Need help/transmission question

jsiler

Dragway Regular
Nov 6, 2009
701
0
0
Dayton, OH
1980 Malibu with 350 motor and 350 trans.Not sure what year the trans. is,it is not original to the car.So I,m driving to work today and I go to pull off from a stop sign and the car will not shift from first gear.It does not slip and the fluid is full.It will still shift perfectly if I manually start off in first gear and go through the gears with the shifter but will not go from a dead stop and shift from first automatically.Never had any issues before this and was sudden.I would appreciate any help or suggestions,thank you.
 

1981Regal

Dragway Regular
Mar 10, 2008
1,274
0
0
Cincinnati, Ohio
I would check the vacuum modulator and make sure it's getting vacuum. If it is getting vacuum see if there is any transmission fluid in the vacuum line coming from the modulator. It's possible that the modulator is bad. If that doesn't help it the governor is next to check.
 
1981Regal said:
I would check the vacuum modulator and make sure it's getting vacuum. If it is getting vacuum see if there is any transmission fluid in the vacuum line coming from the modulator. It's possible that the modulator is bad. If that doesn't help it the governor is next to check.

X2. Most likely a modulator issue. You can use a vacuum tester on them to see if the diaphragm is holding vacuum or not.
 

jsiler

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Nov 6, 2009
701
0
0
Dayton, OH
Thank you for the advice,I will take a look at it this weekend.I havnt changed one of those before but looks easy to get to.Im just hoping it isnt something internal.Im tired of working on it and just might try to sell it.I just got it running and now already a repair,frustrating.
 

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