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Fig. 1: The torque converter housing is rotated by the engine's crankshaft, and
turns the impeller - The impeller then spin s the turbine, which gives motion to
the turbine shaft, driving the gears
The torus is turning faster than the turbi ne. It picks up fluid at the center of the
converter and, through centrifugal force, slings it outward. Since the outer edge
of the converter moves faster than the portions at the center, the fluid picks up
speed.
The fluid then enters the outer edge of th e turbine blades. It then travels back
toward the center of the converter case along the turbine blades. In impinging
upon the turbine blades, the fluid loses the energy picked up in the torus.
If the fluid was now returned directly into the torus, both halves of the converter
would have to turn at approximately t he same speed at all times, and torque
input and output would both be the same.
In flowing through the torus and turbine, the fluid picks up two types of flow, or
flow in two separate directions. It flow s through the turbine blades, and it spins
with the engine. The stator, whose blades are stationary when the vehicle is
being accelerated at low speeds, converts one type of flow into another. Instead
of allowing the fluid to flow straight back into the torus, the stator's curved
blades turn the fluid almost 90° toward the direction of rotation of the engine.
Thus the fluid does not flow as fast to ward the torus, but is already spinning
when the torus picks it up. This has the effe ct of allowing the torus to turn much
faster than the turbine. This differ ence in speed may be compared to the
difference in speed between the smaller and larger gears in any gear train. The
result is that engine powe r output is higher, and engine torque is multiplied.
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As the speed of the turbine increases, th
e fluid spins faster and faster in the
direction of engine rotation. As a result, t he ability of the stator to redirect the
fluid flow is reduced. Under cruising conditions, the stator is eventually forced to
rotate on its one-way clutch in the dire ction of engine rotation. Under these
conditions, the torque converter begins to behave almost like a solid shaft, with
the torus and turbine speeds being almost equal.
PLANETARY GEARBOX
The ability of the torque converter to mult iply engine torque is limited. Also, the
unit tends to be more efficient when the turbine is rotating at relatively high
speeds. Therefore, a planetar y gearbox is used to carry the power output of the
turbine to the driveshaft.
Fig. 2: Planetary gears work in a sim ilar fashion to manual transmission gears,
but are composed of three parts
Planetary gears function very similarly to conventional transmission gears.
However, their construction is different in that three elements make up one gear
system, and, in that all three elements ar e different from one another. The three
elements are: an outer gear that is shaped like a hoop, with teeth cut into the
inner surface; a sun gear, mounted on a sha ft and located at the very center of
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the outer gear; and a set of three planet gear
s, held by pins in a ring-like planet
carrier, meshing with both the sun gear and the outer gear. Either the outer gear
or the sun gear may be held stationary, providing more than one possible
torque multiplication factor for each se t of gears. Also, if all three gears are
forced to rotate at the same speed, the gearset forms, in effect, a solid shaft.
Fig. 3: Planetary gears in the maximum reduction (low) range. The ring gear is
held and a lower gear ratio is obtained
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Fig. 4: Planetary gears in the minimum reduction (drive) range. The ring gear is
allowed to revolve, providing a higher gear ratio
Most automatics use the pl anetary gears to provide various reductions ratios.
Bands and clutches are used to hold va rious portions of the gearsets to the
transmission case or to the shaft on which they are mounted. Shifting is\
accomplished, then, by c hanging the portion of each planetary gearset which is
held to the transmission case or to the shaft.
SERVOS AND ACCUMULATORS
The servos are hydraulic pistons and cylinders. They resemble the hydrau\
lic
actuators used on many other machines, such as bulldozers. Hydraulic fluid
enters the cylinder, under pressure, and fo rces the piston to move to engage
the band or clutches.
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Fig. 5: Servos, operated by pressure, ar e used to apply or release the bands, to
either hold the ring gear or allow it to rotate
The accumulators are used to cushi on the engagement of the servos. The
transmission fluid must pass through the ac cumulator on the way to the servo.
The accumulator housing contains a thin piston which is sprung away from the
discharge passage of the accumulato r. When fluid passes through the
accumulator on the way to the servo, it must move the piston against spring
pressure, and this action smooths out the action of the servo.
HYDRAULIC CONTROL SYSTEM
The hydraulic pressure used to operat e the servos comes from the main
transmission oil pump. This fluid is channel ed to the various servos through the
shift valves. There is generally a manual shift valve which is operated by the
transmission selector lever and an automat ic shift valve for each automatic
upshift the transmission provides.
Many new transmissions are electroni cally controlled. On these models,
electrical solenoids are used to better control the hydraulic fluid. Usually, the
solenoids are regulated by an electronic control module.
There are two pressures which affect t he operation of these valves. One is the
governor pressure which is effected by vehicle speed. The other is the
modulator pressure which is effected by intake manifold vacuum or throttle
position. Governor pressure rises wit h an increase in vehicle speed, and
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modulator pressure rises as the thro
ttle is opened wider. By responding to these
two pressures, the shift valves caus e the upshift points to be delayed with
increased throttle opening to make the bes t use of the engine's power output.
Most transmissions also make use of an auxiliary circuit for downshifting. This
circuit may be actuated by the throttle linkage the vacuum line which actuates
the modulator, by a cable or by a solenoid. It applies pressure to a special
downshift surface on the shift valve or valves.
The transmission modulator also governs the line pressure, used to actuate the
servos. In this way, the clutches and bands will be actuated with a force
matching the torque output of the engine.
IDENTIFICATION
Two types of transmissions are used on th e vehicles; Turbo Hydra-Matic 200C
3-speed and Turbo Hydra-Matic 700-R4 4-speed. Beginning in 1991, the 700-
R4 was redesignated the 4L60.
FLUID PAN
REMOVAL, FLUID/FILTER CH ANGE, & INSTALLATION
Refer to General Information & Ma intenance for fluid pan procedures.
ADJUSTMENTS
BANDS
There are no band adjustments possible or required.
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SHIFT CONTROL CABLE
1. Place the control lever in N.
2. Raise the car and support it with jackstands.
Fig. 1: Shift cable at the console
Fig. 2: Shift cable at the transmission
3. Loosen the cable attachment at the shift lever.
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4. Rotate the shift lever clockwis
e to the park detent and then back to
neutral.
5. Tighten cable attachment to 11 ft. lbs. (15 Nm).
The lever must be held out of P when tightening the nut.
SHIFT LINKAGE 1. Place the manual shaft of the transmission in N. Place the console shift
lever in N.
2. Install the cable in the slot of the shift lever. Adjust the cable so that the
pin has free movement.
3. Install and tighten t he nut to the pin.
THROTTLE VALVE CABLE 1. After installation of the cable to the transmission, engine bracket, and the
cable actuating lever, check to assure that the cable slider is in the zero
or fully re-adjusted position.
2. If cable slider is not in zero or fully re-adjusted, depress and hold the
metal re-adjust tab. Move the sli der back through the fitting in the
direction away from the cable actuat ing lever until the slider stops against
the fitting. Release the metal re-adjust tab.
Fig. 3: TV cable and linkage