School me on automatic tranny

[Redfox]

I start my job tomorrow and need a car to get to work. Just paid 400 in labor to drop in a new tranny (rebuilt, has 89k miles) and torque converter into the car. If it is a simple reason the car isn't shifting I can have the car done before work tomorrow.

The mechanic who dropped it in says it only shifts into first gear and that is it. Now the transmission is good, it came from F34R and was stored and cared for.

If the tranny was bad it would not shift at all (like the previous one), correct? F34R had mentioned that the mechanics of something was not hooked up correctly, and maybe it could have something to do with the Speed Censor ECU? He is unfamiliar with automatics so he wasn't entirely sure.

Bottom line, what things would cause an automatic tranny to only shift into first? What aspect of the mechanical was not hooked up correctly?

(For financial reasons I had to drop in another automatic, please forgive me!)

Thanks so much guys!

[Cabrio330]

The ZF 4hp22 automatic transmission has a known history of upshifting problems - google it. Mine will not upshift out of first until I have driven the car a few minutes, then it will upshift abruptly. After a few miles, the upshifts are more normal. Are you sure this isn't your problem? You may need to drive the car around a little longer - give it a chance.

It's a pain in the butt, but I haven't read or seen any reliable fixes to this problem.

Good luck!

[ttrousdell]

was that kickdown cable that goes from the tranny to the throttle body installed correctly?

[F34R]

was that kickdown cable that goes from the tranny to the throttle body installed correctly?

That was my thinking Tom, this tranny came from me. I am also thinking it could be a plogged filter, low fluid etc. I also don't know the shop installing it...so cannot back them. I did call the shop yesterday and he said if they rev it up a bit the tranny will go into first gear. But will not shift into the next ones.

I sold it out of the vert I am building the stroker for. Brother did not want an auto and I pulled and stored it in a garage till Rachel bought it off me.

Smooth shifting though every gear, never gave the slightest hint of issues. So I am lost on what could have caused this.

[CabbE30]

Sounds like the kickdown cable to me. Or low fluid.
Is the transmission slipping at all?

[scottinAZ]

sounds similar to the issues I had with my auto. Have the shop check the line pressures out of the trans, and make sure they are in spec (if they are equipped to do so)

half the time with mine I could not get it into gear without revving the motor, but once it was in gear it was shifting fine. Believed to be a failing pump or plugged cooler issue affecting fluid flow to the rest of the trans.

Kickdown cable, fluid and filter all replaced and properly adjusted, so that was ruled out.

Seals may just be getting old and lack of use killed them.

Did not get a final answer on this due to motor and trans swap

[Redfox]

Update, Mitch from the shop tested and blew out the lines and believes it is a failed pump.

Brandon, is there any way you would be interested in taking a trip out here if I paid your gas and seeing if you can get it to work? Tranny shop said they would refund my money if you knew it was working and can fix it. I would gladly pay you to do so. Please get back to me because I really need a way to work.