you did it the hard way

 

Yeah, I figured that out after the fact. Wasn't exactly hard, just unnecessary.

Okay, now after having driven the car around a little more, it's still having the issue where it doesn't want to upshift until about 3,000 RPM when I'm cruising. When it gets time to shift where it normally would, it sounds like the car's trying to do something but is failing. It's like I'm hearing this kind of "SSSHHHHHH" sound when it wants to shift. If I let off the gas, the RPMs fall to idle, but when I get back on the gas, the engine free-revs until it gets back to where it's matching up with the transmission's speed.

Could this still be a TV cable-related problem, or is something going on here?

 

It could be a tv cable problem, try adjusting it again, maybe it will dial itself in. Also, have you done any fluid changes or anything, as I've read before that people have upshift problems with a new trans and it doesnt upshift properly, it's caused by air pockets that sort themselves out, normally after some "enthusiastic" driving. I would start with readjusting the tv cable. If I rememer correctly, it should have the smallest amount of slack while not applying the throttle, then tight when fully applied. Readjusting it may help. Let us know how you make.

Will

 

When I got mine it hung. It was fuel starvation. I had to replace the fuel pump. Mine would climb to 2500 or 3000 and hang....then shift.

Jim