700r4 problem
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
700r4 problem
I have a stock 88 corvette with auto trans. Car has approx 120k miles. Only drive it about 2,000 miles per year. Have never had any problems with the trans. I regularly change the fluid and filter every 2 years.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
I have a stock 88 corvette with auto trans. Car has approx 120k miles. Only drive it about 2,000 miles per year. Have never had any problems with the trans. I regularly change the fluid and filter every 2 years.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 265
Likes: 5
From: Phoenix AZ
Just went through this on my 87. Had to replace the TV cable. What a job! I'm betting you have the same problem. Have you checked it for slack? There should be none. If there is, try adjusting it first. It won't work, but hey, ya never know. It's a $35 part. Got mine at Chevrolet dealership. You are in for some fun. And not in a good way. Let me know if you need help.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,870
Likes: 25
From: Long Island, NY
I have a stock 88 corvette with auto trans. Car has approx 120k miles. Only drive it about 2,000 miles per year. Have never had any problems with the trans. I regularly change the fluid and filter every 2 years.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
That usually means the 3/4 clutch pack is dead.
This is the most common failure on the 700R4.
You did get 120Kmiles out of it.
Vic
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 265
Likes: 5
From: Phoenix AZ
You do realize that to get to the governor you will need to remove the exhaust system. Same if you need to replace the TV cable. If you don't have a FSM, get one. ASAP. Do not mess with the governor without referring to it. These cars are notorious for having things break while you're working on something else.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,698
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
If you get a 1-2 shift but not a 2-3 shift, it's not a governor problem. The governor doesn't know or care what gear the tyranny is in. If it allows a normal 1-2 shift, it's working fine. Don't waste your time there.
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,704
Likes: 8
As said before a 3-4 clutch failure is a common issue for the 700r.But usually it shows debris into your pan and the oil smell as burned cafe,which seems not to be your case.a th700r4 can give you 200k miles of service,but 150k is the service life expected.Guys here may report of 250k miles unit but these are exceptions.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,661
Likes: 806
From: Saskatoon Sask.
I have a stock 88 corvette with auto trans. Car has approx 120k miles. Only drive it about 2,000 miles per year. Have never had any problems with the trans. I regularly change the fluid and filter every 2 years.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Yesterday took the car out for a short errand. It ran fine to my destination where it sat for 90 minutes.
On the return trip (approx 5 miles) the trans shifted hard into 2nd gear and would not shift into 3rd or overdrive. Reverse functions properly. Am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with the trans. Fluid is pink and fresh with no metal or band material visible on dipstick. I have owned this car for 15 years and am the only driver. My fellow corvette owner/neighbor thinks it a gummed up governor or valve body due to limited miles driven. Any other suggestions welcome. Also, would cleaning the governor and or valve body be a do it yourself project. Thanks for comments.
Last edited by arbee; Nov 14, 2014 at 08:32 AM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 265
Likes: 5
From: Phoenix AZ
There is a bright side to this. If you had plans to swap out your exhaust and install headers, this is the time to do it. Since the exhaust has to come off anyway. If you didn't plan on an exhaust upgrade... well, no bright side. Just lots of cussing. 
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
That's exactly what happened to my '89 and the most common tranny failure for a 700R4 in a vette. You need to rebuild your tranny.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,661
Likes: 806
From: Saskatoon Sask.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 265
Likes: 5
From: Phoenix AZ
How'd you manage that? Unless it's because it's on the side. Still, with the pipe right there. What's funny is the FSM says drop the exhaust for the governor, but not for the TV cable, which is impossible to get to with the exhaust there. And I'm dyin to know what's going on with this car.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 140
Likes: 7
From: Fort Ripley Minnesota
Frank,
My tranny did the same thing a few months back, I went WOT no the return road and had no tranny response at all after that. It would shift through the gears at a high RPM (2500 - 3000). At cruising speed it felt as if it was never locked into gear (3-4) felt like it was slipping. Long story short, my TV cable came loose from the linkage rod which connects the TV cable to the valve in the tranny. One screw on the right side of the tranny holds the TV cable in place, remove it and you should see the linkage attached and slack in the cable up top is no good either.
My tranny did the same thing a few months back, I went WOT no the return road and had no tranny response at all after that. It would shift through the gears at a high RPM (2500 - 3000). At cruising speed it felt as if it was never locked into gear (3-4) felt like it was slipping. Long story short, my TV cable came loose from the linkage rod which connects the TV cable to the valve in the tranny. One screw on the right side of the tranny holds the TV cable in place, remove it and you should see the linkage attached and slack in the cable up top is no good either.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Member Mcfly provided great instructions on how to adjust the TV cable. With the help of my neighbor we adjusted the cable and then drove the car. I am happy to report that the transmission is back to shifting normally again. The cable had a slight amount of slack when the gas pedal was pressed to the floor before adjustment.
After adjustment, the cable was pulled tight at the wide open position.
Again thanks for all the help.
After adjustment, the cable was pulled tight at the wide open position.
Again thanks for all the help.