1st gear does not work 1991 Suburban

[whipskipper]

Hello I have a 1991 Suburban with a 700R automatic transmission. When I put it in to drive it is very sluggish to get going like it is starting out in 2nd gear instead of first. When I manually put it into first the suburban wont move at all just kind of jumps. I am not sure if overdrive is working either. So I have been driving like this for a few months I am worried about the ice coming up and not being able to move well with out first.

The fluid looks fine but I have not changed it yet. I have heard about shift solenoids but have not changed yet and dont know how.

Thanks For the help.

 

[zora]

The easiest thing to try is replacing the fluid and filter after that unless you like guessing, the best thing is take it to a shop that does transmission work.

 

[T-Max]

... When I manually put it into first the suburban wont move at all just kind of jumps. ...

That's interesting. My '94 Suburban 4WD has 197,000 miles on it and a replaced tranny (not sure when) and when I put it into "1" (or 2) the truck either won't move or is very reluctant to move. It acts like the transmission is just slipping.

I'm not sure, but I think that's also true when I put it intor "D" (as opposed to the D with the circle around it, which I assume is overdrive and what I normally drive around in ALL the time)

I have no problem whatsoever when I start out in that overdrive "D"

And that includes even when I start it on a cold morning and just back it out of my driveway in the one direction that requires me to then start forward up a pretty steep incline.

So I don't know what the deal is with the tranny and why it doesn't like to go from a stopped position in the lower gears, which is, after all, what they are for, no?

I have no idea whether my tranny is also a "700R automatic transmission." Do you know how I could find out? Is it in the manual? Or on an i.d. plate on the vehicle somewhere?