I'm restoring a Kellison with a rebuilt 1969 Olds 455 and 2004 700R4 trans with overdrive. Both have limited miles and run great. I don't know the rearend gears. A friend of the previous owner thought 390 gears. The Olds is all torque and it cruises the freeway at 70mph at 1600rpm. It runs great at speed but when coasting to slow with traffic, car feels like it's lugging and I need to downshift to 2nd and 2600rpm to get the "crispness" back in the motor. When I put it in neutral and gas it, it runs clean but under a load it felt choppy - even while idling at 500-600 rpm. From inside the car I advanced the timing from 8 degrees to 17 degrees and it seemed to help although I didn't save the setting as I wasn't sure I was fixing anything. Engine temp runs at 186-190. Is the problem me? Should I be shifting it out of "D" which is overdrive - more often or can the trans be tuned to the torque/rpm of the engine to downshift quicker when slowing? On the way home, I had an open 4-mile stretch and took it to 92 mph at around 2600rpm. It gets there quick from 70mph and all of a sudden it felt like a new car. It smoothed out the ride, got quieter and felt more stable. I couldn't believe how perfect it felt. Too bad we don't have any autobahns around here. But once I start to slow and it just loses it's "oomph" like i'm in too high a gear until I downshift and bring it back up again.
Kind of sounds like a lockup torque converter issue. If your ****** is a 2004 you must be running a computer to control it. Check the manufacturer of the kit (if it is aftermarket) for info. If your running the complete wire harness from a 2004 you may be able to have it reprogrammed.
Throttle valve cable, should be hooked to your carb linkage? Does the trans downshift by using the throttle only like stock?
Thanks 38, I'm just now figuring out the car and I'll need to do some homework on the exact year for the trans. The owner has since p***ed on so I'm relying on receipts and the memories of friends of friends. But you've given me something to look for and that helps.
Yes Blackout, TV cable runs from the carburetor to the p***enger side trans and looks to be adjusted firmly.
OK. You probably already know that cable adjustment controls pressure and will affect downshifts (firmness, rpm, throttle position). A stock 700R4 will shift into 4th at 40 mph in a stock Camaro, with very light cruising throttle. The converter will be locked up at that speed. The RPM at that speed is quite low. Does your 455 have a big cam or is it hopped up? Do you still have the computer for the transmission installed?
There is no such thing as a 2004 700R4 (GM service replacements a possible exception), they became a computer controlled 4L60E about 1994. A 700R4 doesn't even bolt to an Olds block without an adaptor, for a minute I thought you meant you weren't sure if it was a 200R4 (which will bolt to the Olds) or a 700R4. Maybe it's time to do a few searches online and ID the trans by the shape of the pan. Plus verify the torque converter solenoid and TV cable are properly hooked up and adjusted, and since a lot of times these OD transmissions in a non-factory application get just a toggle switch to control the solenoid, find out if it's set up that way. The 700R4 doesn't have computer controls, although it can have an electric speedo drive. Both of those have four forward gear positions - first, second, drive, and overdrive (usually shows as PRN(D)DSL on factory shift indicators). With a 29 inch tire (which is like a 235/75R15) to turn 2600 at 92 MPH calls for like a 3.42 gear with the .70 OD these run. Going to an inch smaller rim/tire doesn't change the numbers a whole lot.
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