still trying to figure this out!
 

im trying to decide what my next step should be towards figuring out my "no power" issue. the situation: just installed my rebuilt 350, first test drive felt like there was no fluid in the tranny.."marshmellow peddle". the tranny is full of fluid but is definitely shifting wierd, shifts really fast into 2nd then the motor just winds out into 3rd. shifts arent firm at all and im just getting nothing from the peddle. it does shift through all the gears and into OD, and downshifts from OD to 2nd. i dont have a pressure guage and i dont know anyone who does so my only real option with the tranny is to take it to a shop (last resort) or just drop another 1300 this month on a new one(not an option at all lol). oh, TV cable is properly set...correct geometry and all that jazz. torque converter is properly installed as well.

im scared to do an actual WOT run since i still havent broke the motor in, so it's hard to say this is all tranny.

the motor is honestly running and idling great, i absolutely installed the timing gears correctly, i've rechecked the dizzy location, firing order, and adjusted the timing...carb seems to be getting plenty of fuel, i cant fathom this being a lack of power from the motor.

here's my motor setup:

'85 350 block with .060 overbore
hypercuetic pistons, 9:4 compression w/ standard head gaskets
cam... i dont remeber the exact specs but it was something like .44 intake, .45 exhaust
stock crank
stock vortec heads
holley 600 vac. secondary, elec choke
holley 80gph fuel pump
jegs 331 high rise intake
comp cams magnum roller tip rockers
summit hei w/ 50k coil
msd street fire cd ignition
headers (biggest PITA of my life)
2 1/4" dual exhaust with glasspacks

tomorrow im getting a vac guage since mine is still being "borrowed", i'll post the results. in the meantime, I NEED IDEAS!!!! PLEASE!

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

Is the carb the same one you ran before?
I dont think that the factory holley geometry is correct for the t.v for the 700. Any of the 700's i have installed we used the kit that Bowler makes for brand specific carb.

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

my holley pushes out to the side,binding going by the intake
bent and extended,since i lost this adapter i bought
but it works,no issues like your mentioning

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

i ran it on another motor, but not the 305 that was in this truck. this is what i've got for the throttle/tv bracketry:

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

Could the tv cable be out of adjustment? It doesn't take much to theow things off.

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

ive heard if you dont get the trans cable adjusted right you can ruin the trans pretty quick!

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

Patc makes a throttle valve corrector for those adapter brackets. Make sure you are getting full throttle then adjust the throttle valve cable to pull out just a hair farther than the bracket when it's pulled to full throttle
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Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

yes check that mine wasn't opeing all the way till i worked it

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

i re-adjusted the TV cable multiple times. ive tried it completely let out, not out at all, and i tried it not hooked up to the bracket at all. the only change was when i clamped it all the way out, it wouldnt shift out of 1st

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

here's what my bracketry looks like:

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

How old is the trans? Could it have a stuck spool,or a bad pump? Low on fluid?

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

looks a lot straighter then mine
and you can feel it down shift when pulling it by hand?
don't know but is the th350 the same cable....could you have that one?

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

not sure about the age of the tranny, probably pretty old.

it seemed to be shifting fine before... or maybe i just thought the old 305 was that weak.

the fluid level is good

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

The valve itself may have crap in it. Un hook it and and while it's running pull it a bunch of times and jog the valve. Then r hook it and see if there is a diff
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http://www.transmissioncenter.net/700r4.htm

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

tried it, but no change :( thanks for the suggestion though

i put the vac gauge on this afternoon and it was reading steady around 25. no fluctuations, built up vacuum on accel like it should...so i said screw it and took it to the local aamco. fml. on the way there, it began vibrating pretty hard and losing more power so i guess now there's no doubt it's time for a new tranny.

i chose aamco because i dont really know anything about these local joints around here...but they better be good at $70/hr. i'm debating wether i should just pay them to do the whole job, or order one off the internet and put it in myself.
i do like the idea of a warranty and a physical location i can take it back to if something goes wrong...and i'd really like to know just what the hell went wrong with this one.

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

I wouldn't take it to aamco. not even for diag. Take it to a real tranny shop or just buy a new one.

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

If anything you said your trans was old get a new one

I would suggest patc. Those guys know the 700r4 the best and have some of the best pricing from what I've seen. They underrate thier transmissions holding power, not overrate it like most trans shops. They have a great warranty and I believe they extend that if you use thier brand trans fluid. (great stuff!) I've bought two trans from them and my friend bought thier stage three kit from them and had a local shop build it which put home about even with what it would cost to whole minus shipping freight
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Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

aamco hooked up the guage...naturally it was was low, but build's pressure at high rpms.

so now i have to decide on how i want to do this...ive got around $1500 to spend so unfortunately ordering a nice one from patc isnt gonna happen.

i know everyone hates on aamco, but they offer a 2 year warranty even if i install it...the technician there speaks knowledgeably about available upgrades and they can do it for around $1500.

there's a local tranny shop called Crom's Transmission Serv. He said he could do the rebuild with all the upgrades for around 1500 as well, but he's not gonna offer much of a warranty if i install it.

i honestly cannot tell if there will be much of a difference between the two. aamco is very close to my house and offering a two year warranty, so that's where i am leaning towards. if anyone has any words of advice, i'm all ears

btw, i live in Jacksonville, NC in case anyone is familiar with the shops around here.

Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

It's 1300 from patc an it comes with a converter FYI I also believe you can do core trade in as well. Thier level one trans is what many shops call a 450hp capable trans
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Re: still trying to figure this out!
 

just an update:
I called an older muscle-car guy i bought a holley off of and he sent me to the place that he uses. I called him and gave him a list of the upgrades i want...he said "you must be looking at the patc raptor". haha, i told him to build me one and he said he would get pretty close for around 1600 and a 1yr warranty. i pulled the tranny yesterday and took it to him.

while im waiting on it, im going to be installing some new coolant lines away from the headers and an aux. cooler.

thanks for all the helpful ideas and comments while i was wrangling with this one. im still not sure what went wrong, i guess there's only 2 real possibilities.
1. i just didnt notice it with the old 305
2. i screwed it up when i cranked the motor without the cable hooked up for 2-3 minutes
either way, i'm better off in the long run. it's only money haha. thanks again!