Shift solinoids?

[Ron]

Ok...
What if it is a "missing" ground? If I have 12v at all points on the test connector,...

Then you are all over the problem -- E is a ground.
(I'm hoping you meant the others only...;-)

...the coils in the solenoids are recieving power(+), but if I am looking at the schematic correctly, the solenoids always have (+), but the ground is what drops out/off...am I correct?

Yes.

The reason I think this way is looking at the downshift request circuit, and the fact that when I click the microswitch, I can make the LEDs light up. I think the Microswitch provides a momentary ground that closes the solenoid, downshifting the transmission. Is that what is happening?

Yes, indirectly through the GC. via a '"request" line' different than the one earlier.
The microswitch has its own ground source and its own path to A and on to the board along the green harness wire...Note it taps the power feed circuit behind a 1.2 K resistor at a point between D2 & D3. Look at it as your place in the circuity to contribute to pulling the circuit low.
[I'm not going deeper, no mater how many questions you don't answer ]

If that is what is happening, would it be possible to "backfeed" a ground to the solenoid from a new ground source through the wires I have the LEDs connected to?

Yes.

I am curious if this is a redneck paddle shifter waiting to happen?

Yes!

Has anyone tried to backfeed a ground to a solenoid from the test port to try to activate the solenoid, and light the LED?

Yes.
It works...Both. Be careful! Grounding A only is undefined. Only the selector switch grounds B directly. All others are by the governor or by request through the governor. And you certainly don't want to shift it at the wrong RPM!

Isn't the transistor waiting for a ground so it can do the switching?

Yes.
From the governor for A, and, either the GC and/or the Selector switch for B.

I am starting to believe I am suffering from a cold solder situation. Does this sound logical?

Yes.
Especially if you confirm the power and grounds are good, and, the GC itself isn't toast or weak...but it looks like we will never know LOL

[propony]

Sorry, I guess I missed the question...oops! I am not getting the same results twice. went out today, everything worked perfect. But yesterday I did pull the shifter down into second, and then to first, and got no lights to glow. Until I built the test LEDs, I could only give "seat of the pants" report, and I concluded it was in 3rd by pulling the fuse with no change in gear. Pull out of my driveway I could feel it shift twice, never felt it downshift at the stop sign, not sure I have ever felt it downshift when slowing to a stop in the past. When I pulled out into traffic, I could tell it must have been in third, and tried to pull it down manually, and got no attempt at downshifting from the trans. I moved to the shoulder and contiued to pickup speed gradually, as not to slip the trans clutches.
Is there a switch on the shifter, or in the linkage?
Thanks again for all the help, only a few more weeks of driving before the snow flies here, and it would be nice to find a solution, or plan of attack before I put it up for the winter (and pull it apart!)
Curt

[Ron]

NP!
Well, if ya have to, since you have been in it before it will be a lot easier this go...
FYI- The clutch pack(s) don't like "limp mode" (I don't go along with that idea 100% since limp mode should be 2nd not 3rd, IMHO). The one pack is a little bigger than a fist..not much there...(guess how I know), I'd park it actually, if possible.

[propony]

Are there anypoints outside the gov assembly that could provide some type of additional ground? I know there is a lot of plastic on it. If I could provide a "cheater" ground on the outside, is there any chance it could help the board?
Also, how does the shifter tell the trans to downshift? I am going to look at more diagrams. Am I looking for another microswitch?
Curt

[Ron]

Are there anypoints outside the gov assembly that could provide some type of additional ground? I know there is a lot of plastic on it. If I could provide a "cheater" ground on the outside, is there any chance it could help the board?
Curt

All you can really do is make sure the grounds in the chart are good...after that, ground is ground...not like adding a stronger battery...

Also, how does the shifter tell the trans to downshift? I am going to look at more diagrams. Am I looking for another microswitch?

When you select 2nd, you bypass the GC and ground Solenoid B directly turning it on [Think, "NO 3rd allowed!"], "forcing" a down-shift.

There is a cam that presses one of two two way switches (S2). It connects B to the ground coming in on the L shaped plug pin 3. This grounds solenoid B(2nd). For 1st it's too complicated to explain here...basically the other switch closes and grounds the circuitry at a point that 'helps' tell the opamps to control the base of the transistor which actually grounds the solenoid(s)....
All of the circuits are covered here (I thought you knew that).