700r4 with TCI 376010 reverse manual valve body shifting problems

[Whitbread]

I just put together a built to the hilt '89 700r4 for my 87 chevy off road truck and am having some issues with gears coming and going. The important stuff is a 13 vane pump, hardened input shaft and drum, upgraded bands, 5 pinion planetaries, sun shell, corvette servos, upgraded sprags, all kolene steels, raybestos frictions, and the 376010 valve body.

For the first 40 miles, it worked perfect. On the way home from town the other night, when I shifted into 3rd, it wasn't there and 4th was the same ratio as second. Three stop signs later, I had 3rd and 4th again. Next stop sign, no 3rd, and 4th the same as second again.

I pulled the valve body off to check it for debris or anything and pulled all of the operational valves out and gave everything a good cleaning. Had 3rd and 4th on the first shift attempt, but couldn't get them again on subsequent tries.

Next, I pulled the 2-4 servo assembly out and cleaned and inspected it. Everything looked great so I put it back together. Now there's no 2nd, no 3rd, and 4th is the ratio second should be. First and reverse have always worked flawlessly throughout everything.

Does this sound like something simple and stupid or an internal hard part problem? Are certain check balls supposed to be omitted and others left in?

I own a small VW performance shop and have rebuilt countless transmissions, but this is not my most familiar territory to say the least. I thank anyone very much for any insight to this problem.

[Whitbread]

I pulled the transmission out and apart last night and found the problem. The groove that the snap ring for the 3-4 clutch pack sits in is gone. It was a brand new, hardened, heavy duty drum from PATC. They're not warrantying it because they claim the TCI valve body pressures are too aggressive and the clutch apply pressures broke the snap ring groove.

Does anyone from TCI have some thoughts on that? I drive the vehicle like a manual to give the least shock load on the drive train as possible. It's just an off road crawling truck that is still street legal enough to get driven into town every once in a while.

I pulled the transmission out and apart last night and found the problem. The groove that the snap ring for the 3-4 clutch pack sits in is gone. It was a brand new, hardened, heavy duty drum from PATC. They're not warrantying it because they claim the TCI valve body pressures are too aggressive and the clutch apply pressures broke the snap ring groove.

Does anyone from TCI have some thoughts on that? I drive the vehicle like a manual to give the least shock load on the drive train as possible. It's just an off road crawling truck that is still street legal enough to get driven into town every once in a while.

The pressures that are used in that valve body are the same as all our streetfighter, super streetfighter and competition transmissions. With aftermarket drums and stock drums we dont ever see this being a issue. However there has been some changes over the years. What color is your separator plate? What type of pressure regulator are you using?

[Whitbread]

The pressures that are used in that valve body are the same as all our streetfighter, super streetfighter and competition transmissions. With aftermarket drums and stock drums we dont ever see this being a issue. However there has been some changes over the years. What color is your separator plate? What type of pressure regulator are you using?

The separator plate is purple. I'm using the silver spring with the valve parts that came with the tci valve body kit in the pressure regulator. If I were to measure line pressures, what should I be seeing?

The separator plate is purple. I'm using the silver spring with the valve parts that came with the tci valve body kit in the pressure regulator. If I were to measure line pressures, what should I be seeing?

The pressure valve is it a 1 piece alum. sleeve or does it have a factory style boost valve system?