New tranny = lots of issues!!!!!!!

[excobraguy]

I put in my new engine and tranny and the engine is running great!!!!!! The tranny right now is running like a POS. I bought it from Transmission Depot out of Florida and had it shipped to me. It's a non BRF tranny I think it's got a CRF tag on it, anyway, the tranny is shifting like crap. I've adjusted the TV cable, using the normal adjusting procedure and it still shifts like crap. I am so disappointed I am beside myself. If I shift the car manually it will shift fine. If I put it in drive or overdrive it is shifting way too soon and lugging like it is still in overdrive when coming to a stop.........any ideas on what to try????? Here's a link to the tranny I bought

Tranny

 

[jakeshoe]

You need to go down the list of diagnosis.

Is it full of fluid?

Is the TV cable PROPERLY adjusted?

Does it shift through all the gears, any better than the others or worse?

What are the pressures?

I'm going to assume you have the fluid level correct.

I'm going to caution you that setting the TV cable isn't a guessing game. Set it so that you have a tight cable, full extension at WOT. Don't mess with it from this point unless you have late/hard shifts that are a symptom of a slightly too long TV plunger spring (which is a good thing IMO).

Next,
If it is still acting weak, put a pressure guage on it. It's been covered here many times. Just go buy the gauge, it's worth every penny many times over even if you only use it once.

Report back with the pressures and we'll help ya out.

Did you contact the vendor? I think that should always be the first place you go to.

Next,
and I don't want to sound harsh but...
You bought a trans including converter for $1400, with a "new" input drum (where are they getting those, because GM doesn't sell them anymore), a hardened sun shell (not expensive) an upgraded band, a valve body kit, a servo (Not usually cheap), fully rebuilt, all new sprags, hardened pump rings, bigger boost valve, etc. etc..

In truth most of these upgradesd aren't expensive. A .500 boost valve costs a trans shop about $4, same for the bigger reverse valve. A hardened sun shell is about $15, Alto band is about $25, rebuild kit is about $80, etc.

However it all adds up, plus the converter, plus the core, and labor, overhead.

Do you REALLY think the trans has all it's advertised to have AND top notch assembly?

I'm doubtful.

You can usually get a pretty good gauge of what they SHOULD cost for the unit by looking at various vendors, QUALITY vendors like you have here on TB.com.

 

[excobraguy]

You need to go down the list of diagnosis.

Is it full of fluid?

Is the TV cable PROPERLY adjusted?

Does it shift through all the gears, any better than the others or worse?

What are the pressures?

I'm going to assume you have the fluid level correct.

I'm going to caution you that setting the TV cable isn't a guessing game. Set it so that you have a tight cable, full extension at WOT. Don't mess with it from this point unless you have late/hard shifts that are a symptom of a slightly too long TV plunger spring (which is a good thing IMO).

Next,
If it is still acting weak, put a pressure guage on it. It's been covered here many times. Just go buy the gauge, it's worth every penny many times over even if you only use it once.

Report back with the pressures and we'll help ya out.

Did you contact the vendor? I think that should always be the first place you go to.

Next,
and I don't want to sound harsh but...
You bought a trans including converter for $1400, with a "new" input drum (where are they getting those, because GM doesn't sell them anymore), a hardened sun shell (not expensive) an upgraded band, a valve body kit, a servo (Not usually cheap), fully rebuilt, all new sprags, hardened pump rings, bigger boost valve, etc. etc..

In truth most of these upgradesd aren't expensive. A .500 boost valve costs a trans shop about $4, same for the bigger reverse valve. A hardened sun shell is about $15, Alto band is about $25, rebuild kit is about $80, etc.

However it all adds up, plus the converter, plus the core, and labor, overhead.

Do you REALLY think the trans has all it's advertised to have AND top notch assembly?

I'm doubtful.

You can usually get a pretty good gauge of what they SHOULD cost for the unit by looking at various vendors, QUALITY vendors like you have here on TB.com.

Thanks for the input. I will have to get a guage to check the pressures. I hear what you are saying about the vendors on the board here. Yes, I agree they are good but I was trying to save some money where I could.....The place I bought it from seems pretty reputable and I called the guy and talked to him extensively before deciding to buy the tranny. I adjusted the TV cable by pushing in the "D" clip, pushing the cable back towards the firewall and then pushing the gas pedal down to the floor at which point the cable stretched out and clicked into place. I have a call into the place I bought the tranny from........waiting for the call back.

 

[jakeshoe]

Ya,
Double check the cable and be sure when the accel pedal is to the floor the cable is TIGHT.
Sometimes they'll jump an extra tooth or two on the GM spec'd adjustment and not be right.

Is this a stock type install, as far as all the geometry on the throttle body/carb ?

 

[excobraguy]

Ya,
Double check the cable and be sure when the accel pedal is to the floor the cable is TIGHT.
Sometimes they'll jump an extra tooth or two on the GM spec'd adjustment and not be right.

Is this a stock type install, as far as all the geometry on the throttle body/carb ?

Yep, it's a stock setup as far as the linkage goes........is it the closer back towards the firewall the longer it will take to shift? Right now it seems like the car goes from 1st to 3rd in like 2 seconds, under part throttle. Then when coming to a stop you have to completely stop to get it to downshift into 1st gear.......

 

[jakeshoe]

YA,
Cable towards the firewall would be tighter.

You could have a stuck boost valve. Pretty common, the new ones need to be polished a bit with some very fine paper and solvent or a brass wire wheel and cleaned before install.
Could also be a stuck TV valve. Very common.

You can try unhooking the cable from the TB, fire it up, rev it up to about 1500, and pull the cable all the way out and let it all the way loose about 15-20 times, and see if that helps.

It may unstick the TV valve and solve your problems.

It sounds alot like a stuck TV valve to me, if it's not changing symptoms with cable adjustment.

 

[excobraguy]

YA,
Cable towards the firewall would be tighter.

You could have a stuck boost valve. Pretty common, the new ones need to be polished a bit with some very fine paper and solvent or a brass wire wheel and cleaned before install.
Could also be a stuck TV valve. Very common.

You can try unhooking the cable from the TB, fire it up, rev it up to about 1500, and pull the cable all the way out and let it all the way loose about 15-20 times, and see if that helps.

It may unstick the TV valve and solve your problems.

It sounds alot like a stuck TV valve to me, if it's not changing symptoms with cable adjustment.

Hey, I appreciate the input. You seem to know a lot about the tranny's. I have to go to bed right now and then I am out of town for 3 days for work!!! Would it be possible to get in contact with you later this week if I am still having problems????? If so, send me a PM with your contact info..........thanks again, much appreciated.

 

[BOSS 6]

sorry to hear the bad news about your trans. I started to get one from that place to but didn't instead got Brian to build me one.

 

[excobraguy]

sorry to hear the bad news about your trans. I started to get one from that place to but didn't instead got Brian to build me one.

My old transmission I took out shifted better than this one. I replaced it for a couple of reasons. It had a lot of miles and it was flaring between shifts pretty bad. I thought I would buy this one, rated to 750 HP, and then rebuild my other one later as I got more money..........the new one is all over the place with it's shifting, no consistency at all. And it is like it just stays in overdrive all the time and will not downshift to first unless you completely stop.........the shift kit in it is also a piece of garbage, yanking my ujoints all over the place with it's jerky shifting. When you take off it feels like it is in second gear and then immediately shifts to 3rd..........

 

[turbojimmy]

I know hindsight is 20/20 and it's too late for you, but I'm going to say this for the benefit of others who might stumble upon this thread.

[size=+1]The old adage 'you get what you pay for' was first uttered by someone who tried to save money by cheaping out on their 2004-R.[/size]

If you are going to put a 2004-R behind anything other than a stock GN engine you need to have it built by someone who really knows these transmissions inside and out. And even then success is not guaranteed (ask me how I know). I can count on one hand the number of people I'd trust with my transmission, and I'm missing 3 fingers from an industrial accident (not really, but you get the point).

Your problem really sounds like a misadjusted TV cable, though. If it's too tight the line pressure is going to be too high and it will shift very quickly and not want to go the whole way down to first. It will bog as you come to a stop. I had to get my cable that tight on my car in an attempt to get a 2-3 shift that would hold under boost. Unfortunately, the TV cable isn't the ATIYTGII cable ('Adjust This If Your Transmission Guy Is Incompetent') so I had to take the trans out and have it redone. 3 times. Fool me once, shame on you..fool me twice, and then a third time....and I'm an idiot. But I digress.

I would reset the cable by letting it adjust itself and see where your shifts are at. You may want to tighten it a notch or two after that.

Good luck.

Jim

 

[49-blues]

Isnt the code "CRF" a chevy trans with a different valve body?

 

[SSedan64]

Isnt the code "CRF" a chevy trans with a different valve body?

The CRF isn't one of the best trans to start with. Came behind standard GM 305 & 307 V8s.
THM 200-4R Information

 

[TurboDave]

Let's see if I uderstand this properly.

You buy a transmission from Transmission Depot (not exactly a steller performance tranny house).
You get the wrong tranny (CRF not BRF)

and you expect it to perform as the correct tranny should???

What am I missing.

Sorry, you "cheaped out" and are now suffering for it.

Putting the wrong tranny in the car and you will never get the performance you expected.

 

[Grumpy]

Let's see if I uderstand this properly.

You buy a transmission from Transmission Depot (not exactly a steller performance tranny house).
You get the wrong tranny (CRF not BRF)

and you expect it to perform as the correct tranny should???

What am I missing.

Sorry, you "cheaped out" and are now suffering for it.

Putting the wrong tranny in the car and you will never get the performance you expected.

thats about as good as you can "candy coat" it

 

[TurboDave]

thats about as good as you can "candy coat" it

That's usually what gets me in so much trouble! I can't (candy coat).
Impossible to do at my age!

 

[challengermike]

I also wonder if the lockup soleniod maybe stuck also.It sounds like you have 2 problems.

 

[excobraguy]

Let's see if I uderstand this properly.

You buy a transmission from Transmission Depot (not exactly a steller performance tranny house).
You get the wrong tranny (CRF not BRF)

and you expect it to perform as the correct tranny should???

What am I missing.

Sorry, you "cheaped out" and are now suffering for it.

Putting the wrong tranny in the car and you will never get the performance you expected.

Sorry if you had trouble understanding my original question when I asked "Any suggestions on what to try". I talked to the guy at Transmission depot who assured me the tranny would work fine in the Grand National, are you telling me those guys running TH-400's have the wrong tranny's and their cars won't run either???? I didn't start the post to get criticized, if you can't help then don't contribute.......

 

[Junior Samples]

"Any suggestions on what to try". I talked to the guy at Transmission depot who assured me the tranny would work fine in the Grand National,

Remember the Discount Tire commercial? The old lady who goes back and throws the tire through the window?

Try that

"in the Millitary... DEPOT means to "throw away"

 

[54Rich]

Sorry if you had trouble understanding my original question when I asked "Any suggestions on what to try". I talked to the guy at Transmission depot who assured me the tranny would work fine in the Grand National, are you telling me those guys running TH-400's have the wrong tranny's and their cars won't run either???? I didn't start the post to get criticized, if you can't help then don't contribute.......

I had a KCF or similar to your VB and a D7 converter in my "T" when I bought it. There was nothing wrong with the tranny, in fact it had nice crisp shifts, must of had a shift kit in it. Problem was it shifted way to early, always! I think it was the cause of my knock I've heard that you can dink around with the VB and eventually get it right

I sold it to a guy that was putting it behind a 350, I guess he's happy with it, I have not heard otherwise.

Anyhow, the best thing I did was get a BRF, night and day difference and this one is all stock with a D5 converter.

I guess if I were to give any advise, put the right one in. It will save you a ton of grief. A CRF is not a GN transmission, they claim a great warranty, tell them you want the correct trans that they advertised.

I'm not an expert or claim to be, but I've lived this transmission nightmare.

 

[challengermike]

I have an crf in my car.Works great,But mine does have the correct govener in it.I also have the grand national seperator plate labelded X.I have no shift kit in it i just have a very stiff spring in the 1-2 acumulator.It shifts quick at part throttle and firm on 3/4 to full throttle.When i was having problems with my trans i called art carr himself to get some other ideas and he told me that the crf trans would work just fine.So i would say that you should be fine with that coded trans.I would check to see what gov is in it.I would bet they have a non gn gov in it.