[anglia48]

I've got the "ol'won't shift out of first gear" 700r4 problem . I've read the form and figured it COULD be either the tv cable or governor . My question ,, the governor is in the 3" metal cover on the left side rear on the trans. ... WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO REMOVE THIS COVER FOR INSPECTION , without damage ,,,, and what am I looking for ? If it's bad - what will I see ? Will I have to remove the tail shaft also ? AND , will removing the governor cover drain tranny fluid ? I'm not serious about getting to deep into this , but if it is a simple fix it would be faster than a swap . >>>> thanks guys .

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

You can get the cover off with a large screwdriver, work it along the outside between the cover and case, don't try to drive it in, just do like you're opening a can of paint, the governor will pull out, you may lose a few drops of oil, the governor looks like a "T" with plastic gear at the base, look for stripped or broken gear, broken retainer pin, or look for brokrn or missing springs and weights on the other end, check to see that the inner valve moves when you move the weights up and down.

[Jason]

I could be an easy fix if the gear is stripped. Getting it out depends on the vehicle it's in. I had a V-8 S-10 with a 700 and could get the cover off and back on but on some vehicles you have to remove the trans cross member and lower the back of the trans to access it.
I usually use a long screw driver and start popping it off at the bottom, then you can walk it around being very careful not to damage the trans case, it's not that critical if you do ding it up a bit.
BUT getting it back on is a different story, the cover has to be tapped into place and you need enough room to swing a small hammer, thats the most difficult part is finding the room to get the cover back in place and seated, use a long fingernail to feel around the cover to be sure it's snug to the case because governor endplay is somewhat important too.