Transmission?

[JDawley]

Truck- 1987 Silverado, 5.7L 700r4 transmission

My truck has 108,000 miles and the transmission has been acting up lately. I have advice from 100 different people with 100 different answers. I am not a mechanic and would love to just get this figured out without having to replace or rebuild the tranny.

First to second is always smooth, 2 to 3 requires high rmp to finally "slam" in to gear, and I can get it into 4th if at high rpm's a let off the throttle for just a second. Normally if I sit by the side of the road and go through all the gears a few times I can get it to act normal again, however the moment I "hot-rod" it the trans starts to act up again.
I have had it flushed but there was no difference.......Any ideas before I drop the money on a rebuild or replacement? Oh and one last thing don't know if it's relevant but I seem to smell gas constantly in the exhaust and when I walk past the hood soon after shutting it off......Thanks

 

[animal]

Welcome Jeremy. HotRod or one of the other trans. guy's should be by soon and will offer up what they think is wrong with the Transmission. You will get good direction here.

 

[JDawley]

Thanks, I have a lot of good intentions for this truck looking forward to showing off pics soon

 

[philjafo]

I would start with adjusting the tv cable, on the 700 r4 its not just a kickdown cable. When you had it flushed did that also include a new filter?

 

[JDawley]

No new filter o the flush, just fresh fluid. Are there specifics on adjusting the tv cable?

 

[philjafo]

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4833

It's the first sticky in the automatic transmission section.

 

[JDawley]

I found what I think is the tv cable its about 4-5 inches long and sits just belo my air intake, when I had my daughter step on the gas pedal the cable itself did not move there was some type of slider on it looked like it was cotter pinned. Also the 'cable' pushed into a rubber boot on my firewall, but again didn't look like it was perfoming properly....

 

[philjafo]

It sounds like you dont have the right cable. It should go directly between the carb or throttle body and the trans. Never goes into the firewall, that would be the throttle cable.

Here is a pretty good pic, its on a tpi motor and it should go straight across on yours. I this pic it crosses the throttle cable, but the process for adjustment is the same.

 

[bfd378]

I would suggest a new filter. And check for any shavings in the pan. Might be picking up trash

 

[HotRodPC]

First, check fluid level at normal operating engine temp. Yep, does sound as if it can be a TV cable issue. I'd first get that adjusted properly and/or working properly then retest. See if that makes a difference and corrects the problem.

If not, going to be a more complex issue like a sticky valve in the valve body or worn 3/4 clutch pack.

 

[JDawley]

The fluid is perfect (refilled with fresh after the flush) I have found the TV cable but do not see how to adjust it at this point, I will keep playing around with it this weekend. At least now I have a better direction to point my mechanic in..... i wonder if I am better off just replacing the cable?

 

[JDawley]

Oddly, today and last night it has been running and shifting like a dream....

 

[JDawley]

So after a 10 minute trip to wally world, I decide to stop by Autozone and get clarification on the tv cable. The guy showed me where it was and told me how to adjust it, he took the top off my intake and then replaced it after we were through. When I tried to start it all I got was a steady turn over. Then after a few minutes it started up with a big cloud of smoke that the autozone guy told me was from the gas......Now driving like a champ again, is there anything in the fuel delivery systemthat would be causing any of my shifting issues??

 

[HotRodPC]

So after a 10 minute trip to wally world, I decide to stop by Autozone and get clarification on the tv cable. The guy showed me where it was and told me how to adjust it, he took the top off my intake and then replaced it after we were through. When I tried to start it all I got was a steady turn over. Then after a few minutes it started up with a big cloud of smoke that the autozone guy told me was from the gas......Now driving like a champ again, is there anything in the fuel delivery systemthat would be causing any of my shifting issues??

Not sure how, but I did have to go look to see what year we're working on, it seems another 87 (TBI) 700r4 had a similar issues. Trans not working so great, fixed something on the motor and trans started working fine. I could see this on a 4L60-E or a Th400 or Th350 that have a Vac Mod, but how a 700r4 does, I've got no clue.

 

[philjafo]

Maybe the guy at AutoZone got something stuck when he pulled the throttle blades to wot. If it was a carb motor I would say it was flooded but tbi don't work the same way.

"Driving like a champ again" does that mean the shifting problem is gone and the starting issue was a one time thing?