I was driving the Mav today, and was thinking about how the car's automatic transmission shifts. It you accelerate hard from a stop it always shifts from second to third at 55 mpg and stays in third; and lets say if you are going 36+ mpg and want to pass someone it will not shift into second. I usually cheat and pull it down into second manually. If the car is going 35 or below and you accelerate, it will shift from third to second. The engine is a 250 with a c-4, and I have also noticed this in my other Maverick that has a 200 with a c-4. Both have the same exact shifting points. I know the sixes can handle higher rpms pretty well, I am just little surprised that the engine really doesn't get a chance to wind-out a little more before the transmission shifts to third. Has anyone else noticed this?
Come to think of it, you're right. I just put in a new filter and it changed nothing. It shifts cleanly, but it is like you said. Maybe it's a trait in these older non-overdrive transmissions. Funny thing is when I drive the Mav, I wait for the 4th shift point until I realize that there is no OD. Too many years driving AOD transmissions, I guess. Even the '90 Suvaru 4x4 I'm selling has AOD. Go figure...
that is not trait you are describing. I would have to say it sounds like you kick down linkage is not adjusted correctly. That was the case on the transmission we rebuilt in class. Also if you are not happy with the over all shift points there are two things you can do. One is to pull off the vacuum hose at the vacuum modulator (which is located at the rear on the tranmission where the main case mounts to the extension housing) With the hose removed you should see inside the modulator where the hose was, a srew. You can adjust that to correct the shift points. By turning the screw in the shifts will be later and more firm. By turning the screw out, the shifts will be earlier and softer. If that does not correct your problem and all your linkage is adjusted, then you can buy a transgo shift improvement kit (sk 4-73). This is NOT a performance shift kit. This kit will however clears up some of the bad "traits" that the c4 has. It is supposed to make the transmission shift 75% faster, but it is not a head jerker like the performance ones. Plus most of the performance ones "reprogram" the valve body in addition to making the shifts hard. I do not believe the c4 needs that reprogramming. I had to buy my transgo kit because of a mix up of springs, but i am happy with it. It only cost 18 bucks too!
Thanks David for the information, I was able to work on it last night and I found that the linkage needed adjusted. The car is much more responsive now!!!
Good I am glad to hear that for two reasons. LOL First, you got your problem solved, and second, I am starting to understand troubleshoot more.
