Replace 82 Trans with OE or something else?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Replace 82 Trans with OE or something else?
whats up guys, my auto trans doesn't shift passed 25mph it will just rev as if it is stuck. unless i floor it in which case it will accelerate. i was quoted $1500 to repair it. Mechanic said my 3rd gear is burned out. so i just called the junk yard, guy said he can order a used operating trans from another junk yard. it will cost $400 plus my old trans. i wanted your guys opinion on if i should get this used trans or get something different? Are 82 transmissions hard to fix? can just any transmission mechanic fix them? thanks guys your help is very much appreciated! 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
whats up guys, my auto trans doesn't shift passed 25mph it will just rev as if it is stuck. unless i floor it in which case it will accelerate. i was quoted $1500 to repair it. Mechanic said my 3rd gear is burned out. so i just called the junk yard, guy said he can order a used operating trans from another junk yard. it will cost $400 plus my old trans. i wanted your guys opinion on if i should get this used trans or get something different? Are 82 transmissions hard to fix? can just any transmission mechanic fix them? thanks guys your help is very much appreciated!
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
so youre saying its best to keep it all original? i do like the sound of that.. so the question is save a few hundred dollars and get another trans? or spend a few hundred more to get mine rebuilt and keep it original? i think the answer is clear unfortunately :/
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
yea i called another tranny shop and he also quoted me at $1500. that would include everything from parts and labor. i guess i gotta do what i gotta do. i don't plan on ever selling the car and would like to pass it down someday so i guess its best to just get the original tranny fixed 
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
thanks again!
Last edited by 82CEzeke; Feb 12, 2014 at 08:09 PM. Reason: link provided
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,000
Likes: 299
From: New York
It looks like you are hitting 1-2 , 2-3 and no 4th .
Open the hood , pull the exposed wire on the TV cable ..It will be what most remember as a kick down or passing gear cable.. It will run down to the pass side of trans ,,anyway pull that wire out several times and then drive the car teh wire will be exposes and should be easily accessible
Also if that does not help on the next road test pull shifter all the way back. Shift the car manually .. and count how many shifts you feel nice video do it again if u have to try the manual shifting
Open the hood , pull the exposed wire on the TV cable ..It will be what most remember as a kick down or passing gear cable.. It will run down to the pass side of trans ,,anyway pull that wire out several times and then drive the car teh wire will be exposes and should be easily accessible
Also if that does not help on the next road test pull shifter all the way back. Shift the car manually .. and count how many shifts you feel nice video do it again if u have to try the manual shifting
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 551
From: Seattle Washington
One problem that hasn't come up yet is that Your 700R4 is the earliest version made. You might want to run the Numbers to see if it is indeed the original trans. There was a fair amount of growing problems as they were developed. Any Tranny guy worth his salt will quikly point this out and will want to change a lot of Parts and do up grades as he rebuilds it. All these parts are not going to be cheap if bought new. Another idea is to buy a newer Trans ( say 1990 or newer) which will come with most of the upgrades and use it for parts and put them in Your original case with the original numbers. I realize that I'm just making things more confusing but 700R4's are pretty easy to come by today and cores are cheap. I think that most Tranny Guys will tell You that an early ones aren't worth the time to upgrade.
Another thing You might look at is the Oil and Filter. If they are both Clean then You probably don't need a rebuild, You only need something fixed. If the Oil is burned and the Pan is full of Metal its probably scrap.
Another thing You might look at is the Oil and Filter. If they are both Clean then You probably don't need a rebuild, You only need something fixed. If the Oil is burned and the Pan is full of Metal its probably scrap.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 28
From: Burkburnett TX
I just went through this last year. As stated the early trans had issues. You can do a lot of upgrades to help but the only way to get them all is with a late 80s case, I think after 87. I kept my original though as I don't race it and did the upgraded sunshell, pump, input shaft, shift kit, governor, and a bag of other tricks that the trans guy knew about to help it live a long life. All told including upgrades and r&r I was out the door for 1100. Including tax. Shop around and ask questions. As for used trans....i consider a used 700r4 that I don't know the history of to be a very bad investment.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
I just went through this last year. As stated the early trans had issues. You can do a lot of upgrades to help but the only way to get them all is with a late 80s case, I think after 87. I kept my original though as I don't race it and did the upgraded sunshell, pump, input shaft, shift kit, governor, and a bag of other tricks that the trans guy knew about to help it live a long life. All told including upgrades and r&r I was out the door for 1100. Including tax. Shop around and ask questions. As for used trans....i consider a used 700r4 that I don't know the history of to be a very bad investment.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 551
From: Seattle Washington
What I would do is to start shopping for a Used core to have rebuilt. As said above a late 80's has most of the up graded parts. And You don't want one to new either, as they switched to Electronic some time around the time they re named the 700R4 a 60LE or what ever they are called now. What might prove to be the best place to find a Core is the guy who You pick to rebuild it. Most Tranny Guys always have one laying around, or have a list of wrecking yards they work with. Once You get a Core then You will need to make the choice of whether or not You want to keep the original numbers. I would guess that it would take a couple of hours, or $150 or so to disassemble Your original. Putting the Guts from Your Core into Your Original Trans case with its Numbers shouldn't cost any more . Then You are going to end up with one to many Transmissions that is all disassembled, and You might strike a deal with the Tranny Guy so He can use it for the next guy.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,000
Likes: 299
From: New York
His unit is fine to rebuild as long as he takes it to a good shop. All the upgrades he needs can be done once it is on the bench. And he will get years and years of service from it.
Most upgrades everyone mentions are part of a basic rebuild and not some magic or unique part . Almost always a good shop does the upgrades because they do not need the units they build to come back on them.
I would still have someone diagnose yours first and have answers as to what failed as well as have you into the shop once it is apart to show you the failures and the upgrades they install.
It is a straight forward build .
Most upgrades everyone mentions are part of a basic rebuild and not some magic or unique part . Almost always a good shop does the upgrades because they do not need the units they build to come back on them.
I would still have someone diagnose yours first and have answers as to what failed as well as have you into the shop once it is apart to show you the failures and the upgrades they install.
It is a straight forward build .
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
His unit is fine to rebuild as long as he takes it to a good shop. All the upgrades he needs can be done once it is on the bench. And he will get years and years of service from it.
Most upgrades everyone mentions are part of a basic rebuild and not some magic or unique part . Almost always a good shop does the upgrades because they do not need the units they build to come back on them.
I would still have someone diagnose yours first and have answers as to what failed as well as have you into the shop once it is apart to show you the failures and the upgrades they install.
It is a straight forward build .
Most upgrades everyone mentions are part of a basic rebuild and not some magic or unique part . Almost always a good shop does the upgrades because they do not need the units they build to come back on them.
I would still have someone diagnose yours first and have answers as to what failed as well as have you into the shop once it is apart to show you the failures and the upgrades they install.
It is a straight forward build .
