This is not a Nova question but a basic troubleshooting question. About 1 1/2 years ago we built a 355 for my son's pickup and had the transmission overhauled (700R4 in 1986 GMC 1/2 ton 2WD Pickup). I think when we installed the tranny that I had the TV cable adjusted too tight, because when he drove the truck it wanted to stay in low gear for an excessive amount of time and until you'd get up a significant speed and then when it would shift it would SLAM into gear and it seemed as if it was jumping from 1st to 3rd gear totally skipping 2nd gear all together is what it felt like but I could never really confirm that. Anyway at first it wasn't too bad and I just let him drive it the way it was. Well he's in the Navy now and I've driven his truck a few times to keep the fluids going in it etc. and when I drove it I was amazed at how bad it was. It would stay in low gear for an excessively long time and then BANG into the next gear or 3rd like I said I'm not really sure. Well Transmissions are definately my WEAK LINK when it comes to knowledge, so I asked one of the guys I used to work with and he told me that he just disconnected the TV cable from his and drove it like that. He said it would up shift fine but you have a little problem with down shifting. I thought I would try it just to test it out and he was right, when I started out it would up shift just fine like a normal T350/400 would have, I thought cool, maybe this will work and I can just re-adjust the TV cable but before I could get it home it started slipping really bad in 4th gear (OD) and then I dropped it down to 3rd and the same thing. It was struggling some when I stopped and tried to get going again a couple of times like it was not down shifting back into low gear and trying to start off in 3rd gear. So I tried to just take it easy until I could get it to the house and try and get some slack in the TV cable where it would shift better but then it just started slipping really bad. 1st and 2nd gear seem to be OK but 3rd and 4th gear seem like they are just shot.
We just had that tranny rebuilt like I said about 1 1/2 years ago and I was having a hard time thinking that that little bit of driving I did on it would burn up the clutches that quickly but I don't know maybe it did. I drove it a little bit tonight and it didn't fix itself from sitting in the yard.......LOL so I thought I would ask you guys if anybody knows what this might be? And if I should just replace it or if it can be repaired cheaper. I like to do a carry in exchange because it's a lot cheaper that way, I pull it, take it in swap it out for a good one and I install it. But if this is something that they can repair I may take it in to a shop.?????? I just don't know.

Also I was wondering if someone could tell me how can you tell if your Torque Converter is bad ?? or Your transmission?? What are the symptoms of a bad TQ Conv.? vs transmission trouble? Separate issue but just curious. Thanks in advance!:thumbsup:

Running a 700R4 with a misadjusted or without a TV cable will kill it. By shifting as hard as you stated it very well could have broken something inside. Sorry I can not be more help but this isn't an area I am familiar with either.

Thanks for trying!

Sounds like you might've had a governor problem to begin with but looks like you broke some stuff now

the little bit i do know about 700r4's are that you MUST have a properly adjusted tv cable or it'll mean certain death to your transmission.i'm curious about this one too,as i run this tranny in 2 different hotrods.keep us posted on your findings.
leftcoast carl.
p.s.-i loved the comment about the truck NOT fixing itself sitting in the yard!!:Di've resorted to that solution from time to time and have had similar results!!LOL
lefty.

TV cable controls line pressure. If misadjusted you will burn up friction surfaces. Shifting is controlled by the governor and how hard it his is the job of the vacuum modulator (an air hammer brake). For a performance rebuild the springs are changed in the governor to raise the shift point, and the spring is removed from the vacuum modulator so that it hits hard. The TV cable also controls the shift points, and part throttle downshifts. If it is out of adjustment you will not get a shift from first to second, but as stated it will hold it in first until the governor releases and then shift into third.

Who ever built you tranny must have thought this was a race only deal to set the shift points up the way he did, as you have noticed it is uncomfortable on the street that way. Here is a page that describes how to adjust your TV cable:

http://www.tciauto.com/Products/Instructions/instructions/gm_tv_cable_adjust.htm

Better late than never.

Big Dave