This all started out of the blue...

One day my truck just wouldn't shift into 2nd. If I stay on the gas it will just hit the rev limiter. If I let off or tap the gas before it should shift, I can get to shift into 2nd. It shifts firmly into 2nd also, no slippage. Fluid level is good, and the oil is bright red and does not have a burned odor. No CEL either.

The truck is an 03 SCSB, cammed LS6. Im running a Yank PTB3600 converter with the built 60E. I'm also running a trucool 40k cooler. The trans is about 4 or 5 years old and was built by Vince (formerly with FLT). It has maybe around 40K miles total on it (hard miles)

Where should I start trouble shooting? Im going to drop the pan and check for obvious things like metal or clutch material. I also bought new shift solenoids to replace. Is there anything else I can do before I pull the whole thing out and send it in to be gone through?? Thanks!

 

I forgot to mention if i'm cruising and I drop the shifter down into 2nd gear, it acts likes its in neutral... If im at a stop and I have it in 2nd gear and take off, it takes off in 1st...

 

Sounds like the 2-4 band is done..its more than likely shifting from 1-3..if theres no 2nd theres no 4th aswell.

 

Thats the wierd part... I've counted shifts. It goes through all the gears. And freeway driving is perfect. I can step on it from 4th and it downshifts to 3rd with no issues and back into 4th again...

 

Have you tried manual shifting threw all the gears?

 

Yep.. I tried that.

I put it in 1st and drove it, manually shift to 2nd and it goes "neutral", i then put it in 3rd and its fine even to OD.

I drove it today on the highway. Cruising about 65-70 no problems. I drop into 3rd and it down shifts without issues. I slowed down a bit and tried to drop into 2nd and nothing.. RPM drops to idle speed and it free revs when giving gas.

I put back into 3rd and off we went without problems and into OD...

I slowed down once again but to about 45 or so this time. I stabbed the throttle and it tried to downshift into 2nd but just revved and went no where. Then it firmly shifted back into 3rd.


Im pretty sure the trans is f'd somewhere internally... I was just hoping there was some shred of possibility that it could be something minor... lol

 

Seem to remember running into something similar to this before and something with the a solenoid being the problem.... Does it have a shift kit in it by chance....

 

I don't believe it has a shift kit, but since its a level 6, I would imagine that there has been some type of modification done to the valve body?? I could be wrong..

I already bought both shift solenoids, so i'll be dropping the pan today. We'll see how it looks inside.... i'll post pics...

 

Here's a quick video I took last night. I manually shifted through each of the gears. Notice the tach as I shift. Only 2nd is gone.

 

Reason i ask about shift kit is if the servo!pin is too short or there are too many or too thick of a shim in the servo it could not allow the proper travel to apply the band, or as previously mentioned the band or reverse input drum are burnt up!!!