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Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355641] Sat, 13 June 2020 14:43 Go to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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So I've had this issue randomly for over 10 years now. I've had the Murray out for a couple of short runs this year and the transmission shifter fine every time. Today we left to go for the first weekend trip and right out of the driveway it would not shift on its own from first to second.

I can always shift it manually by putting it into second and then back to Drive it will goto third.

The modulator and governor have been changed along with the tubing and hoses to the modulator. I changed the tranny fluid and filter this spring. I checked the filter diameter and put 2 o-rings on it.

It may not do this now for the rest of the season or it might do it for the next thousand miles.

Driving me crazy!

Its been doing this on and off since the spring after I bought it rebuilt when I got the engine rebuilt.

Amsoil HD synthetic.


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355642 is a reply to message #355641] Sat, 13 June 2020 14:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
pjburt is currently offline  pjburt   United States
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I had the same problem. Check the modulator vacuum line for leaks.

Jerry Burt Fresno, CA.
73 Gmc 26' Canyon Lands
Members: FMCA - GMCMI - GMCWS
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355643 is a reply to message #355641] Sat, 13 June 2020 15:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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Forgot to add, speedometer works fine, governor gear is fine.

Fluid level is fine.

Plunger valve that the modulator works against moves freely.


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: [GMCnet] Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355644 is a reply to message #355643] Sat, 13 June 2020 15:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
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The modulator steel line is partially plugged up where it narrows down at
the top. What I have successfully done to unplug those crimped lines is to
heat them quite hot, whack them against the work bench to dislodge whatever
is plugging them, and blowing them out with compressed air. Repeat as many
times as necessary until the blockage is cleared. That should fix your on
again/off again problem. Make sure to inspect the lower vacuum line as well.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sat, Jun 13, 2020 at 1:01 PM Bruce Hislop via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> Forgot to add, speedometer works fine, governor gear is fine.
>
> Fluid level is fine.
>
> Plunger valve that the modulator works against moves freely.
>
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>
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Re: [GMCnet] Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355645 is a reply to message #355644] Sat, 13 June 2020 17:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
pjburt is currently offline  pjburt   United States
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Registered: February 2016
Location: Fresno, California
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Mine ended up being an old, hardened lower vacuum line.

James Hupy wrote on Sat, 13 June 2020 13:51
The modulator steel line is partially plugged up where it narrows down at
the top. What I have successfully done to unplug those crimped lines is to
heat them quite hot, whack them against the work bench to dislodge whatever
is plugging them, and blowing them out with compressed air. Repeat as many
times as necessary until the blockage is cleared. That should fix your on
again/off again problem. Make sure to inspect the lower vacuum line as well.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sat, Jun 13, 2020 at 1:01 PM Bruce Hislop via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> Forgot to add, speedometer works fine, governor gear is fine.
>
> Fluid level is fine.
>
> Plunger valve that the modulator works against moves freely.
>
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Jerry Burt Fresno, CA.
73 Gmc 26' Canyon Lands
Members: FMCA - GMCMI - GMCWS
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355655 is a reply to message #355641] Sat, 13 June 2020 22:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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Sorry guys, more info on repairs I've done.

2 years ago after we aborted a Maritimes holiday because of this issue. When we returned I replaced the upper and lower rubber hoses and the steel tube. I replaced the steel tube with a 3/16" tube so it would match with the new modulator vacuum tube size. I also added spring type hose clamps to both ends of the rubber hoses to ensure they are sealed. After that it only gave me issues a couple of times until now.

I'm trying to understand the voodoo that goes on in the transmission that makes it shift gears.

Several times I varied the throttle to change the vacuum level. I thought this might cause the transmission to change gears but no go.


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355661 is a reply to message #355655] Sat, 13 June 2020 23:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bullitthead is currently offline  Bullitthead   United States
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Senior Member
Make sure transmission vacuum line goes to manifold vacuum source. Might try teeing in a gauge to watch that signal when problem occurs. Possible sticking valve or small piece of trash making one stick once in awhile and it can't escape the valve chamber.

Terry Kelpien ASE Master Technician 73 Glacier 260 Smithfield, Va.
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355662 is a reply to message #355655] Sun, 14 June 2020 04:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
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Location: Hebron, Indiana
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Well, You might get a cheap vacuum gauge and tee it in to the modulator to see what happens with the vacuum level when it fails.

My other thought is the kick down switch might be sticking. Unplug it at the trans and see if you get any failures. You can always get by without the kick down (passing gear) switch. You can always pull the trans down a gear, if needed, with the gear shift.


Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

[Updated on: Sun, 14 June 2020 04:48]

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Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355670 is a reply to message #355641] Sun, 14 June 2020 09:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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Kick-down has been disconnected for years.

I'll T into the vacuum line at the modulator and see what I can read there.

Is it supposed to shift at a set vacuum level or how does that work?


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: [GMCnet] Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355673 is a reply to message #355670] Sun, 14 June 2020 09:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
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Have you given any thought to your speedometer cable or governor? Try
lubing that lower cable and see if that helps.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 7:21 AM Bruce Hislop via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> Kick-down has been disconnected for years.
>
> I'll T into the vacuum line at the modulator and see what I can read
> there.
>
> Is it supposed to shift at a set vacuum level or how does that work?
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355674 is a reply to message #355641] Sun, 14 June 2020 10:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
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The lower the vacuum the later the shift. Double check your vacuum hose type. Some is soft and sucks flat especially if curved. Sorry I don’t have the SAE numbers but I do know that the GM engineering cut sheet for each type vacuum hose is about 4 pages. I know this because my friend is reproducing GM vacuum hose to be licensed. I also know that soft vacuum hose caused the same issue on my 77 E2

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355676 is a reply to message #355670] Sun, 14 June 2020 14:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
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I do not know the shift points. I thought they were variable based on engine or governor speed and vacuum level. What I am hoping is that you will see what is normal and then see any anomaly / difference when it is failing.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: [GMCnet] Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355680 is a reply to message #355676] Sun, 14 June 2020 16:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
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The 1-2 shift point is about 14mph with throttle part way open. Quite a bit
faster than that when fully on the floor. Maybe, 25 -30. 2-3 shift normally
occurs around 30 mph. But as high as 50 at wide open throttle. I am talking
about stock transmissions, and stock final drive gearing.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 12:09 PM Ken Burton via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> I do not know the shift points. I thought they were variable based on
> engine or governor speed and vacuum level. What I am hoping is that you
> will
> see what is normal and then see any anomaly / difference when it is
> failing.
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
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Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355687 is a reply to message #355641] Sun, 14 June 2020 19:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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Jim Hupy, so the shift is dependent on modulator for engine load (light throttle is high vacuum and WOT is low vacuum). And the govenor for road speed.... That is what I understand. So it could be a govenor issue even though I have changed it and still had issues afterwards.

Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: [GMCnet] Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355688 is a reply to message #355687] Sun, 14 June 2020 19:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
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I suggested the speedometer cable lube because that happened to me. My
cable was routed too close to the headers, and the heat carbonized the lube
and rubber covering on the outer cable. My fault. I had changed final drive
gearing, and installed the speedometer reduction gearbox up instead of down
and away from the header heat. When I do one of those today, I insulate the
cable with that bright orange nomex aircraft slip tubing. Good stuff,
spendy, but effective. Never had shifting problems since I did that.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 5:32 PM Bruce Hislop via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> Jim Hupy, so the shift is dependent on modulator for engine load (light
> throttle is high vacuum and WOT is low vacuum). And the govenor for road
> speed.... That is what I understand. So it could be a govenor issue even
> though I have changed it and still had issues afterwards.
> --
> Bruce Hislop
> ON Canada
> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Re: [GMCnet] Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355689 is a reply to message #355688] Sun, 14 June 2020 20:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Henderson is currently offline  Ken Henderson   United States
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Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
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Senior Member
I made an aluminum heat shield to fit 1/2" or so off of the speedometer
cable so that the air flow protected it. Now that I've eliminated that
cable with a digital speedometer, the heat shield protects the Vehicle
Speed Sensor (VSS).

Ken H.


On Sun, Jun 14, 2020 at 8:43 PM James Hupy via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> I suggested the speedometer cable lube because that happened to me. My
> cable was routed too close to the headers, and the heat carbonized the lube
> and rubber covering on the outer cable. My fault. I had changed final drive
> gearing, and installed the speedometer reduction gearbox up instead of down
> and away from the header heat. When I do one of those today, I insulate the
> cable with that bright orange nomex aircraft slip tubing. Good stuff,
> spendy, but effective. Never had shifting problems since I did that.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Sun, Jun 14, 2020, 5:32 PM Bruce Hislop via Gmclist gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
>
>> Jim Hupy, so the shift is dependent on modulator for engine load (light
>> throttle is high vacuum and WOT is low vacuum). And the govenor for road
>> speed.... That is what I understand. So it could be a govenor issue even
>> though I have changed it and still had issues afterwards.
>> --
>> Bruce Hislop
>> ON Canada
>> 77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
>> My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355703 is a reply to message #355687] Mon, 15 June 2020 08:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
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A few years back Dan Gregg had a similar problem. I kept telling him it was modulator associated. He would not listen to me. He replaced the governor a second time with one rebuilt by Wally and fixed the problem.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355710 is a reply to message #355641] Mon, 15 June 2020 10:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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We just got back from our weekend getaway to the bush. I can type a message now on a real computer and not a silly little smart phone.

On the way here it did not shift right out of the driveway from a cold startup. And today it shifted fine through 5 stop signs in about 10 miles. On the 6th stop it would not shift and had to manually shift to the balance of the trip (about 20 more miles and 6 more stop signs). So not sure that it is heat related.

Before we left I checked the hose at the modulator (was new in 2018 with the modulator) and the hose to the manifold also new in 2018. Both seemed to be sufficiently thick to resist collapse by the vacuum.

I'll T in a hose from the modulator and connect it to a vacuum gauge and see if I can find anything. If I had a spare MAP sensor, then I could log the vacuum readings on the EBL.

KenB, I'm wondering about the governor. The speedo reads fine, no jumping so the governor must be spinning. I got this one from Al Hamilton who took it off a spare tranny he had. It did the same thing after changing it so we assumed it was not a governor problem, but it could have been sticky as well.


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355715 is a reply to message #355710] Mon, 15 June 2020 11:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
RF_Burns wrote on Mon, 15 June 2020 10:14
We just got back from our weekend getaway to the bush. I can type a message now on a real computer and not a silly little smart phone.

On the way here it did not shift right out of the driveway from a cold startup. And today it shifted fine through 5 stop signs in about 10 miles. On the 6th stop it would not shift and had to manually shift to the balance of the trip (about 20 more miles and 6 more stop signs). So not sure that it is heat related.

Before we left I checked the hose at the modulator (was new in 2018 with the modulator) and the hose to the manifold also new in 2018. Both seemed to be sufficiently thick to resist collapse by the vacuum.

I'll T in a hose from the modulator and connect it to a vacuum gauge and see if I can find anything. If I had a spare MAP sensor, then I could log the vacuum readings on the EBL.

KenB, I'm wondering about the governor. The speedo reads fine, no jumping so the governor must be spinning. I got this one from Al Hamilton who took it off a spare tranny he had. It did the same thing after changing it so we assumed it was not a governor problem, but it could have been sticky as well.
Bruce, I had this same discussion with Dan a few years ago. In the end I was wrong with my diagnosis. I was not there, so I did not see the fix. Dan just told me that replacing the governor a second time took care of the problem. Unfortunately Dan died a few years back so we can not ask for more details. Wally, if he is around, might know more.

Ken


Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: Transmission won't shift from first to second [message #355723 is a reply to message #355641] Mon, 15 June 2020 18:17 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
jhbridges is currently offline  jhbridges   United States
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Does not the governor push the valve down as the weights spin outward? What this will do if the valve is sticking a bit is slow the shift a bit. Or in the one we first put in my current coach stick such that nit never shifts. I'd replace it with a rebuild at this point. Smooth speedo operation says it's rotating correctly, but says nothing about that valve.

--johnny


Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons. Braselton, Ga. I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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