200-4R Stopped shifting into 4th.

Hey all! So i recently got my motor rebuilt to go with my 2004R. I have had the 2004R installed for about 8 months and 800 miles on it so far. It was a little over full and was leaking out vent tube. Contact guys at extreme automatics. They advised to losen tv cable housing, lift and let excess fluid drain. I did that and a lot came out, maybe quart. So let it drain till stopped, re secured 10mm bolt. Drove the car same day, no issues. Shifted all gears no problem. Yesterday I was running some errands, stopped got some food, and on the way home it stopped shifting into 4th gear. I got up to 3500 rpm in 3rd and no shift. Any idea what this might be? I feel like I’m just having one issue after another. I haven’t been able to drive my car for 8 months had it back 3 weeks and now the transmission is just acting up out of no where. So frustrating.

 

Check the obvious first: be sure you had it in OD and not D, reverify the TV cable at the carb.

 

Yes, while you think it is in OD, push it up one more time and see if it hit neutral.

 

I double checked both. I will double check it again tomorrow am. But I’m 99% sure I had it in OD I have been driving it quite a bit. Never missed it. All other gears shifted great.

 

Alright, went out and double checked. I was def in OD. Did 4 attempts. Left in d2 shifted to d3, then to OD and just stayed in 3rd. Came to a full stop tested torque converter by stopping and applying gas while braking reved up and held. No idea what’s going on. Any info or tips is greatly appreciated. Gonna try to get it up in the air next week. It was working fine one second then just stopped.

 

Thanks Larry, read both of those. They didn’t really proved a solve. The only thing I did was loosen tv cable housing, let drain, retighten. Trans worked fine after that too for about 30 mile. Drove next day and worked fine as well, then just stopped. No changes made to anything all. I’ll have to get a pressure test I assume and go from there. Maybe debris go on TV cable, but then why would all my other gears shift perfectly?

 

Just spitballing but if it had too much fluid and worked and stopped shortly after you let fluid out, I'd be tempted to put a pint in and see how it went.

 

I was thinking about that. I have the larger aluminum pan installed on it. So I highly doubt I’m low. But I’ll head to the store and grab some and see if that helps. I would assume my other gear shifts would also be affected if it was a fluid level.

 

Added a quart. Drive it 1:8 of a mile and no change. Still have fluids leaking from vent tube as well. This is becoming a major PITA.

 

Where did you source your dipstick and tube from?

 

The shop that installed it put it in. I don’t get what that has to do with it. Transmission had been working flawless for 800+ miles. Worked fine after I made did fluid drain as directed by extreme auto. Drove next morning no problems. I took car to an appointment. There and back no issues 20 mile trip. Later went to get food and that’s when no more shifting from 3rd to 4th.

 

Welp if they reused the stick and tube from the th350 (it'll bolt right in place) that is the start of your problem. If it is the 350 stick and tube, you'll be way overfull at the "full" mark. I know this first hand. And if you added a quart and its puking out the vent, you're way over full, and being a quart over full should be no where near enough to puke out the vent, so it tracks that the stick and tube are wrong. And if you have been driving this whole time way over filled, well thats likely the reason for your failure.

So, is the stick and tube correct for a 2004r or no?

 

Yeah it’s the right tube. Def not the one from my th300. As I said the shop installed. I don’t see how being over full would break 4th gear.

 

Well for those intrested, took to shop. a different more reputable one. we pulled the pan. TV cable was all good, dip stick was correct too. The sprag had gone bad. Think this was due to the shift kit and the really hard shifts. Installed new check ball to smooth out shifts and gonna install new sprag, should still be under warranty from extreme automatics. ill keep ya posted.

 

Interesting - Stage 1, 2, or 3? Did you put a shift kit in?

 

Stage 2 with firm shifts. I’m thinking the shift kit it was caused it(extreme auto built it all) . That thing was banging very firm! None the less got it pulled today and sending to the guys over at extreme automatics and they are gonna get it squared away.

 

Sounds like a plan. I was gonna say send it to Extreme rather than a local shop.

 

Well the team over at Extreme automatics took her it in and got it diagnosed. Turns outs that the 4th gear snap ring broke. No idea how that happened but they fixed it up tested it on the dyno and are shipping it back.