Strange trans. issue, doesn't want to upshift from 1st

[MediumD]

So my friend's 97 LSC's trans is acting weird. In Drive, from a stop, the car will stay in first until you ease off the gas (almost like a bad vacuum modulator on an non-electronic trans.) Then it'll shift into second, and act normal through the 2-3 and 3-4 shifts. When it's refusing to shift from 1 to 2, if you select manual second, it will shift into 2nd, but it takes two or three times longer than it should. Also, in Drive, under 20mph or so, if you're in 2nd and you touch the gas, it will downshift into 1st and have the same problem of not wanting to shift to 2nd... Every other shift seems fine.

What do you guys think? MLPS maybe?

 

[billcu]

Has he done the 1-2 shift accumumulator upgrade yet?

 

[MediumD]

I doubt it's been done on this trans. Isn't the common problem with the 1-2 accumulator a harsh 1-2 shift? When it shifts, it's still smooth as glass... I'll have to do some more reading on this one, I have not yet tried to learn the dark art of automatic transmissions.

 

[billcu]

If it's always shifted smooth then yes, I'd check the MLPS first.

I had a simalar problem a few weeks ago when my shifter wasn't fully in drive.

But mine wouldn't shift out of first until around 3000 rpms, then, when it did shift, it went into neutral. It's been fine since (I need a new shift cable).