700r4 not shifting out of 1st

[Johnathan S]

I don’t know what it is with me and transmissions but we just can’t get along. I had my original 700r4 professionally rebuilt about a month ago and last night I got on it nothing to crazy and it wouldn’t shift... pulled over checked TV cable and it was fine everything seemed ok, got it home left it alone and this morning I was browsing the forums for this and a common problem with not shifting out of 1st gear is the governor, checked it and the valves were stuck, cleaned it up got the valves free put it back in and it was doing the same thing. Took it back out took the governor out of my other 700r4 and it’s still not shifting. Double checked the TV cable, trans fluid is still nice and pink doesn’t smell bad and so now I’m kinda stuck. I’m gonna call the guy who rebuilt in the morning see if he can help me out but I’m posting this to see if you guys have any easy things to look for. Any help is appreciated! **update it will shift out of first but not until 4500 RPM

 

[Arkansas_V8]

My opinion- Easy to Look for a th350, or th400. J/K.

The 700r4 is junk my opinion.


Awesome you did a butt ton of research before asking, and getting my smart ass answer.

 

[yevgenievich]

Possibly stuck tv valve. Sitting at idle pull on TV cable couple of time all the way out and see if it unsticks. Or also see if it will shift at full throttle.

 

[MikeB]

There are way too many comments about this part or that being "junk", when problems are almost always due to owner, re-builder, or mechanic error.

Now if the words "junk" and "Chinese" are used in the same sentence, I have no problem with that.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

There are way too many comments about this part or that being "junk", when problems are almost always due to owner, re-builder, or mechanic error.

Now if the words "junk" and "Chinese" are used in the same sentence, I have no problem with that.

I said my opinion. But in the rocks, and for my uses it is JUNK.

 

[Johnathan S]

Possibly stuck tv valve. Sitting at idle pull on TV cable couple of time all the way out and see if it unsticks. Or also see if it will shift at full throttle.

You were right, some guy on another forum said to mash the gas 10 times and let it snap back and that was the fix lol.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

You were right, some guy on another forum said to mash the gas 10 times and let it snap back and that was the fix lol.

No matter my opinion, I am glad you got it fixed. @yevgenievich is typically right.

 

[Dave 84]

My 700r4 is nice all my other k5s could not handle the free way this one runs 80 at about 2800 rpm!

 

[Johnathan S]

No matter my opinion, I am glad you got it fixed. @yevgenievich is typically right.

Well now I’m not disagreeing with you, but I didn’t know if the dimensions were the same so I didn’t wanna have to get another driveshaft, crossmember, shift linkage and whatever else, I just went for what I knew would be cheap and bolt right in

 

[Johnathan S]

My 700r4 is nice all my other k5s could not handle the free way this one runs 80 at about 2800 rpm!

Yeah they’re great, I got 2:73’s in the back with TCC lockup and mine runs about 1800 at 80 mph, not great for racing but I’ll take the MPG lol

 

[Dave 84]

Ya mine is a driver it's a new thing for me all my other ones got cut up and completely destroyed from rocks and would take all the good parts off and get another one! Not now I'm not going to get any body damage on this one!

 

[yevgenievich]

You were right, some guy on another forum said to mash the gas 10 times and let it snap back and that was the fix lol.

It can stick again. If it start sticking often, a Jr shift kit has a piece that goes in to the spring (in the tcc engage bore of the valve body) that keeps it from sticking

 

[Johnathan S]

It can stick again. If it start sticking often, a Jr shift kit has a piece that goes in to the spring (in the tcc engage bore of the valve body) that keeps it from sticking

Do you know what causes it to stick? Because like I said the governor stuck too so maybe just debris?

 

[yevgenievich]

Do you know what causes it to stick? Because like I said the governor stuck too so maybe just debris?

Debris and wear. Often it will keep sticking until corrected with a kit. But sometimes will be fine

 

[Matt69olds]

Sometimes loosening al the valve body bolts, and then retorquing them with a accurate inch pound torque wrench can solve the binding issue. Start from the center, and work your way around in a circle. If the bolts are overtorqued, or torqued unevenly, it can distort the valve body casting enough to cause the valves to stick. The tolerances are pretty precise in a valve body, the slightest debris or imperfection can cause things to hang up and stick.

Btw, when polishing a valve, don’t ever polish the sharp edge from a valve land. Those sharp edges are purposely machined to prevent debris from wedging itself between the valve and bore. Rounding off the shape edge will provide a convenient spot for debris to hang up and stick a valve