Dean..does it just STAY in 2nd gear when this happens, or does it pretty much just neutralize?
If it is simply staying in 2nd gear, then I gotta say, with all due respect to anyone you have talked to, it doesn't sound to me like it needs an overhaul....sorry, but that's my opinion. It has to be something with either the governor, or the valve body....

Joel, thank you for your reply.  It just stays in 2nd gear.  I respect your opinion and will relate that to the guy
that is going to work on it.
 It's only 100* here in Wisconsin and I'm going to a 4th of July party.
I can't imagine what it's like in Texas.
Stay cool and have a happy 4th.
Dean  

Dean, if you go with the 4 speed my mechanic says the 2004R is just as strong as as the 7004R and you can use the same driveshaft and keep the crossover stays in the same place. It aslso is expensive, though. It is cheapest to rebuild your existing trans, you just have to decide how far you're going to drive it. As for me, when it comes time to repair or replace mine, I'm going with the 4 speed! We go to a lot of shows 2+ hours away so the difference in milage would be worth it!

Hey Dean, talked to my trans buddy today. He said samething that Joel told you. Replace governor gear first, cheap and easy. Second possible thing is the valve body. He also said you might think about a trans cooler to help cool it. If your trans fluid doesn't smell burnt, it doesn't need overhaul.

I had to work Thurs and Fri so have not turned the computer on for a few days.

Hey Dick, thanks for the reply and the suggestions.  The trans fluid does not smell burnt and the fluid is a good red color.
When it does shift into 3rd, it makes a good solid firm shift (whether its cool or hot) so I hope you are right, it prolly doesn't need a rebuild.  I've thought about a trans cooler but wouldn't that just be putting a band aid on it?  If everything is working right, it shouldn't need it.
Joel, what about the valve body?  Can that be removed without dropping the trans?  Can it be repaired or rebuilt with a kit?   When I talk to my guy, I want to at least act like I know what I'm talking about.  I have talked to him about the governor and he has a used one in his shop that has a good gear, so we may just switch the gears.  Thanks for your help and expertise, Joel.  I'm planning on taking the car to him Wed of next week.

Kevin and Barry, thanks for your replies and info on the 700R4 and 200R4.  I would really like a 4 speed trans, but I just don't put enough miles on it in a year to justify it.  Glad it werks for you though.

Hey Mark, Off topic or not, I agree with you 100%.  These guys are great and have been very helpful with my petty little problems.

Thanks guys, you're the greatest!

Dean

Dean, the valve body can be serviced without removing the trans. Just dropping the pan gets ya there. You could put a "Shift Kit" in it if ya want, but I would bet that IF there is a problem in the valve body, a good cleaning would correct the problem.
Installing an external cooler will certainly help keep the trans temps down some, but it wouldn't do anything for the shift issue you have. But they are good insurance in the long run from overheating trans problems.

Oh...make sure the governor gear he has is the same gear...the 400 governor spins backwards from the 350/700, so the gear is different. Looking at the gear from the gear end, the teeth on the 400 gear will go from left to right. The 350/700 gears go from right to left. The governor I posted above is for a 400, if you want to look at how the teeth are angled.


|UPDATED|7/7/2012 5:16:15 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Just a quick update on my transmission shifting problem.  We went ahead and rebuilt the transmission.
We checked all possible external components first. Shift modulator, valve body, governor gear and could find nothing
that would cause the kind of problems that I was having.  Sooo Bob, (he's kind of an old school "hot rodder" and transmission specialist) tore it down and completely rebuilt it with all new and updated parts.  The most serious thing he found was one of the rubber sealing rings was badly stretched and miss shaped.  He said it is a wonder that it shifted at all.
He also put in a re-man torque converter.  It wasn't cheap but I'm glad we did it. He said that the clutches, seals and bands were warn enough that they would eventually give me more problems.

I would like to thank all of you that responded for your assistance.
That is why I keep coming back to this place.

Dean

 SUPER! Hope it works out for the best.