[Bayley]

Hello all, lime time lurker, first time poster.

I’ve got a 1987 700R4 (w/ auxiliary valve body) that I recently installed TCI’s full manual valve body (no engine braking) kit. Before the manual valve body was installed, I had a perfectly fine transmission with maybe 5000 miles since her last full rebuild. I know for a fact that all the clutches and bands were working perfectly before the manual valve body installation.

The TCI kit comes with a completely new valve body AND a kit to upgrade the servo to “Corvette” specs (whatever that means). Since my 700R4 came out of a Camaro (I think… it was a bone yard transmission) I decided to upgrade the servo per TCI’s instructions. As I pulled the servo out, I was surprised to see that the existing servo was identical to the “Corvette” spec’d servo that TCI supplied. I’m now thinking that this transmission of mine came out of a 350 limited edition Z28 since it also has the shorter speedometer gear cover. Anyway, I reinstalled the servo per the TCI instructions.

Once back together, I took the car for her first test drive. Reverse engaged firmly, as did first gear. However, once I pulled the shifter into second gear, nothing happened. Going one step further into third, the tranny finally shifted, but completely skipping second gear and going straight into third. It also shifted very slowly and seemed to slip as it was doing such. Going for fourth gear, nothing happened. The transmission stayed in third gear even as the shifter was in the final (4th) gear position.

After talking with the TCI techs and getting absolutely nowhere, I called up a local transmission shop and they suggested that I possibly “missed” the band when I was reinstalling the servo. I didn’t really think this was possible. I didn’t pay much attention to aligning of the servo when I reinstalled everything.

Does this sound like a good case for my current transmission problems? At first, I thought it was just low fluid levels but then intuition told me low fluid levels would mean 1st and 3rd gears probably would have worked either.

HELP!!!

[jakeshoe]

Yes,
The band applies in 2nd and 4th. If the band moved while you had the servo pin out and you re-installed it and missed the band lug, you would not have 2nd or 4th gear.
You may be able to remove the servo and get the band positioned correctly with a screwdriver or punch. You may have to drop the pan and get access to the band to help align it.

Hopefully you didn't hurt the band or any frictions (3-4 clutches) while driving it with it improperly assembled.

[Bayley]

Originally Posted by jakeshoe

Hopefully you didn't hurt the band or any frictions (3-4 clutches) while driving it with it improperly assembled.

I drove it maybe half mile... one lap around the little subdivision, rattling all the windows in the process.

Well dang it, looks like I won't be fartin' around this weekend with the old girl (1974 Datsun 260Z). There is about 0.00000001" of clearance between the trans case and the tunnel. Probably have to at least drop the rear end of the transmisison so I can get access.

Thanks for confirming my fears.

[Crosley]

Originally Posted by Bayley

I drove it maybe half mile... one lap around the little subdivision, rattling all the windows in the process.

Well dang it, looks like I won't be fartin' around this weekend with the old girl (1974 Datsun 260Z). There is about 0.00000001" of clearance between the trans case and the tunnel. Probably have to at least drop the rear end of the transmisison so I can get access.

Thanks for confirming my fears.

A few cars i've seen as your Datsun..... they have cut an access hole in the tunnel to get at the servo.

Screw down a cover plate and the carpet covers all of it.

[Bayley]

Ya know... that's not a half bad idea.

[Crosley]

Originally Posted by Bayley

Ya know... that's not a half bad idea.

just dont cut or drill into the trans case and all should be fine.

[jakeshoe]

I feel your pain,




My 260Z.
I have a Th350 in it and it is a tight squeeze...

I might get back around to it now that my shop is built.

[Crosley]

Jake..... think 'weed control'.

[Bayley]

Glad to see I'm not alone here in my little world of "improving" old Japanese sports cars!

I always call it: Made in Japan... made BETTER in Detroit!

It goes two ways since I both live in Detroit (area) and the motor originally came from GM.

I just finished my sidepipes. If you are interested, check out the video link Here

[jakeshoe]

Originally Posted by Crosley

Jake..... think 'weed control'.

Tony,
I let the 90W drain out of the original 5 speed from the Z car onto the weeded up driveway, will that work?

That pic was taken last August while I was home on vacation from Iraq.
I bought the house about a yr and a half ago and it was a foreclosure deal. It needed alot of clean-up.
I've gotten alot done but the driveway pictured...
Not much I can do about it. We don't even use it. The Z was there until i got home and the shop built. It is now in the shop. I installed the motor there just to get it out of the way so I could start on the '55 Chevy in my dad's garage.
Too much stuff.

[jakeshoe]

You can see my mess...
Not even moved into the shop completely, putting a custom fender on the Harley, Z in the back on hold, Chevelle collecting dust, tools scattered everywhere, 4 wheeler project I bought as a basketcase, still need to wire up the shop, etc.

[Bayley]

So I pulled the servo apart this past weekend after dropping the back end of the trans and raising the front half of the engine.

How do I know if I am installing the servo correctly? Is there a guide hole that the servo piston sets in? I can shove a screwdriver into the servo hole, and I can feel myself hitting the band… but is there anything that the piston needs to sit inside of?

Want to make sure I get this right, these servo cover O-rings are a pain in the butt to locate and I’ve only got one shot per O-ring.

[eliotmansfield]

Assemble the servo without the o-ring (the blue one?). With the pan removed and pressing on the outer servo cover you will see the band grabbing the drum. You should get 1/8th or 1/4' (search this forum) of travel on the servo cover.