Overdrive hesitates

[Formula Z]

Im kinda new to f bodies and LS1`s so bear with me. when im gettin it, 4th gear/overdrive wont engage unless i let off the gas. it will redline if i dont let up, then after it goes in its back to business. is tranny going bad?? if i drive normal, all is great. what could be some issues??

[Insomnya3AM]

Low trans fluid. Check the level while the car running, in park and on a level surface.

[1bad83ta]

ya that would be a problem. The shift is controlled electronically, you probably need to hook up with some one that has a tec2 or those obdII scanners.

ah yes that could be a problem also.

[Formula Z]

well i did check the fluid level yesterday after i got home from work and it was where it was supposed to be, but it looked pretty dirty. (brownish instead of redish). the guy who i bought the car from had it for 3 years and never even cleaned his K&N filter. Im worried about trying to change fluid because i heard that if it isnt done regularly, its a bad idea. how fast can i get going in 3rd gear?? anyone know??

[Insomnya3AM]

well i did check the fluid level yesterday after i got home from work and it was where it was supposed to be, but it looked pretty dirty. (brownish instead of redish). the guy who i bought the car from had it for 3 years and never even cleaned his K&N filter. Im worried about trying to change fluid because i heard that if it isnt done regularly, its a bad idea. how fast can i get going in 3rd gear?? anyone know??

What you are hearing about is flushing the trans. If you flush a trans that is more than 40k miles old, you might destroy it. If you just drop the pan, change the filter and fill it up with new oil, you'll be fine, if not much better.

[Formula Z]

i was thinking of some kind of synthetic tranny fluid. do they even make it, if not what is recommended for tranny fluid??

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Also note that its not good at all to go WOT into 4th, 3rd gear will get you well past the 1/4 mile but I'd definatly recommend changing your trans fluid.

[Formula Z]

thats what i was wondering because i want to take it to the track and see what it will do and if i can just put it in third and go, then that will work. but like when im passing and it kicks down, and i stay on it, it wont shift but only rev until i let up. it doesnt seem right. i will change the tranny fluid and filter this weekend.

[Insomnya3AM]

Sell it as scrap to me. I'll give you a 20 spot

[wezeles]

B&M makes trick shift synthetic and synthetic blend... seems to work decent for me... never gets the hot tranny fluid smell after hours of ragging on it... but yeah ive never had a problem with a flush.. but if your uncompfortabel with it just go buy the filter kit.. comes with a pan gasket.. and you can get all the metal shavings outta there... if the guy before you ragged on it im sure the tranny filter is clogged by now.. which will lower your pressure enough to effect your shifting... your looking at 50-75 bucks for fluid and everythign to do it... easy job but damn will you smell after....

yum yum burnt tranny fluid

[01WU8]

Also note that its not good at all to go WOT into 4th

This is true. It will eventually burn it up. I recommend a filter change and some Royal Purple...

[Superman09]

Yea, i only did that once before i read it was bad. Trust me, you don't need to let it shift into 4th to fulfill your addrenaline rush, it shifts into OD at WOT at a pretty big speed wso its real bad o nthe clutch pack. Yesterday coming home i had it in 3rd and got on it, shifts into 3rd at WOT around 85 or so, and this time it decided not to shift into 3rd and i noticed it wasnt shifting and my RPMS were are like 6300, normally shifts 5800-6100 ish. so i let off immediately and was puzzled. I threw it into OD and tested it out a few times and everytime i did it, it would shift fine into 3rd at 85 or so at 58-6100 rpms. Weird, must have been something to do with being in 3rd. These auto's are weird sometimes.

[Formula Z]

i know the guy before me never beat on it, if you knew him you would know. but whoever had it before him could have ragged on it. i will do the tranny filter and new fluid this week and hopefully it fixes the problem. anyone use redline tranny fluid and would you recommend it?? thanks for all the input guys, i really appreciate it. cant wait to meet some others who own these cars.

[lowered 93z]

i would recomend to NOT use b & m trick shift it wears parts out instead of protecting them acorrding to my tranny guy. and i also wouldnt waste the money because after it mixes with the old fluid in the rest of the system it wont make a differance

[wezeles]

there are two different b&M trick shifts ones for older trans... its only a synthetic blend... for new trans i would only use a full sythetic... royal purple also makes great trans and gear lube some of the best on the market used in the trans and axel they give mpg increase even... never heard of redline before... is that the name of the company or just that fluid? when you drop the pan pour a quart through just to get that last little bit out.. they also have conditioners and additives like lucas but im not sure how much that would help or hurt it... key is to get that nasty old fluid and metal shavings out and a clean filter so your back up to proper pressure...

hydralics... its like duct tape no one knows how it really works it just does