727 issues

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mopar74

mopar74

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
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Location
Escondido,CA
A little background, rebuilt a 360 for my 1974 Challenger 360 and 727 auto. (I know not an A body but I have one of those also 69 Valiant) I'm posting here because this site has so much more traffic than for E bodies only. I was taking the car for a test drive on Friday and everything was running great, pulled the car into the garage shut her down and was checking everything over for leaks etc.. So wife calls and wants to have lunch at a local hamburger joint, get in the car fire it up put in gear and it will not move either forward or reverse. Feels like the trans shifter is not engaging the gears, anyhow put car in neutral and rev to about 3000 rpm for 20 or so seconds let rpm come down and put in gear and it moves. As long as I keep the converter loaded while driving it will drive but does slip if I step on it. So what is the consensus, Trans needs rebuilt, torque converter replaced, pull trans and rebuild plus replace converter. The trans was rebuilt 20 years ago when I first bought the car, torque converter is original equipment so the converter is 43 years old. Fluid level is good and does not smell burnt or discolored. Would it be worth a shot to pull trans pan and do a filter and new fluid? It did sit in the body shop for a little over 3 years not being driven, so I'm thinking maybe moisture is in the trans from condensation. Shot in the dark I know just don't want to pull the trans unless absolutely need to. Thanks in advance
Kevin
 
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It's possible it's a plugged up filter, just not real confident about it.:D
Usually if it needs a rebuild and doesn't have burned fluid they don't want to work until warmed up.
Yours did the opposite which makes one tend to think fluid starvation.
 
I'll drop the pan next Saturday and see what it looks like. Figure it's going to need a rebuild just not looking forward to laying on my back pulling it out. Hell 20 years ago when I did it, pulled it out on Friday night, rebuilt it on Saturday, put it back in on Sunday Monday drove it to work. 20 years later and I'm 55 so I have slowed down a bit, just a little bit LOL.
 
mopar74 said:
I'll drop the pan next Saturday and see what it looks like. Figure it's going to need a rebuild just not looking forward to laying on my back pulling it out. Hell 20 years ago when I did it, pulled it out on Friday night, rebuilt it on Saturday, put it back in on Sunday Monday drove it to work. 20 years later and I'm 55 so I have slowed down a bit, just a little bit LOL.
Click to expand...

I hear ya, mostly.:D
Getting older sucks, and my Mother used to say "getting old aint for sissies"
 
mopar74 said:
I'll drop the pan next Saturday and see what it looks like. Figure it's going to need a rebuild just not looking forward to laying on my back pulling it out. Hell 20 years ago when I did it, pulled it out on Friday night, rebuilt it on Saturday, put it back in on Sunday Monday drove it to work. 20 years later and I'm 55 so I have slowed down a bit, just a little bit LOL.
Click to expand...
Wit until ur 70 !
 
mopar74 said:
yes I did. Fluid hot car in neutral
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Really sounds like starving for fluid, the filters are pretty hard to plug up but if it had water in it it's possible. Was it sitting on a concrete floor for a long time?
 
I would change the filter and fluid, convertor if you can and try it, your only out a few bucks if it doesn't work. Also check the cooler and make sure it's not plugged up.
 
I'll drop the pan this weekend and check it out. I figure if I need to drop the trans to do the converter I'm going to rebuild the trans while it is out. With that being said I was going to a least do fluid and filter like you said only out a few bucks if it doesn't work. Did not think to check the cooler but will look into it.
Kevin
 
I have seen many trans burn up because of plugged cooler. When I worked for the dealer these guys would slam out the trans rebuild and send it down the road then a week later it's back on a hook, and I always got them. First thing I would check is the cooler, plugged solid. Got my hour diag and sent it back to the guy that rebuilt it.
 
IMO just a VB problem.
Possibly a stuck open hi-pressure relief or a pressure regulator valve, or a rooster comb..
Or even just an undone piece of linkage.
So; check the external links, and then off with the VB. While it's off you can do an air test and adjust the bands.
 
Thanks everyone for there opinion/troubleshooting. I'll pull the pan this weekend and post my findings. AJ I hope its something as simple as a stuck valve body and/or fluid filter change.
 
I actually had a trans filter plug up with debris on a Dodge demon I used to own. The symptoms were start up cold and vehicle drives normal for about 300 feet the goes to neutral. Still had reverse and made many runs to the beer store in reverse lol. It was actually a friend of mines car. Well the friend gave it to me and I serviced the transmission. Had sludge and what looked like leaves in the pan. New filter and clean pan the car ran and shifted like new. I drove it on trips out of town after that till i sold the car.
 
I pulled the trans pan and filter this morning and this is what I found. I think it is time for a rebuild
Kevin.

trans sludge.PNG


trans sludge 2.PNG
 
No big chunks, that's good. Normal garbage, clean it out, adjust bands, put in new filter and give it a try.
I bet it will work.
 
Ended up doing a full rebuild on trans, new pump, reverse band, clutches and steels also installed a new 2800 RPM converter. Put the trans in today, filled with fluid and test drove... runs great. Its good to be back on the road after being down for paint and body, rebuilt engine and now rebuilt trans. Car runs and drives great. So now it is time to drive the wheels off it again. This is a car I've had for 20 years this Sept. and was my daily driver for the better part of 12-15 years. Thanks for all who submitted answers to my previous questions.
Kevin
link to ebodies only garage for more info and pictures if anyone is interested
1974 Dodge Challenger 360
 
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Glad to see you got her rolling again! What brand of converter did you end up going with? Looking for one myself....

Pat
 
ACC Boss Hogg(2800-3200 stall) . Only time will tell if it was a good choice. if you search on here for converter choices you will have all kinds of opinions from mild to wild. Some will say they are great and others will say they are a waste of time. So I picked one based on price and availability at the time... Good luck with your choice
Kevin
 
Where's your manifold installation thread?? I noticed that one of the down pipes in your pics (pics you posted today) wasn't aligned too good, hope it doesn't leak. I normally get the down pipe lined up perfect and tighten it down good then connect the rest of the exhaust to the down pipe that way it stays aligned properly.

treblig
 
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