Did you use an aftermarket cable?

I used one once that couldn't pull all the way out and it only "felt" like it was at full pull but it wasn't. Did you check if your gas pedal is pulling back the throttle back all the way? If you drop the pan, you can be 100% sure, if when the throttle is wide open by checking that the bellcrank is plunging the throttle valve in all the way. This is how I discovered my problem.

Shift points can be adjusted by picking up a govenor calibration kit. It comes with springs and weights to get the shifts where you want them to a degree.

Hopefully your tranny is not yet fried. If the PO was also driving around without the TV cable hooked up, it may be cooked already. ain: It doesn't take long.

 

lowriderr9,
I have this transmission installed in my 1976 Sprint. The shift points are 14mph 1st to 2nd. 26 mph 2nd to 3rd. 40 mph is 3rd to 4th shift. If I slow to 38 mph it will go back to 3rd gear. When I first put in in the Sprint it did not want to go into 4th(overdrive). I took it to the shop I bought the transmission from and the owner pulled the cable out as far as he could three or four times quickly. He said that sometimes the pressure valve hangs up a bit and causes the no overdrive. Anyway after he did that the trans works great.
BTW you can shift it manually and hold it in any of the three gears for as long as you want.

Scholman

 

Like you found out, the TV cable is uber important.

Besides the WOT TV cable setting, the geometry of the carb linkage is also important and is sometimes overlooked. The geometry is what says how far the cable is pulled at any particular throttle setting, below wide open. Be sure it's right. Details are below.

Links to info here.

Good luck.

 

700r4

It is an aftermarket cable. My gas pedal doesn't actually open the throttle all the way up, which I never do anyway but like I said I did open it by hand all the way to set the tv cable. When I have the throttle all the way open I have the cable pulled as far as it will go. I may drop the pan and do what you said. I tired to ge the cap off the governor to look at it but I can't get it off. I read somewhere there is a clip that holds it on but I dont see one. Any ideas on this. Also where do you get a calibration kit if I should need one.
I took the car out yesterday and I just realized that I have been running it with the shift in OD instead of drive. I put it in drive started off and I felt it shift from first to second and second to third but it didn't shift again. Should it just go to third while it is in drive. I can manually reach down and shift it to overdrive and if I am going 52 to 52 if feels like it locks up in fourth. If I get less than 52 or so it act like it shift back and foruth between 3rd and 4th. I have to get to 55 or so before it will stay locked up. I would just like to know if it is supposed to go in fourth while the indicator is in drive.
Seems like right now I am at about tha same shifting points from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd as you are.
I don't think the transmission is fried but don't know for sure. What will it do if it is fried. The fluid is good and red and doesn't smell so I don't know.
When I first put the cable on it was shifting from 1st to 2nd at about 27 with a really good positive shift and from2nd to 3rd at about 48 or 49 with a good positive shift. This seemd way to high to me so I started adjusting on the cable and have what I have now. Sometime when I am in the gas a little more than normal it feels good from 1st to 2nd but from 2nd to 3rd I can feel the motor rev up a little like it might be slipping but I don't know. Hopefully I can get it sraight. Thanks for the help.

 

It is an aftermarket cable. My gas pedal doesn't actually open the throttle all the way up, which I never do anyway but like I said I did open it by hand all the way to set the tv cable. When I have the throttle all the way open I have the cable pulled as far as it will go. I may drop the pan and do what you said. I tired to ge the cap off the governor to look at it but I can't get it off. I read somewhere there is a clip that holds it on but I dont see one. Any ideas on this. Also where do you get a calibration kit if I should need one.
I took the car out yesterday and I just realized that I have been running it with the shift in OD instead of drive. I put it in drive started off and I felt it shift from first to second and second to third but it didn't shift again. Should it just go to third while it is in drive. I can manually reach down and shift it to overdrive and if I am going 52 to 52 if feels like it locks up in fourth. If I get less than 52 or so it act like it shift back and foruth between 3rd and 4th. I have to get to 55 or so before it will stay locked up. I would just like to know if it is supposed to go in fourth while the indicator is in drive.
Seems like right now I am at about tha same shifting points from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd as you are.
I don't think the transmission is fried but don't know for sure. What will it do if it is fried. The fluid is good and red and doesn't smell so I don't know.
When I first put the cable on it was shifting from 1st to 2nd at about 27 with a really good positive shift and from2nd to 3rd at about 48 or 49 with a good positive shift. This seemd way to high to me so I started adjusting on the cable and have what I have now. Sometime when I am in the gas a little more than normal it feels good from 1st to 2nd but from 2nd to 3rd I can feel the motor rev up a little like it might be slipping but I don't know. Hopefully I can get it sraight. Thanks for the help.

If you're not dropping the pedal to the metal, you may not need to caibrate the shift points. I did mine because it was shifting at 3500 under full throttle.

You can get one here, item 43 just past half page: 700R4, TransmissionHead.com the Ultimate 700R4 Performance Website, 700R4 Raptor or google: superior 700r4 governor kit.

You'll need a large screwdriver and a hammer to get the cap off. A new rubber seal will also be req'd. If the cap is rusted tite, you may bugger the whole cap taking it off as well. Make sure you really want to go there before you begin.

If its revving from 2 to 3, the cable is still out of whack or your tranny is on the way out. Seeing that your fluid is nice and clean is a good sign though. It should shift nicely, always.

 

700r4

Yeah it seems to be reving a little when I am on the gas a little more. As long as I a easy on the throttle its fine.
As far a the tv cable it seems like the later and the more the motor is reved up the more positive the shift. LIke when it goes into 3rd at 48. I don't know. I hate to go to a transmission shop and confer with them. Over the years I have had an experience with three different shops where I live and two of the experiences were bad so I want to try and do all I can.
As far as the way it is shifting now, when it shifts to 3rd at a little heavy throttle and the motor seems to rev up a little I guess if the trans is going out it will continue to get worse.
It just seems odd that with the cable I can' only adjust it to shift at 14 and 27 and 27 and 48. Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.

 

Yeah it seems to be reving a little when I am on the gas a little more. As long as I a easy on the throttle its fine.

Did you give a few good tugs on the cable yet?

The tranny may not be on the way out yet. The cable system is more important than most guys realize.
Keep on it or else it will go out and if you rebuild it and there is a problem with your cable set up it will fry again.

I dropped my pan and found the problem before I lost a second tranny. It wasn't burying the plunger on the valve. It may not be your problem, but who knows, it could be too.

Do you have the correct bellcrank?
What carb is on the motor?

Crazy but true that only the governor can control shift points. Not the cable.

 

Drive is 1st, 2nd ,3rd
OD is 4th gear. 1,2,3,4
TC lockup is seperate