What Are the Symptoms of a Bad 700R4 Governor?

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

The question says it all. I'm reluctant to write off my transmission if it's a simplish fix. It shifted very rough when I got it two years ago - like slam bang rough. I serviced the transmission and replaced a partially frayed TV cable about two years and a year and a half ago, respectively, and it's better, but it's gotta be something else. It actually shifted beautifully the first two trips to town after sitting since 2015, but the third and fourth trip were more like it used to be. I drove my dad's truck that has a failing transmission (E4OD) a few days ago, and it's not like this one at all. That truck is slipping horribly, can't access its fourth gear and can barely get moving in first and shift into second, has black trans fluid, and makes you completely nervous about making it home. Needless to say, it's unfortunately parked until a rebuild can be paid for, and this is like the third time the transmission's gone out in it in 227,000 miles and almost 22 years. The Jimmy has all its gears, good fluid, good TV adjustment, no metal in the filter when serviced and the fluid was throughly used, and no more slippage than a normally functioning transmission. The only thing that I'd report are the hard shifts, cold or hot, and they're later occurring than normal shifts. The 1-2 shift is the latest and roughest, the 2-3 is considerably better, and the 3-4 is flawless. Going back down from OD to first is perfectly smooth and well-timed. I know I'm gonna have to pull the governor to be sure, but I wanted a frame of reference before I went and popped the cap off.

 

[HotRodPC]

Sounds like maybe the 1-2 accumulator spring may be broken in the transmission. The accumulators is what cushions the shifts within a transmission.

 

[HotRodPC]

BTW, if the governor was bad it wouldn't shift at all. Usually a governor can only fail in 2 ways. Either the gear on the end of the governor has been sheered of it's teeth or the pin holding the gear has broke. Second way it can fail is if the governor valve is stuck and won't move in the cylinder.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Sounds like maybe the 1-2 accumulator spring may be broken in the transmission. The accumulators is what cushions the shifts within a transmission.

That makes a lot more sense than my initial prognosis. A shift correction kit would include the accumulator springs, right? What's the best kit to go with (i.e. Transgo)?

 

[Camatruder]

I'm not an expert on tranny's but here's what i experienced. I had the same issue and adjusted the tv-cable 10 times according procedures (you know with the clicks at full throttle). Still i found the shifts rather hard especially 1-2. Then i read somewhere that the tv-cable on the 700r4 often needs to be adjusted just a noth further and that did the trick for me, very smooth shifts on all gears. Be very carefully if you try, if you adjust it so that it shifts too soft you'll fry your tranny. Again i'm not an expert but it worked for me.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Actually the best way to adjust it is with the pan off, that way when you adjust it you can see if the plunger is all the way in, the lever should be up against the sleeve. And before you adjust the cable, you need to make sure that you have "full" throttle or it will never be right.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

You're saying a notch back from full tight? That's what I normally do. The TV adjustment hasn't had a bearing on the whole bang shift thing. I will play with it before dropping the pan, but that 1-2 spring and even the 2-3 spring are making a lot of sense to me.

 

[74 Shortbed]

No, the plunger needs to go all the way in at full throttle to start, the lever should be touching the sleeve, loosening it a hair will change the ***** if needed, that depends on final gear ratio.

 

[krautmeister]

If I could just tag along here... any chance if anyone knows if the governor gear for the 700r4 is the same as th350?

I ordered one for the th350, but with "real" research (I.e. Crawl under the truck) I've found it's a 700r4. The gear was cheap... not worth returning but I'll pop it on if I can get the governor out.

 

[HotRodPC]

If I could just tag along here... any chance if anyone knows if the governor gear for the 700r4 is the same as th350?

I ordered one for the th350, but with "real" research (I.e. Crawl under the truck) I've found it's a 700r4. The gear was cheap... not worth returning but I'll pop it on if I can get the governor out.

Geez, I'd hate to swear to it and be wrong, but I'm 99% certain the gears on the end of the governors are the same. Just don't swap the complete governors. IIRC, the shafts within the governor are different size and the weights are different, but pretty sure the plastic gear on the end is the same.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Gears are the same but the calibration is not the same, weights and springs would have to be changed..

 

[krautmeister]

Great thanks guys. It's a long shot as I think 3/4 is gone but I'm gonna go thru all the cheap trouble shooting first like TV cable and Governor gear.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

This is a little old. I've been working on my own car, I have to work on my mom's, and the unusually cold weather turned me into an overnight plumber. All these monkey wrenches are making me piss away my break that I needed to work on my Jimmy so I took it to a good trans shop to see about the transmission and install the shift kit. They found that the governor gear shaft was really wobbly so they're replacing that. So looks like the governor was causing me headaches after all.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Taxes go up and your daughters pregnant.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Is that a "that's life" statement?