Transmission and Speedometer Questions
June 9th, 2016, 04:46 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 26
Transmission and Speedometer Questions
Hello, new to this forum so if I'm in the wrong place or done this wrong please let me know.
I recently got a 1984 Olds Toronado. It sat since 2008, and since it has 24000 Km's you can tell it hasn't run much.
It has the 307 in it, it is front wheel drive, but I don't know the Trans. I saw the tag but I couldn't get a good picture of it.
The oil level in the Trans is clear, and red with no burnt smell.
However after the Trans warms up, when I slow down to stop, it seems like it doesn't want to stop. The Trans shudders, the car feels like it stalls, but it's stopped. When I start to go again, it seems to be slow to start, and shifts funny. I used to have a 1986 Pontiac 6000 (in the mid 90's) and I remember having a solenoid on it sticking at time when I stopped at a red light. Could this be a similar issue? I do intent to take it to a shop to get it serviced properly.. As the last place it was done was at the dealer in the early 90's.
Next question is to do with the Speedometer. When I first was on the highway, it worked for 20 minutes. Perfect, no fluttering at all. Then it stopped. Completely. This morning I removed the cable from the Trans and spun the cable end. It was stiff. I broke the intermediate connection just in front of the master cylinder, the piece between there and the Trans is free as a bird but the one going into the firewall to the gauge cluster is still really stiff. This seems partially seized, but is this now just the cable or did I break something in the unit itself?
Thank you for any help and suggestions.
I recently got a 1984 Olds Toronado. It sat since 2008, and since it has 24000 Km's you can tell it hasn't run much.
It has the 307 in it, it is front wheel drive, but I don't know the Trans. I saw the tag but I couldn't get a good picture of it.
The oil level in the Trans is clear, and red with no burnt smell.
However after the Trans warms up, when I slow down to stop, it seems like it doesn't want to stop. The Trans shudders, the car feels like it stalls, but it's stopped. When I start to go again, it seems to be slow to start, and shifts funny. I used to have a 1986 Pontiac 6000 (in the mid 90's) and I remember having a solenoid on it sticking at time when I stopped at a red light. Could this be a similar issue? I do intent to take it to a shop to get it serviced properly.. As the last place it was done was at the dealer in the early 90's.
Next question is to do with the Speedometer. When I first was on the highway, it worked for 20 minutes. Perfect, no fluttering at all. Then it stopped. Completely. This morning I removed the cable from the Trans and spun the cable end. It was stiff. I broke the intermediate connection just in front of the master cylinder, the piece between there and the Trans is free as a bird but the one going into the firewall to the gauge cluster is still really stiff. This seems partially seized, but is this now just the cable or did I break something in the unit itself?
Thank you for any help and suggestions.
June 9th, 2016, 05:10 PM
#2
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Palm Bay, FL
Posts: 4,249
It sounds like the lockup solenoid is stuck.
As far as the speedo goes, you're going to have to inspect everything. If the cable was overly stiff it could have snapped it self, seized inside the housing, or snapped the driven gear in the transmission. I doubt that the speedometer would be the issue, but you won't know unless you look.
As far as the speedo goes, you're going to have to inspect everything. If the cable was overly stiff it could have snapped it self, seized inside the housing, or snapped the driven gear in the transmission. I doubt that the speedometer would be the issue, but you won't know unless you look.
June 10th, 2016, 06:48 AM
#3
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,661
Randy is spot-on. Your trans is a TH325L4, which has a lot of internal parts in common with the RWD 200-4R. The lockup feature in the torque converter is operated by a solenoid valve in the trans. This valve can go bad over time, preventing the converter from unlocking at low speeds. The result is like slowing down in a manual trans car and forgetting to press in on the clutch.
If the speedo stopped completely, it is possible that the drag from the bad cable caused the plastic speedo gears in the trans to strip.
If the speedo stopped completely, it is possible that the drag from the bad cable caused the plastic speedo gears in the trans to strip.
June 10th, 2016, 11:42 AM
#4
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 26
It sounds like the lockup solenoid is stuck.
As far as the speedo goes, you're going to have to inspect everything. If the cable was overly stiff it could have snapped it self, seized inside the housing, or snapped the driven gear in the transmission. I doubt that the speedometer would be the issue, but you won't know unless you look.
As far as the speedo goes, you're going to have to inspect everything. If the cable was overly stiff it could have snapped it self, seized inside the housing, or snapped the driven gear in the transmission. I doubt that the speedometer would be the issue, but you won't know unless you look.
I agree I will have to look at the speedometer. At the very least since its stiff I will have to lubricate it, from what I was reading.
Thank you
June 10th, 2016, 11:58 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 26
Randy is spot-on. Your trans is a TH325L4, which has a lot of internal parts in common with the RWD 200-4R. The lockup feature in the torque converter is operated by a solenoid valve in the trans. This valve can go bad over time, preventing the converter from unlocking at low speeds. The result is like slowing down in a manual trans car and forgetting to press in on the clutch.
If the speedo stopped completely, it is possible that the drag from the bad cable caused the plastic speedo gears in the trans to strip.
If the speedo stopped completely, it is possible that the drag from the bad cable caused the plastic speedo gears in the trans to strip.
I had a feeling that it sounded like the lockup solenoid. I remember being stuck in an intersection with my Pontiac and it stopped dead when I stopped. I managed to crawl underneath and unplug a plug, and it started working again. A few times I remember waiting about 30 minutes until it cooled down before driving. This was from a suggestion from my Dad.
What you described is as I remember.
What you and the poster above described with the speedometer makes sense to me. The stiffness of the speedometer gauge doing the gear in the Trans in.
Looking where the cable threaded in, if I remember there's a flange with a couple of bolts. If I remove that, I can get at the gears for the speedometer? I am waiting on a shop manual from my dad. Would this describe how to do this? Or am I better off getting the parts and when I get the Trans serviced (and fixing the solenoid), asking the fellow to install them for me?
I see part numbers for the gears, and upper cable on rockauto.com.
Thank you for all your help and advice.
Russ
September 11th, 2016, 10:37 AM
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 4
Automatic trans I'm guessing...
The rear end will determine what the gear will be. It's really easy to figure out what is in there now. All you need to do is unscrew the speedometer cable from the trans and the remove the bolt that holds the gear housing in the trans. Then the housing should come out with little difficulty. It MIGHT need some minor persuasion if it has never been out of the trans, but it shouldn't be bad.
All you need to know is the tooth count and that you have a TH400 trans and getting the correct gear is a breeze.
The rear end will determine what the gear will be. It's really easy to figure out what is in there now. All you need to do is unscrew the speedometer cable from the trans and the remove the bolt that holds the gear housing in the trans. Then the housing should come out with little difficulty. It MIGHT need some minor persuasion if it has never been out of the trans, but it shouldn't be bad.
All you need to know is the tooth count and that you have a TH400 trans and getting the correct gear is a breeze.
Last edited by Lawman; September 11th, 2016 at 10:40 AM. Reason: Add info to reply
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