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Old Feb 25, 2011 | 03:57 PM
  #1  
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Default Another governor question

Hello,
I didn't want to post this question in the recent other thread about the governor so here goes.
I finally got around to changing the governor cap as it was dented in the middle (risk of binding). I'm unaware how a full governor assembly looks like, so I can only imagine how it should work. Are the two weights you see with the cap off supposed to be pulled inwards by the springs when the engine is not running? Because on mine the weights just 'flap' open which means there are no springs installed?
Would this part from ct powertrain give me the correct shiftpoints at correct rpm's?
http://www.ctpowertrain.com/servlet/...-77410A/Detail
Thanks,
Nick
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Old Feb 25, 2011 | 05:05 PM
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springs allow gradual advance as rpm increases. without springs you get full advance in a hurry.
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Old Feb 25, 2011 | 05:33 PM
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you will have to dial in the governor yourself if you want it to shift at an EXACT rpm. Every car is different....Rear gears, tire diameter and even horsepower and the converter can all affect the shifts..... Main things though are the rear gears and tire diameter.. The governor works off of wheel speed.

Get the B&M shift calibration kit and you will have to just trial and error it. I will say to save you a LOT of time, try to use the stock springs first and just swap weights and see how close you get. Once you start messing with the springs, you can get your shift points ALL over the map. I ended up with the #4 and #6 weights, stock springs. I get 6000/6100 shifts. This is with 3.36 gears and 27" tires.

Every one of these suckers are different so you just have to play with it. I had my governor out atleast 10 times and made countless passes to log the shift points....its all worth it in the end though.

Also if you are running a T400, make sure the kickdown solenoid in the tranny is working and the gas pedal switch is working correctly. This kickdown solenoid will race shift points about 300 rpms or so by itself so you want it working right before you play with the governor.

Last edited by ajrothm; Feb 25, 2011 at 05:35 PM.
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Old Feb 25, 2011 | 06:38 PM
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Actually, the hydraulic pressure holds the weights inwards. As the driveshaft rpm increases, the weights start to move outwards sending governor oil to the shift valves. The first weights to move are the big heavy weights - don't mess with these - the second weights to move are the inner weights - these are the best ones to adjust first as they have the greatest effect on both the shifts.

A stiffer inner spring has the greatest effect on reducing the 1-2 shift rpm, or alternately, raising it with a lighter spring. Lightening the inner flyweights has the greatest effect on raising the 2-3 shift points.
Good luck - it's a lot of testing and adjusting!
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Old Feb 26, 2011 | 06:21 AM
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Thanks all for the responces, got a clearer view now on how it should work, mine is definitly missing something. I'll take the plunge and get the CT one and pray it will be approx what I need with the 17" (tire is matched so diameter is approx the same as original) 700R4 and the 3.36 gears .
It was difficult to get the cover off, but getting it back on with the 700r4 and '74 tunnel will be another story. Hope I don't have to drop the crossmember again I'm not really looking foreward to the trial and error episode due to the cover
Nick
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Old Feb 26, 2011 | 09:40 AM
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The weights fly outward with rotation...centrifugal force. The springs attempt to limit the rate of that outward motion; they do not assist the weights, they try to hold them in place. Governor pressure does not 'act' on the governor. Main pressure is fed to the governor circuit and the movement of the governor valve (that moves outward...toward the top of the governor...as the flyweights move out) causes the regulation of that main pressure and converts it to governor pressure. Thus, the governor pressure increases with the amount of rotation of the governor. That governor pressure signal is used to "tell" the transmission how fast the output shaft is turning (or what speed the car is going).
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Old Feb 26, 2011 | 10:09 AM
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Thats what I,thought 7t1, on mine there arn't any springs installed .. I think I got ripped off again by the local speedshop as this is supposed to be a bowtieoverdrives unit. I can't imagine them sendind out a unit with a dented governor cap and no springs installed on the governor itself
nick
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Old Feb 26, 2011 | 07:19 PM
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The springs are needed to keep the weights from moving outward just due to 'gravity'. I've never seen one that did not have any springs.
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Old Feb 26, 2011 | 11:01 PM
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Sorry, but the springs don't keep the weights from moving outwards - they actually assist the inner weights to move outwards in the TH350 and TH400 transmissions - the lighter the weight, the later the 1-2 shift; the heavier the springs, the earlier the 1-2 shifts.
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