Blame it on the cold? Transmission Problems

[BC69]

During these long dull and freezing winter months, every once in a while I will fire up the Camaro just to run the engine for a while, usually let it warm up in the garage for 15 minutes, then just back it out into the driveway to sit for a while.
Anyway, today I had some problems. My Th350 did not like to get into gear. When I put the car in reverse it would just stay idle and not budge, I thought I was just out of gear and would fiddle with the shifter but it wasnt clicking. Id sit there for about 30 seconds or a bit more and it would lurch into gear for me and I would be off. It also did this when I would shift into Drive 3. Luckily I never had problems with P but that does concern me. The shifter is a little loose and whobbly, but it has never done this before. Could it just be the cold? Or what could be the problem?

This just bugs me because I always seem to spend the fun money on these little gremlins. My exhaust is terminally ill, everytime I look at it its worse, and now this!! Well, better now then during the cruising season.

Any info would help?
Thanks
Tim

[TravisB]

Originally Posted by BC69

During these long dull and freezing winter months, every once in a while I will fire up the Camaro just to run the engine for a while, usually let it warm up in the garage for 15 minutes, then just back it out into the driveway to sit for a while.
Anyway, today I had some problems. My Th350 did not like to get into gear. When I put the car in reverse it would just stay idle and not budge, I thought I was just out of gear and would fiddle with the shifter but it wasnt clicking. Id sit there for about 30 seconds or a bit more and it would lurch into gear for me and I would be off. It also did this when I would shift into Drive 3. Luckily I never had problems with P but that does concern me. The shifter is a little loose and whobbly, but it has never done this before. Could it just be the cold? Or what could be the problem?

This just bugs me because I always seem to spend the fun money on these little gremlins. My exhaust is terminally ill, everytime I look at it its worse, and now this!! Well, better now then during the cruising season.

Any info would help?
Thanks
Tim

is the linkage tight on the side of the trans? What about the fluid level? Full?

[BC69]

I dont know about the linkage, that was one of my first thoughts, just because of the way the shifter felt. The fluid may be a bit low, I checked it after the engine cooled, and it had a leak in the past but that was taken care off, the garage floor under the car seemed clean.
The only reason I questioned the linkage was because I could feel the shifter when it was in the right place, and then the transmission would literally take 30-60 seconds to shift. I wasnt touching the shifter during that time, just waiting for it!

Tim

[TravisB]

Originally Posted by BC69

I dont know about the linkage, that was one of my first thoughts, just because of the way the shifter felt. The fluid may be a bit low, I checked it after the engine cooled, and it had a leak in the past but that was taken care off, the garage floor under the car seemed clean.
The only reason I questioned the linkage was because I could feel the shifter when it was in the right place, and then the transmission would literally take 30-60 seconds to shift. I wasnt touching the shifter during that time, just waiting for it!

Tim

to shift manually or automatically? You mean while you where driving it or putting it into Drive.......or is it a manual valve body TH350

[BC69]

Automatically. When I was shifting from P to R is when it was the worst. From P to 3 was also slow, but P to 1 seemed fine.

[Payton King]

Low fluid level or you need a new filter. When was the last time the fluid and filter was changed?

The fluid needs to be checked at operating temp while the car is running. If it has been more than 30,000 miles I would change the filter.