turning a C6 into a married C6

[Donnie]

i dont think it has every shift from 2 to 3 while i have drove it

Are you saying that you are only driving around in 1st & 2nd gear?? How fast have you had it in 2nd? When you leave off the throttle when you are wound up in second, does it hold back? Or does it free wheel (feel like neutral) ? If your shifts are late or not at all, check your vacuum system 1st.......Could be other things, but make this test & post back...Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

I have got it up to 70 when im in 2 and let off the gas it holds back

[Donnie]

First I would check the vacuum system, make sure that the hose is connected at the engine& is good all the way to the modulator valve on the trans. You should be able to disconnect the hose at the trans & the engine should idle rough.. BE CAREFUL here, Make sure that it is in park & the emergency brake is on..If it is holding back, your 2/3 shift valve is not stroking.
There are several reasons for this, but the vacuum is the easy one to start with...Do you have a vacuum gauge? If not, I would get one. They are inexpensive & helpful setting your timing & various other trouble shooting problems...Your vacuum modulator valve is next suspect, Stuck governor valve....One last thought, are you sure that you are not starting out in 2nd & going to 3rd?...This will happen with a stuck gov. valve. 70 in 2nd is pretty fast. Do you know what you rear end gear ratio is? May want to post that..We may be missing something..Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

yes i do have a vacuum pump i used it to help bleed my brakes, as far as i have been told i have 4.11 limited slip in the rear. As far as the vacuum line the line going to the trans is connected to the same place as the brake booster is connected to. I got a new Edelbrock carb and i know it has an extra vacuum port so i try to connect it to that? Im not sure about if i am starting off in 2nd or 1st. I have another question about the trans I know on my dads old C6 that it had 6 position to choose from mine I only have 5, does that sound right? Where is the governor valve located at?

[Donnie]

You should have your line connected directly to the intake, not the carb..It is also best to have the line loop upward toward the firewall before it starts down to the trans...This is to avoid any fuel getting down to the mod. valve & ruining it, should the engine sneeze ( pop back thru the carb)'
..Later models Ford ran the vacuum to a plastic tree on the firewall for this reason.
70mph with 4;11's.....that would be wound pretty tite, you may be getting 2nd gear starts.
What dia. tires?==========the gov is located in the extension housing on the output shaft of the trans....easy to get to on a 2wd, but more difficult on a 4x4.......more later, gotta run..Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

im running 33 now would it just be best to modulator valve to be sure? I am running a married NP205 transfer on a scale of 1 to 10 how hard would it be to change the gov?

[Donnie]

I would qualify the vacuum system first....to get to the gov. you must pull the transfer case.
Try shifting it manually thru all 3 gears to see what happens...The problem could also be in the valve body. Have you had the pan down? If so , any metal? This is hard to trouble shoot on a forum...Do you have a strong reverse? Does rev have a delay when engaging? Rev & 3rd share the same clutch pack, that's the reason for this question

Start out in manual first
when the engine feels like it is time, shift to 2nd & wind it out, see if there is a shift now
same procedure to 3rd
then down shift the same way, using your shift lever...........Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

I think i only have D and 1st for selections on the shifter i think, it doesnt have anything that show what gear im in. But i know that 5 gear to pick from which im assuming is P R N D 1, but not for sure.

[Donnie]

I'm getting confused, lets back up.. First tell me what are you driving. Year , make, model, engine size..Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

Ok the cab is a 1969 F100, the frame i think is a 1978 F150 with a 460

[Donnie]

USMC , I had to do some diggin & scratching back into the old memory to try to find out where you are.
I think there were some F100's that had an FMX tranny that only had lo & dr.on the shifter
You said that your dads car had 6 positions & as I could recall the evening that you posted that, I could not connect & as a result I did not answer your query..I wasn't skipping you, I just could not recall that info. If your cab has only 5 positions, here in possibly lies your problem.
What I would do is lift your shift lever up, toward your face, not toward the dash, what I want you to do is to pay attention to the click on the detent in the TRANNY, pay no attention to the detent in your column. Secure it in park as a starting point, lift the lever , qualify reverse, go to neutral, then FEEL the next click in the TRANS...Pay no attention to the detent in the column as you may be in between 2 positions..After you are sure that you are in the 1st notch in the TRANS, which is Drive pos. drive the truck. A C6 will start in 1st & shift to 2nd at 15 to 20 mph, then into 3rd at 20 to 30 if your vacuum system is intact...Do this at lite throttle, not at a crawl, but not wide open either...
My theory is if you are dealing with a 5 pos column, you rod to the trans may be too short to reach manual low.......Give this a go an respond ...........HTH>>>>>Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

one thing im pretty sure of now that everything on the under carriage is a 1978, i dont know if that helps anything?

[Donnie]

But your 5 detent steering column may be screwing up the works?
You can also pull the shift lever to low, as far as it will go. Secure it there..Rope or a helper.
Then go under the truck, first block the wheels so it cant move. and disconnect the linkage from the trans.........carefully.......then pull your trans lever & see if it will go another click...That would be manual low???????
where I'm going : you have a 6 position trans & a 5 pos column...make any sense...Donnie

[usmcjones1988]

makes perfect sense ill check it as soon as my buddy gets home to help me ill let you know

[usmcjones1988]

ok i checked the the vacuum lines and they do not hold the vacuum, i tested it right up the the mod valve and it still does not hold pressure, but is there supposed to be trans fluid coming out of the valve, when i unplugged the hose it started to drip out?