'88 GTA with no reverse update.

We'll I've gotten around to looking at my car and it would appear that my

700R4 is perpetually stuck in Drive, even when I start it or put it in park I can feel it lurch forward. Took it for a drive yesterday and it changes through all the gears just fine, no funny noises. I've been doing some research lately and it would seem that alot of people have accidently done what I have done and worse, I've heard of people hitting reverse at 60 MPH and guys at junk yards with truck deliberately running down the road then slamming it into reverse until the truck eventually stops and starts going in reverse, with a lot of smoke according to eye witnesses.

(All were 700r4 stories) Here was a comment

> > > > > Damn shame you didn't have the electronic 700R4 in it...you could have put > > > > > > it in R at 90 and it would not have gone... > > > > > > > > > > > > Keep an eye ont he shift patterns and fluid color. You more than likely > > > > > > blued the drum and gave the clutch pack a good scorching. > > > > > > > > > > > >

So now that I've determined it's not so much a 'no reverse' problem but always in drive problem my console goes P R N 1 2 3 OD, after reading the info below it may be a case of the internal linkage on the rooster comb has jumped a tooth, I'm putting it on the ramps to day and I want to pull the pan and see what kind of carnage awaits me. Hopefully all will be good and it will be that simple. I'll post a link to some pics if someone here is knowledgeable enough to see if the internal linkage looks ok.

Thanks in advance Moondoggie

Here's a post I found in an other forum that gave me some hope:

Since you said it's stuck in "drive", I'm assuming it's an automatic. Most likely it's the 700R4 overdrive, but the following advice is good on any GM automatic. First, crawl under while someone runs the shift lever through the gears(while holding the brake of course so you don't get run over) and make sure the linkage to the drivers side of the transmission is all still hooked up. If so, it's internal. Then you need to go to a parts store and buy a filter kit which includes a pan gasket and filter(you'll be pulling the pan so just as well change the filter while it's off). Take the pan off, with a drain pan underneath to catch the fluid of course(leave two bolts in and remove the rest to allow the pan to drop at an angle and slowly loosen the remaining two bolts to drain the fluid out of one corner before taking the pan off completely). Then, remove the pan and look at the inside of the transmission case where the shift linkage shaft goes in. There is a deal on there called a "rooster comb" with detents that help each gear to be felt. This "rooster comb" is held onto the shifting shaft with a nut. The nut may have come loose. Also, there is or should be an 's' shaped "wire" link from the rooster comb to what's called the manual valve, which is on the driver's side of the valve body(the valve body is the square-shaped cast iron piece that's bolted to the bottom of the aluminum transmission cast with a dozen or more bolts). If the nut on the shift shaft has come loose, this s-shaped link may have fallen off. This would cause the manual valve to not be moved when shifting and the transmission to remain in one gear. If all this looks and moves like it's supposed to, then the problem is deeper and will need to be taken to someone who can check the tranny's internals. If you do find the problem, fix it, clean and reinstal the pan(use just the gasket with no sealer) and refill the transmission fluid and you'll be back in business. Hope this helps!

Reply to
Moondoggie
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Hey guys just got done pulling the tranny pan, the oil was very BROWN but still looked red, it didn't smell burnt, if anything I would have to compare it to smelling like latex paint. Bare in mind the fluid hasn't been changed since summer '96 and I probably put 30-40 K on it since then. Here's a link of the first group of pics, I'd really love some feed back, tell me what you think about the tranny fluid colour and I've included pics of the rooster comb, if you need different angles, please email me or post them here and I'll gladly oblige if you can help be with this diagnosis.

Thanks Moondoggie

Here's the site with my pics so far

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Thanks again to all.

Reply to
Moondoggie

Oh yeah, as you can see by the shot of my pan there was absolutely ZERO metal filings in it.

Amazing as that may sound

Reply to
Moondoggie

When you take a look at this angle is something bent in my linkage internally or is it just me??

Reply to
Moondoggie

That's what I'm hoping. I see somethings bent after reviewing the pics, hoping someone can fill me in. Could debris in a value make it so that a

700r4 is always in drive and can't engage into reverse?
Reply to
Moondoggie

Thanks for your input but I'm looking for more experienced people to reply and offer some positive input.

It's not like they're Ink Blots.

Reply to
Moondoggie

From that angle, it looks okay to me. This is going on my memory of the last time I had the pan off my 4L60E (decendant of your 700R4).

But no need to be rude to Mike, he was talking about the linkage that connects the steering column to the transmission. Should be on the left side of the car and go from, well--you know--the steering column to the transmission. If it's somehow rusted out or slipped loose, you could be stuck in gear.

Harry

Reply to
Harry Smith

Whoa! Or perhaps the floor shifter, being an F-body. I shall retreat to whence I came.

Harry

Reply to
Harry Smith

Well, I have seen you symptoms quite a few times over the years and even with a floor shifter, it has always been a linkage problem and in the cases of the ones I have seen, it was external to the guts of the tranny.

Sometimes it is the simple things....

Mike

Mo>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Thanks for the response Mike I hope you're right, I appologise for my earlier post.

Reply to
Moondoggie

Anyone know how much tranny fluid these things takes?

I noted my tranny fluid level seemed way too high as well before I drained it.

Reply to
Moondoggie

Sounds like some valuable advice, I'll do that once I put the pan back on, anyone know how much fluid to put in it?? I know the torque converter still holds alot.

Reply to
Moondoggie

I ran it thru the gears and looked at the rooster comb in the pan seemed to work fine there, but there is a shaft that runs from that linkage setup to the inside of the tranny which could have slipped a spot.

The parking rod does engage when it's in park but you can feel it's still in drive.

It's a real bitch to push out of my garage too, still in gear, can get it in neutral even when it's off.

Reply to
Moondoggie

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