'88 Chevy Tranny Swap

Hey guys. I have a 1988 Chevy K2500 Ext. cab Long bed pickup with 4 Wheel drive. I've had this truck for about 8 years. About four years ago I rebuilt a MEAN 350sb and shortly after, blew the 700r4 tranny. Now, since I've owned the truck, I've rebuilt the original stock tranny 3 times. Last year I bought a TCI Truck Maximizer 700r4(summit p/n TCI-371400) direct replacement unit matched up with a TCI Torque Converter(summit p/n TCI-242820). Well, here I am 10 months and only 8853 miles later with a tranny that requires an act of god for it to shift out of 1st gear, and don't even dream of 3rd. I'm only running 30" tires and the truck is not yet lifted. Of course, I also run a large aux cooler for the damn thing. I am strongly considering an auto to manual swap. I do a little of everything in this truck, off-road(usually sand or mud), around town, and road trips. Any suggestions or recomendations would be very much appreciated. Thanks.  

WHAT???? this if really odd, your only running 30 inc tires and the tranny keeps dying?? well dosn't your tci transmission have a warrenty on it? it seems really odd that even with a mean 350 your blowing up the tranny, is your tv cable properly adjusted cuz that will kill the 700r4 no matter how beefed up it is...........there has to be something wrong here becasue there no way after 3 rebuilds and even a new tci transmission that just becasue it is a 700r4 it is failing.  take that tranny back to tci and tell to give you a fixed one that will last more than 8,000 miles !!! btw my k5 blazer runs a 700r4 with 4:88 gears and 35 inc tires no problem.....well so far anyways....  
solid axle chevys cant be beat
78 K5: 350 V8,700r4,np208, 8 lug D44 4:88, 14 bolt 10.5 4:88 with detroit locker and 35 inc parenelli jones dirt grip tires

Yes he is doing something wrong here. Those trannies are not trouble prone when used correctly. I agree on TV cable being a likely cause here for shifting problem  

Well, the tranny only came with a 90 day warranty from TCI. And in regards to the TV cable; If it performed great for 10 months, is that something that could just fall out of adjustment? The past three rebuilds were obviously needed, probably mostly due to the "shade-tree" mechanics that I had do the work. But yes, in this case I would like for the problem to be just an adjustment issue. I never took the TV cable into consideration. I just checked the fluid and for leaks, then feared the clutches and assumed the worst.  

To adjust the tv-cable you have to push the square button and slide the cable inside of the round plastic housing (piece that clips in the throttle bracket). I have always adjusted them with the throttle fully open, push the button and slide the cable back towards the fire wall until the cable is tight. Push the button back in. and thats it your done. But dont take my word for it call a local trans shop and ask if this is correct.  

Cable could have broken of in case or disconnected in tranny. It will default to basically WOT shift points regardless of power level when it breaks because there is no vacuum modulator on those trannies.  

SaltyCroc:
Well, the tranny only came with a 90 day warranty from TCI. And in regards to the TV cable; If it performed great for 10 months, is that something that could just fall out of adjustment? The past three rebuilds were obviously needed, probably mostly due to the "shade-tree" mechanics that I had do the work. But yes, in this case I would like for the problem to be just an adjustment issue. I never took the TV cable into consideration. I just checked the fluid and for leaks, then feared the clutches and assumed the worst.

well who installed the tci transmission and who hooked up the tv cable? installing the tranny isn't hard(just heavy) but installing the tv cable takes some know how and thats what happens when the cable isn't adjusted right, the tranny works for a short while but then finally burns up when its had enough of the maladjusted tv cable, and NEVER take your transmission to a shade tree mechanic it just never works out !!!! even a shabby looking shop never seems to do good work on a tranny you need to take it to a specialist that has plenty of people recomending that place or a big place like ammco that has to do good work so they don't dirty the company's repuation..........  
solid axle chevys cant be beat
78 K5: 350 V8,700r4,np208, 8 lug D44 4:88, 14 bolt 10.5 4:88 with detroit locker and 35 inc parenelli jones dirt grip tires