ok so i have a 1987 s-10 blazer 4x4 with an automatic tranny and the problem im having is that the tranny wont shift out of second gear but will just rev really high and then sometimes just shut off the motor. ive read that when it does this in newer wodels it means that the tranny is done but i just had it rebuilt like 3 or 4 years ago?
thanks for any help all

 

so nobody has any advice or had a similar experience?

 

Sorry to get back to you so late.

Typically when it sticks like that its either the trottle valve, governor, or TV cable.
TV cable is easy to adjust, however if you haven't messed with it, its probable not the problem, however you need to check anyways. Look for the cable where it attaches to the trottle linkage ont he engine, pull hte cable, if it has some resistencen and stops its still atttached in the tranny. Let go and it the cable retracts spring is good, and I doubt its your tv cable.

You can do the governor yourself, however you have to remove the t-case floor shifter, not difficult and you have to go at it from under the truck. There is a rubber boot and the best way to get into the boot is inside the cab of the truck. Pull the top boot off and it will free the lower boot, then push the lower boot out of the way. While your there you will see a long flat part in the lower boot, that opens up and you can put a socket in to take the shift leverl bolt out, thats way you dont have to take th boot out. However its no doubt stuck together and damn near impossible to open up.

As for the trottle vavle. you have to drop the tranny pan, and take out the valve body. I wont go into this unless you have some mechanical expieceince. Your messing with the tranny brain here.

Post up and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.


On a side note.
How much tranny fluid do you have?
Check it with the engine running and parked on level ground. While your checkin ghte fluid note the color and smell. Post up.

 

hey thanks for getting back to me

the fluid is pretty dark brown and i can smell a hint of burnt fluid

will changing the fluid possibly help at all of has the damage been done?

as for dropping the pan, i can do that but as far as messing with the "brain," a surgeon i am not, but is what i might have to easy or really involved. I heard that if you change the fluid you can some addative that is supposed to clean out the gunk in the valve, does that stuff actually work?

im still confused as to why the fluid is burnt in the forst place because it has only been like 20000 since the rebuild and i dont drive it hard at all?

thanks

 

Wow... Couldn't wait the whole 2 hours...

Anyway, if the fluid is burnt after 20k miles, either something is wrong with the transmission, causing excessive heat or you are driving it quite hard, causing excessive heat.

Was a new torque converter put into it when the transmission was rebuilt?

 

These trucks like to eat trannys. If you don't have a tranny cooler on it get one. My tranny shop wouldn't even warrenty it unless I put a cooler on it ( I know the guy and he wasn't trying to make me buy one of theirs cause I supplied my own) cause they have so many problems out of them.

 

If your tranny fluid is dark brown and has a hint of burnt smell to it.......
You can changes the fluid and see if that helps, bu tdont hold your breath.

No need to add anything to clean up the tranny debris, tranny fluid is full of detergents. It'll do it all by itself, however you may want to add some Lucas tranny treatment to help those seals seal after the new fluid cleans them.

Sounds to me like your tv cable may not have been adjusted properly, or your torque converter never locked up.


No typically changing the fluid wont unstick a valve. This of it this way, a piece of grit the size of a grain of salt gets lodged between two pieces of steel and stops the valve from moving, no amount of cleaner will get that grit out. The only way to get it out is to take it apart and clean it with brake cleaner or parts cleaner. Never use a rag.

Swarts questions is a valid one, did they replace teh torque converter when it was rebuilt?

Your best option at this point is to take it to the shop and have them diagnose it. Remind them that they rebuild it 20,000 miles ago. I doubt its still under warrenty, however its a pride thing for them. It should have lasted a lot longer then 20,000 miles.


No 700R4/4L60/4L60E is not a troubled tranny, there are litterally millions of them in service. GM put them in EVERY 1/2 ton and lighter rear wheel drive vehicle they sell since the early '80's. That list includes all 1/2 ton fullsize pickup trucks, fullsize Blazers, Tahoes, Suburbans, all the S-Series trucks, Astro vans, Corevettes, etc. There are literally millions of them out there, and they are one of the best auto trannies on the market. The only time not having a tranny cooler will toast the tranny is if your rad cooler is plugged, your towing a lot, or your torque converter isn't locking up.

 

wow guys thanks for all the help,
when i got the rebuild they did not replace the torque converter but would a bad torque converter cause it to shift into first and second but not third and overdrive. i dont think the tv cable is it because it was fine like a week ago and then suddenly not shift out of second. i drained the tranny and am going to add some transx to see if it helps and i also am going to put a new shift solenoid in because i took it out to check it out and i could not get it to activate with two 9 volt batteries so it might be bad. if that doesnt work im probably going to trash it unless when i call on wednesday (becasue xmas) to the tranny shop they are shocked and want to everything free of charge because i dont think it is worh dropping even 250 to fix the balzer when it is only worth 800 or so. ive been saving up for almost 2 years because i new this day was coming soon and with 185000 miles on it i think it is time to put it out to pasture
thanks again though all

 

By not replacing the torque converter they could have seriously shortened the life of the 'new' transmission. Old torque converters can harbor all kinds of junk from the old transmission and let it loose at any moment. Not to mention that an old, worn out torque converter can fry transmission fluid quickly as most of the heat in a transmission is created by the torque converter. I'm surprised that the shop did not specifically tell you to replace the torque converter...

 

hmmm well i just re-read my receipt and it actually said that they put in a remanufactured torque converter? i wonder if it went bad or one of the clutch packs because i sure as hell drove it gently