Nightmare
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Nightmare
I went to pick up my 86 auto from the garage, (I bought it off of the garage owner, my friend) and I took off down the street and it would not shift into second. It was like it kicked into neutral at the top of first and stayed there until you slowed down and then it would go back to first and do the same thing again.
Whats going on with this? Needless to say I left it at the garage to be fixed (or at least diagnosed). He said that it may have something to do with the valve body in the trans. All input appreciated. Thanks
Whats going on with this? Needless to say I left it at the garage to be fixed (or at least diagnosed). He said that it may have something to do with the valve body in the trans. All input appreciated. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,254
Likes: 221
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
No expert here, maybe a TV cable problem ??
Pete K, where are you
Here's a bit of help http://members.shaw.ca/agent86/Auto%...%20Service.pdf
Pete K, where are you
Here's a bit of help http://members.shaw.ca/agent86/Auto%...%20Service.pdf
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
that does not sound good. that describes a major internal failure, but it usually happens after 2nd gear, not after 1st.
You can try adjusting the TV cable, but I don't think it will fix a total inability to shift. It will fix a slow or mistimed shift.
You can try adjusting the TV cable, but I don't think it will fix a total inability to shift. It will fix a slow or mistimed shift.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
To be honest I did not check the fluid because we were really late for something else, and I would think that the mechanic would have done that but you know what they say about assumeing. Hopefully the tv cable adjustment will do something but I am fearing the worst. The bad part is that the garage is an hour away so it's not like I can just stop by. Does anybody know anything about the valve body? Thats what he suffested but who knows. I have read some other threads about another guys problem like this and a govenor gear was suggest as the problem. I really don't know transmissions but I am always looking to learn. My extent is replacing a clutch in a manual but I am hopeing it's not too expensive of a fix for this auto.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,517
Likes: 19
Sounds like a broken band mount. If it woould not shift to second, it could be many inexpensive possibilities. Another posibility is a blown seal in the servo. Not likely though. They are scarf cut teflon seals and do not fail suddenly.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
I am thinking that maybe with my lack of knowledge for the auto trans maybe the best thing to do is to tow the car home, pull the transmission myself and take it to a trans shop. I have a pretty reliable trans shop nearby.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 2,830
Likes: 20
From: Las Vegas Nevada
It might be worth your while to have the car towed to the tranny shop and let them diagnose it in the car. If it's in the valve body, TV cable or something else like that they can fix it in the car. It's also probably easier for them to diagnose it in the car where they can drive it.
If it turns out it's internal and the tranny has to come out tell them you will remove it and have it towed to your house. Then take it out and send the tranny to the shop. A guy I work with just had the exact same thing happen to his Dodge pickup and it turned out to be in the Valve body. $500 to fix and they didn't have to pull the tranny.
Just an idea,
If it turns out it's internal and the tranny has to come out tell them you will remove it and have it towed to your house. Then take it out and send the tranny to the shop. A guy I work with just had the exact same thing happen to his Dodge pickup and it turned out to be in the Valve body. $500 to fix and they didn't have to pull the tranny.
Just an idea,
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
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From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
If I have read right, you just bought this car and it doesn't shift? Didn't you test drive the car before laying down the cash? If the previous owner is your friend then I would think he would have told you about the trans or offer to fix it for you.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Well here is the story. My friend owns the garage and one of his customers could not pay their bill for the vette so he made an offer to buy the vette cheap. The customer took it. The garage owner did not have free time to mess with the car for personal use so he called me to see if I wanted to buy it for the same price he bought if for and I bought it. Going into this car I knew it needed a master cylindar and a rack and pinion steering rack. I paid him to put these componets in. Also I knew that the vette was in there for a valve body job in the first place. The mechanic assured me that the valve body was the problem and that is was fixed but I guess not. He is an honest guy and would not cheat me. I took my iroc to him before and he has charged me nothing at all if it didn't work perfect afterwards. So I went into this vette knowing I would have some problems to work out but I just wasn't ready for right away I guess.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,147
Likes: 302
From: Timra, Sweden
Mine did the same thing when it lost the 2-4 band for 2nd and 4th gear.
Shifting to second was like shifting to neutral.
If I revved it out in first and then let it coast it would shift to second, then third. Then i could get back on the thottle again and continue driving.
Fourth gear was also like neutral.
The most common fault is the 3-4 clutch and then you lose 3rd and 4th gear.
Shifting to second was like shifting to neutral.
If I revved it out in first and then let it coast it would shift to second, then third. Then i could get back on the thottle again and continue driving.
Fourth gear was also like neutral.
The most common fault is the 3-4 clutch and then you lose 3rd and 4th gear.
Last edited by JoBy; Feb 4, 2007 at 11:07 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
The car ran great on the way home. Thank god there is an honest mechanic still out there who doesn't charge out the a hole for labor or make up problems that need fixed. Shifted great, even shifted manually a little and I was really pleased. I have an Iroc 5.7tpi and this sure handles and drives overall much better than that. Can't wait now for some new paint and to start modding.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,517
Likes: 19
Sounds like you were quite lucky. Typically when the governor gear strips
out, the trans will stay in first gear and will not even try to upshift.
The symptoms you had sounded like a band broke. Glad to see you were lucky. I never am
out, the trans will stay in first gear and will not even try to upshift.
The symptoms you had sounded like a band broke. Glad to see you were lucky. I never am
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
He didnt charge me anything for the govenor gear or install. It did need a Powersteering rack and a new mastercylindar which was $400 installed. He said the powersteering rack was a hard install. They kept sending him the wrong part.
