85 with shift kit?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
85 with shift kit?
I just bought my first vette and am hooked on them. I have a stock 85 that will be getting a lot of attention that it seems to have lacked from previous owners. I don't know anything about the cars history. I had never been in a vette until this one. When I shift it into drive it seems to engage hard. No clanking sound just a hard shift into drive. When you accelerate it seems to shift hard into 2nd and 3rd really quick. I hit overdrive at about 40. Some times it hesitates a little from 3rd to 4th. Is this type of shifting normal for an 85? A mechanic said it probably has a shift kit. Is that a good thing? What is the difference in shifting from stock and one with a shift kit? Thanks in advance. This forum is great. I have learned a lot from ya’ll.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,517
Likes: 19
Originally Posted by pearlvette
I just bought my first vette and am hooked on them. I have a stock 85 that will be getting a lot of attention that it seems to have lacked from previous owners. I don't know anything about the cars history. I had never been in a vette until this one. When I shift it into drive it seems to engage hard. No clanking sound just a hard shift into drive. When you accelerate it seems to shift hard into 2nd and 3rd really quick. I hit overdrive at about 40. Some times it hesitates a little from 3rd to 4th. Is this type of shifting normal for an 85? A mechanic said it probably has a shift kit. Is that a good thing? What is the difference in shifting from stock and one with a shift kit? Thanks in advance. This forum is great. I have learned a lot from ya’ll.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
Do you think the accelleration hesitation could be from the transmission or something elese??? It kind of feels like a manual transmission when you accelerate and it is geared to high. A slight bog or hesitation.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,923
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From: GA
Originally Posted by Pete K
2 months into 87 production year, an aux valve body was added to the 700r4 trans. It cushioned the engagement into drive. Early, non aux 700's were a bit harsh. Even in stock form, the vette trans will shift a bit firm. Your description sounds like it may be stock, or maybe not.
Sounds like stock. Also, there was a TSB released on the 85 TPI's, dealing with the ECM. There was an updated chip you could buy from GM for them and it addressed a number of problems experianced with them. They were: False code 34, cold drive away problems, trans switching in and out of torque converter lock up (probably the "shifting hesitation" you describe). If your car never got the updated PROM chip, then you are going to be seeing those problems.
The problems stemmed from two things, one was bad programming and the other was GM's mishandling of the chips. They had the chips programmed but didn't put the silver stickers over the UV erase window until they installed the chips. So, the ships were exposed to light without the window covered and this started a very slow erase process that corrupted the programming.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 27
From: Athens Ohio
I've had my 86 for the last four years. Mine shifts into drive the same way yours does. Doesn't bother me, I have gotten used to it. I know most guys on the forum don't like the hyperchip because it doesn't add to performance, but it does make the lock up between gears much smoother. I admit it. I have one in mine.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,923
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From: GA
Originally Posted by pearlvette
Would the dealer still carry the updatd chip? If not, do you know of a reputable site to find one?