Late, hard part throttle shift

[84ZZ4]

Hey all,

Just put a "used" LG4 Monte Carlo trans behind my 84 carbed (4bbl) 3.8L Olds cutlass. At WOT the thing shifts pretty darn good, 1-2 is enough to chirp the (admittedly crappy) tires a little, 2-3 is firm and quick but no tire chirp.

I verified the valve body is matched to the trans (CR code I believe); the governer is one of a couple I had lying around, I lost track of which trans it came from (could be AA code Caddy trans, or this trans). Either way I have one problem and one question.

At WOT, the trans shifts 1-2 at 4250 and 2-3 at 4500. I want both to shift at 4500. What controls JUST the 1-2 shift point? I don't really understand how the governor controls individual shift points... any suggestions?

The problem I'm having is late, hard part throttle shifts. At 1/4 throttle, it shifts 1-2 at about 2700rpm and barks the rear tires; it shifts 2-3 at around 3100 and goes into OD around 55-60 (not sure what RPM that is). It'll go into OD at 35-40mph if I let off the gas completely. I'm betting on this being a TV cable problem... because in the pan, the little "arm" attached to the TV cable doesn't seem to retract properly. It's hitting the TC lockup solenoid, and this means the little "hook" is maybe sticking up about 1/2-3/4" ABOVE the outside of the transmission with no tension on it. I thought these things are supposed to sit down inside the tranny with no tension on them (IE no cable installed).

The TV cable itself had a TON of slack in it (3/4-1") at the carb when installed before it started "pulling" on the spring in the trans. When that is adjusted out, I get the "late hard shift" problem.

I won't have a chance to get back at it for a while (car is parked)--but my guess is that if I can get the TV arm to stop hitting the solenoid, I won't have all that slack to adjust out and it SHOULD stop the late shifts.

What amount of throttle opening is the TV boost supposed to start coming in anyway? About 1/2?

 

[chris718]

add weight to the primary governer weight

 

[84ZZ4]

Which weight is the primary weight? The bigger one?

 

[77 cruiser]

Which weight is the primary weight? The bigger one?

Yup.

 

[84ZZ4]

OK, I'm still having issues with this thing. I have adjusted the TV cable assembly in the transmission so that it will actually sit back where it's supposed to (I used a TV cable assembly from a different 200-4R and adjusted the position of the lockup solenoid slightly). It obviously worked since I'm ABLE to adjust the TV cable and get results now.

I'm still having the following problems (some of which are likely related):

1) 1-2 shift is TOO HARD, at anything but like 5% throttle. It is much harder than the 2-3 or 3-4. I'd like to soften it up a bit, I don't want to be barking tires all the time in my beater Oldsmobile.

2) 1-2 shift is late--2700 rpm at about 1/4 throttle and VERY hard.

3) 2-3 shift is late--3100 rpm at about 1/4 throttle. At ~2/3 throttle it shifts at exactly the same point as it does WOT. It's not hard like the 1-2 though.

4) If I loosen the TV cable to correct #2 and #3, I don't have any problem doing so. I was able to get all the part throttle shifts about where I'd like them. However, it shifts slightly short of the normal WOT RPM (I might be able to get THAT right with a little bit more adjustment), and the transmission WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT when floored. I can be doing 38mph in 4th and it won't downshift at all (1/4 throttle 3-4 shift point is about 36mph). If the TV cable is tightened to the point where I get downshifting (it will go 4-2 at 40mph normally), I'm back to having late shifts.

5) The transmission refuses to downshift 2-1 under any circumstances. With the TV cable in the "tight" position where it can go 4-2 at 40mph, it won't downshift 2-1 at 10mph. I've tried "soft pedalling" it until it JUST shifts in to second (8mph?) and then slamming the gas down and it will not downshift to 1st.

Anyone have any suggestions on what to check?

 

[77 cruiser]

Sounds like something is amiss in the TV system.

Take a look at this