Goofy stuff with TV/Kickdown Cable on 700r4

[BigRed]

I was having problems with my old TV cable binding on my Suburban (700r4) a couple of weeks ago. So, I bought a new one and replaced it and set it per Mike's and the 700r4.com instructions. Worked great. Well, two days later, it was shifting high on me (into 2nd at 20 and 3rd at about 38). So, I reset it per the instructions and all was fine again. That lasted for about 3 days and then same problem again and I reset it once more. Well, that lasted another 3 or 4 days and then today it happend again. I was on the freeway and had to kick it down to get around some slow-poke (first time I've had to kick it down since I installed it). I then exited the freeway and all was fine. Then, when I accelerated from the first light, it wouldn't shift into 2nd gear at all. Well, it might have eventually, but I wasn't going to let the RPMs get too high to let it. So, I pulled over (with wife, 2 kids, wife's grandmother in the truck) and reset the cable once more. Thank goodness I had my mechanix gloves with me or would have burnt myself pretty bad! After that, all is fine. However, I have no confidence it will stay that way because of my past experience the last week or so.

What is going on here? Could I possibly have a bad cable or is there something maybe wrong with the Throttle Valve assembly itself? Please adivse on what I can do to resolve this?

Thanks!

[swervin ervin]

Is the D shaped button coming back up when you let go. This is what is supposed to hold it in place. You press it down and slide the cable housing toward the firewall for initial adjustment. Let go of the button, open the throttle all the way and the cable housing ratchets back through the bracket. The ratcheting you hear is it sliding through the button. Once it goes as far as the throttle will pull, the button comes down in one of the ridges (for a better word) in the sleeve. This is supposed to keep the cable from moving after adjustment. If the button isn't going down right, it won't hold it. If the button is working right, the cable sleeve is stripped. But since you put on a new one, it's probably the button.

I would take the bracket off and clean everything up. Make sure the button is working right. Look at the cable at the sleeve (housing) and make sure it isn't stripped.

[67_SS396]

Just like Mike suggested, it sounds as though the clip isn't setting. Do the setting and then give a "slight" tug on the adjuster to give it a helping hand to be sure it's seated.

[BigRed]

Thanks guys. I have tugged on the adjuster to make sure it's holding and it is. I haven't pulled it out of the bracket to play with it yet, but I'll do that soon. It's shifting high once again this morning after all being well last night when I parked it. Man, this is frustrating.

[swervin ervin]

Could be a bum cable, especially if it came from one of the cheap parts houses. If you can't figure out the problem, take it off and return it for another one.

This wouldn't be the first time something like this happened.

[BigRed]

Mike, would you suggest getting one from a Chevy house? I priced them and they're not any more expensive than the O'Reilly one that I got. They usually have quality parts, but you might be right about this one being defective.

[swervin ervin]

Scott,

so far, and I'm knocking on wood here, I've not bought a defective part from my Chevy dealer. Not saying I won't, but I've had good luck so far. I haven't replaced my TV cable, but if I ever did, I would get it from the dealer.

Make sure the bracket and button are working right first though. Might save you some headache. I've never really looked hard at the workings of the TV cable, so I couldn't say what exactly it could be. I'm not sure what area would be defective on the cable. I would tend to believe it's more in the area of the button/bracket.

[BigRed]

Ok, thanks Mike. I'll definitely check everything out before I go buy another one.