C4 shifting question

[Dne']

hi all! The other day I took my stang for a very short drive just to see if the tranny would shift ok. The cable for the downshift is not connected yet, not that it would make any difference(?), but it wouldn't shift to 3rd, at least in the distance it wouldn't. I jacked the rear end up and ran it, but just wouldn't make the jump to 3rd gear. It's full of fluid and it getting vacuum to the modulator. The C4 was overhauled about a year ago, but ya'll know it's just now getting going. I didn't get very far and on the way back to my home I ran out of gas! lol kind of funny actually. Doesn't go very far on 2 gallons of gas. Good things; alternator is charging, oil and temp gauges work, and dual electric fans are working too!
Thoughts appreciated!
dne'

 

[Midlife]

I wonder if you have an old-style green-dot C4. The shifter, when put into D, would start in 2nd gear, and only give you one up-shift. I believe you had to put the shifter in the green-dot position, which would allow you to start in 2nd gear.

 

[Dne']

Well, that's interesting! I guess I can jack it up to see if the shifter lever below lines up or inspect what's going on. I pretty much put the shifter in the park position, and had the tranny in park, then tightned the adjusting nut. Never gave it much thought. If the weather is better tomorrow, I'll take it out for a lengthier test drive~ just a little worried as we have increased police controls these days. I guess I could just jack it up again, put the axle on jack stands and run it again(with more gas this time).

Why would someone want to start in second gear? You mean it would start in 2nd and go to 3rd gear? I'm sure its not going into 3rd, well, pretty sure.
Thanks!

I wonder if you have an old-style green-dot C4. The shifter, when put into D, would start in 2nd gear, and only give you one up-shift. I believe you had to put the shifter in the green-dot position, which would allow you to start in 2nd gear.

 

[Midlife]

Starting in 2nd gear was desirable in the old days, particularly in ice and snowy conditions. It also allowed for nice, smooth take-offs from stop-lights by little ol' ladies, not us gear-heads.

Try your test drive by starting in first, then manually shifting to D and see if you can get another shift.

 

[johnpro]

Actually, with the "Green Dot" C4's, which were used in all '65/'66 cars, the shift pattern is quite different than the '67/later C4.

The shifter on the green dots is labeled "White Dot" (where most transmissions would have "D". The next position back, is "Green Dot" (where most transmissions would have "2nd"), and then "L" (where most transmissions would have "1st").

The normal driving position on the Green Dot is just that ... the Green Dot position. This will start in 1st, and automatically shift to 2nd and 3rd, just like any other 3 speed transmission.

The White Dot position, like Midlife said, starts in 2nd and automatically shifts to 3rd. This was for "wet road starts" to keep from spinning the rear tires.

The "L" position is EITHER first gear OR second gear, depending on your speed, and will NOT automatically shift out of which ever gear your in until you shift to "Green Dot", in which case, it will continue shifting through the gears to 3rd.

Re-try all your tests using the "Green Dot" position. That's where you want it, when you're driving it.

 

[Dne']

OK, good explanation you two~
I'm going to jack the car up, see how I have it 'adjusted' and go from there. Let ya'll know what happens later! I worse comes to worse and I just can't get it to shift into third, I'll call my trans guy that overhauled it.
Thanks!!
dne'

 

[AzPete]

Your shifter cover most likely has the normal D, 2, & 1. The 65/66 shifter cover had an actual green dot in one position. I suggest you manually shift the car, starting in 1, then move it to 2 and feel the shift, same for D....be sure you feel the car shift. Do the same down shifting......

 

[Dne']

shifting/speedo gear

o I jacked it high and placed jackstands beneath the rear axle. It's easy to distinguish between 1st and 2nd, but I just cannot feel 3rd! I can hold the button so the detent doesn't touch its spot for the gear it would be in and slowly go from 1 ~ 2~ 3 and then back down(of course being careful not to put it in reverse!). I was checking the downshift lever and burnt the back of my hand on the header :cry, not bad, but ~ "that's going to leave a scar!" And it is blazing hot and humid and I just don't want to play anymore today!! I want a scissor jack~ I hate floor jacks ! I don't have my speedometer connected yet, don't have a gear for the end that goes into the tranny~ speaking of which, how do I acertain what gear I to buy? However, most importantly is the tranny, but maybe seeing what MPH I get may correlate~ maybe it's going into 3rd and I just don't recognize that transition.
thanks!
dne'
This speedogear calculator is ok, but I don't know the first number to put in it.
my rear is 2.80 and tire size is 24.75"
http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/SpeedoGearCalc.html

 

[Midlife]

Do not, under any circumstances, ever use a scissors jack and get under the car. They are notorious for not being stable. In fact, you should never get under the car using a hydraulic jack by itself; always ALWAYS use jack stands.

So...did you get two gear shift transitions?

 

[AzPete]

:wstup
A lot of times, people will be looking for 3 shifts. You put the car in drive, it starts in low (that is one gear), it shifts one time (that is two gears), and it shifts a second time (that is really the third gear).

 

[Dne']

you know, the scissor jack that raises the entire car off the ground~ I believe they're called a scissor jack~ it's a large thing! I'm can guarantee ya'll that I use jackstands and would not get beneath a vehicle without them.

I do get two shift transitions. But I thought this was a 3 speed transmisson? so shouldn't there be 3 "clunks"? When it cools off a little this evening, I'm going to take it out in my neighborhood~ always a little worried getting too far in case something was to quit working! I would just be so embarressed if I had to have someone pull me home!
Anyway, just put 9 gallons in it and my gas guage works!!! ALLmy gauges work(except for the clock)!

Do not, under any circumstances, ever use a scissors jack and get under the car. They are notorious for not being stable. In fact, you should never get under the car using a hydraulic jack by itself; always ALWAYS use jack stands.

So...did you get two gear shift transitions?

 

[AzPete]

You half to start of in one gear, after that, first "clunk" is going to the second gear, second "clunk" is going to the third gear. Three gears, two clunks, 4 gears (AOD) 3 clunks.

 

[Dne']

:craz ok~ I'm going to go drive it right now~ be back in a little bit.

You half to start of in one gear, after that, first "clunk" is going to the second gear, second "clunk" is going to the third gear. Three gears, two clunks, 4 gears (AOD) 3 clunks.

 

[Midlife]

:craz ok~ I'm going to go drive it right now~ be back in a little bit.

All right everyone! Get your children and pets off the streets NOW! *G*

 

[Dne']

enough for a day

I've gone up and down the street~ just not a long enough street and my neighbors are looking at me and my incomplete stang! AnywayI just can't tell! if it is shifting into third, if it is, it's so subtle that I can't feel it nor hear it. I will say the motor sounds pretty good, but bogs down after it's warmed up, it's ok when it's just first started up, then it's responsive. the choke comes all the way off, the timing I haven't set, but did set it to where it would clatter when loaded, then backed off a bit to where it doesn't clatter. Just need to go get a timing light. The engine temp is 180-190 and the dual electric fans work great maintaining the temp!

As for the tranny, it's moving the car and not slipping, so at a later time I can take it to the guy that overhauled it and let him ck it out. Not sure what the 1800 stall speed converter does, but I guess it's working ok.
I may take it to a local shop to see if they can tune it and make it run. When I blip the throttle, there's just a crappy bogged down response.

 

[AzPete]

At slow speeds, the shift to third may never be "felt". Any way tou could hook up a tach and run it. The rpms will drop upon each shift as long as you are accelerating. I think you are not driving far enough to feel the shift and it actually shifts when you ease off the gas.

You should be able to tune that thing.....it is not rocket science...after all, Randy can.

 

[Midlife]

At slow speeds, the shift to third may never be "felt". Any way tou could hook up a tach and run it. The rpms will drop upon each shift as long as you are accelerating. I think you are not driving far enough to feel the shift and it actually shifts when you ease off the gas.

You should be able to tune that thing.....it is not rocket science...after all, Randy can.

This is from someone who still hasn't put a timing light on his 66 coupe in well over a year...

 

[AzPete]

This is from someone who still hasn't put a timing light on his 66 coupe in well over a year...

Why, it is running fine......buy I did replace a window motor in something.....