440T4 Shift problems... odd

[SHOoff]

Sure this post is for a car that has a 90 degree V6, but i'm sure the tranny works the same

The tranny in my beater (90 Olds Toronado Trofeo) does some awfully strange shifting. It's quite a story kinda my daily drive to work and back.

Start the car cold and drive. It will have gears 1 and 2. The gas pedal is hard to push on but wont kickdown to 1st gear if I floor it. After a while it'll shift into 3 and even at times lock the converter in 3. Then i'll come to a stop.

When I try to move again, it'll be stuck in 3rd gear so it's takeoff speed sucks. So, I floor the gas. It'll kickdown into 1st. Then drive it'll only shift at redline. (gas pedal feels normal after this kickdown) So in order to get into 3rd I need to pull around 90mph. So it continues down the road about 2-3-4 miles in 2nd gear (60mph), then all the sudden will shift into 3rd. Then it drops into 4th and the tq converter locks up for OD. For the rest of my trip, the transmission will shift perfectly. Kicksdown like it should, downshifts back to 1st when I stop.... everything.

When I got the car the modulator was bad on it, so I changed that (which means that now it shifts better than it did, which was... never over 2nd gear) But I did unhook the vacume line for a firmer shift.

Anyone have any idea what the hell is going on with it? Cuz i'm not an auto tranny fan.... so i'm kinda lost on this one.

[TurboGTU]

RE: 440T4 Shift problems... odd

Sounds to me like you have sticky valves in your trans valve body from dirty valves or worn valves. Have you tried the usual filter/oil change or flush?

[sharkey]

RE: 440T4 Shift problems... odd

sounds like the throttle valve is jamming up as part of the problem. this would be why the throttle is hard to push. however, the 3rd gear starts and late 2-3 shift is an internal problem. the modulator controlles line pressure, and with it unhooked, you will (and sounds like you may have) cause problems. i think the tranny needs to come out and be gone through.

and servicing your tranny wont fix it. i cant count the number of people that come into our shop thinking a service (fluid and filter change) will fix problems. when was the last time you heard changing your engine oil fixing a colapsed lifter???

[SHOoff]

Yeah, changing the fluid/filter was the first thing that I did to it.

As for leaving the modulator unhooked. I had to get a new one when i bought the car cuz the old one was shot. This helped for a while, but then it seemed to want to give up. There were times where it just wouldnt shift out of 1st, and I had the engine all the way up to the rev limiter.

I bought the car like this. Just didnt notice it on the test drive. After I bought the car, the first time I stomped it to pass someone it when it started.

Just kinda wondered if anyone knew the problem, or if there was an easy way to fix it (sounds like there isnt, didnt think there was). If I took a picture of the car you'd probably tell me "TS, just deal with it". Just a beater car to go around in til i get the other one back.