700R4 Governor Adjustment Kit with Springs and Weights

The governor is what tells a 700R4 how fast the car is actually going. It is a spinning assembly in the case with a pair of weights on pivoting arms and a pair of springs holding them in. As output shaft speed climbs, centrifugal force throws the weights outward, they push on the governor valve, and the resulting governor pressure is what forces the 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 shift valves over. Change the weights or the springs and you change the speed at which every upshift happens. That is the entire adjustment, and it is done without dropping the pan or touching the valve body.

This kit supplies six weights and six springs so you can build the combination your car needs. Heavier weights and lighter springs make governor pressure rise sooner, so the transmission upshifts earlier and at lower rpm - what you want on a stock or towing combination that is buzzing too high before it goes into overdrive. Lighter weights and stiffer springs hold governor pressure down, so shifts come later and at higher rpm - the fix when a cammed or LS-swapped engine is being short-shifted out of its powerband, or when a numerically high rear gear or a shorter tire has the trans upshifting far too soon. It also corrects the opposite problem: swap to tall tires or a highway gear and the factory calibration suddenly shifts late and lugs.

Replaces Superior K018 and A44681-4K. Fits the GM TH700-R4 from 1982 up and the same governor design used in the TH350, TH350C, TH400, TH250 and TH250C, plus the 4L60 and 4L65E that followed the 700R4. On the bench or in the car, pull the governor cover carefully so the gasket survives, slide the governor out of its bore, unclip the weight retaining pins, fit your chosen weight and spring set, and reinstall. Tap the cover home with a brass hammer rather than a steel one so you do not deform it. Expect to road test and swap combinations once or twice - getting the shift point exactly where you want it is a trial and error job, which is why the kit ships with a full assortment rather than a single pair.