# 1985 Chevrolet Silverado drives but won’t shift

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chevrolet, pickup\
**Created:** [October 7, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950 "2020-10-07T22:51:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![WilburLeeBailey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@WilburLeeBailey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/WilburLeeBailey)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950/1 "2020-10-07T22:51:21Z")

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Will drive but will not shift auto tran 1985 chevy Silverado. C 10

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950/2 "2020-10-08T16:48:44Z")

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When was the last time the transmission fluid was serviced?

Tester

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950/3 "2020-10-08T17:15:58Z")

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Reverse works? It goes into gear and moves forward but only has 1 gear, as in no shifting?

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**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950/4 "2020-10-09T03:54:42Z")

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Can I assume this old automatic transmission has a governor?

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**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950/5 "2020-10-09T13:25:14Z")

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If the fluid level is OK pour a bottle of trans-medic in the transmission and let the engine warm up and then try a few force shifts, i.e., with the shift lever in 1 drive the car up to a speed well beyond the normal shift point and then move the lever to 2. After a few stops and restarts doing that often the stuck component will break loose.

But as a rule proper maintenance will prevent that problem. And it’s possible that there is already damage that prevents the shifting. If so the cure will be costly.

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**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1985-chevrolet-silverado-drives-but-won-t-shift/170950/6 "2020-10-09T14:05:22Z")

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It does, in the tailshaft housing iirc.