shifting troubles

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Sep 11, 2003 | 11:36 PM

1984 f-250

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Joined: Apr 2003

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From: Oregon

shifting troubles

i have a 1970 351 cleveland with a fmx automatic transmission. The tranny was sitting for 3 months and now it will not go into 3rd and 4th gear. reverse all the way up to 2nd gear works fine but it wont shift after that. Also the transmission fluid has been changed.
does anybody have any ideas????

Sep 12, 2003 | 12:15 AM

archangel

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Joined: May 2003

Posts: 1,242

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From: Joliet, Illinois

shifting troubles

you said-----
i have a 1970 351 cleveland with a fmx automatic transmission. The tranny was sitting for 3 months and now it will not go into 3rd and 4th gear. reverse all the way up to 2nd gear works fine but it wont shift after that. Also the transmission fluid has been changed.
does anybody have any ideas????

First off, assuming you have what you say you have, the FMX is a 3 speed trans, not a 4 speed.

Second, sitting for 3 months wont do a thing to a good trans.

And is it not working in "D" but manual 1 and 2 work , or does it just not go into 3rd in "D" range?

Sep 21, 2003 | 05:28 PM

kris123

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Joined: Sep 2003

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shifting troubles

My 83 302 f-150 wont shift out of 2nd in D or Overdrive, I dont know whats wrong, any ideas? I checked the kickdown and thats not it.

Sep 21, 2003 | 09:43 PM

pfogle

Lead Driver

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 8,140

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From: Oak Harbor, OH

shifting troubles

I would start at making sure that the kickdown lever on the side of the transmission is not stuck in the wide open throttle position, this will make the tranny not shift into third gear until about 65 miles an hour.

Sep 22, 2003 | 05:58 AM

kris123

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Joined: Sep 2003

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shifting troubles

no, its not stuck, yesterday, I disconnected the kick down and wired it to the carb so that it would stay in its normal position and then I drove the truck and it still would not shift out of 2nd, also I tried going from 1 to drive to overdrive and when it got to overdrive it slipped into neutral. Any other suggestions? I need the truck for work so I think I might be making a trip to cottman.

Oct 2, 2003 | 11:16 PM

Texas Husker

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Joined: Oct 2003

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From: New Braunfels, TX

Not Shifting to 3rd

Kris (or anyone),
What did you end up doing for your tranny that wouldn't shift from 2nd to 3rd? I have the same problem and the kickdown lever is good. Advice?
Michael

Dec 29, 2003 | 09:04 PM

Johnks4x4

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Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 10

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From: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Hi Guys,

Since no one decided to say what kind of trans they were working with, I will assume that it is one of the older, pre-electronic types; i.e. C-6, C-4, C-3, FMX etc. With these type of transmissions, if nothing else has happened to it and it all of a sudden just won't shift into high (3rd) gear, the chances are that it has a bad vacuum modulator, a very easy fix.

Just for kicks, most of the times before you buy a new modulator you can check to see if the old one is bad by simply disconnecting the vacuum line at the modulator and see if there is any tranny fluid coming out of the vacuum line. This is a sure sign that the modulator is bad. The last time I bought one it was relatively cheap and usually only requires the removal of one bolt, no fluid loss and about a half an hour of your time.

I like to check the cheapest and easiest repairs first and for those transmissions, this would be it.

Good Luck
John K.