With the help of you guys I have figured out my kickdown problems and have the trans shifting 1,2,3. Now on to my new problem. If I drive the car enough to get the trans good and warm and park for 5 to 10 minutes the transmission once again doesnt want to shift to 3rd gear. If I let it sit ubtill it cools down it shifts ok. The weird part is as long as im driving the trans will continue to shift ok as long as you want. Problem only occurs when you shut the car down for a few minutes then take off again. any ideas?

Check you fluid level> Warm idling and check in nuetral.

fluid level checks ok(first ting I thought of). Tranny does act like its low on fluid when you come to a stop. Almost feels like it has a stall convertor when you take off. This tranny was rebuilt about 4 years ago and never installed in the car untill this spring. I just got back from picking up a new filter and gasket. Figured cant hurt to change them being the trans set so long.

The problem is probably a sticky governor valve or shift valve. The only way to know for sure is to install a gauge in the governor test port.

Are you sure the balky takeoff and no 3rd gear aren't actually caused by it taking off in 2nd? Next time it acts up try shifting manually.

I have tried shifting it manually and letting it shift on its own. When it acts up it does so no matter what I try. I have thought about running a little seafoam trans tune through it. I have had some good luck with it in some of my beater cars with problem trannys. Just hate to put additives in a new trans.

I pulled the tranny pan off last night to check the filter and discovered that the kickdown lever was behind the stop screw in the valve body. No matter how you adjusted the kickdown it was never actually pushing on the throttle valve piston( i think thats what its called). I pulled the lever off the top and took off the e clip, dropped the lever down to reposition it and then reistalled everything.......and she shifts!!!! Still need to adjust the kickdown a little but its working alot better.