904 Band Adjustment

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jar84203

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I recently had the trans on my 71 Duster 225ci out of the vehicle and decided to adjust the bands because I wasn't getting the best shifts. I adjusted the bands to the service manual specs (kickdown=72 in-lbs/back off 2 turns and low/reverse=72 in-lbs/back off 3 1/4 turns). I noticed the kickdown was a couple turns too loose, but the low/reverse was extremely loose; I needed to tighten it maybe 6 to 7 full turns before I hit the required 72 in-lbs! Now when I crank the engine, the starter sounds like it is struggling. Any ideas?
 
Specs are right out of the 1971 Plymouth Service Manual. Is it possible they could have been that far out of adjustment and still operated?
 
I would because you can crank down on those bands till you can't turn um anymore and it shouldn't effect the starter. Course it won't do the transmission any good. lol
 
Alright thank you. The starter was just rebuilt, so I have some investigating to do...
 
Make sure you check all the grounds good. Remove them and make sure they are clean to bare metal underneath with no rust or corrosion. You need the ground to the engine of course, and to the fender and from the engine to the frame rail. I always replace skimpy ground wires with those flat wide steel braided straps. They work real good. You cannot have too many grounds.
 
You said you had the transmission out of the vehicle. Check the torque converter and make sure it is seated all the way back. if not the starter will have a hard time turning over.
 
When you say to have the converter seated all the way back, I'm not sure exactly what you mean.
 
If the torque converter isn't properly engaged and seated in the trans, or if there is a new converter installed and its nose doesn't fit the crank, the starter will struggle until the thrust bearing in the engine fails.

If the bands are way out of adjustment it is a sign of band wear.
Years ago an older tech stated.
One band adjuster was placed outside the case because it needs periodic adjustment.
The other band adjuster inside the case is best left alone after initial setup. Adjusting it to compensate for wear wouldn't help cure or prevent anything.
I don't know if this is true.
 
I've always used a simple rule of thumb on installing converters. Some people say "two clicks back" some say three....but to me the absulute best way to tell is simply when you cannot slide your hand behind the converter anymore. Then, it's all the way in. I've installed a TON of converters and have yet to not get one in all the way. It works for me.
 
It is a new converter install, but I had to pull the converter towards the flexplate to get them to bolt up, indicating it was all the way in the trans.
 
jar84203 said:
It is a new converter install, but I had to pull the converter towards the flexplate to get them to bolt up, indicating it was all the way in the trans.
Click to expand...

If you had to pull it forward to get it to bolt up and it spun easy by hand your ok. Sounds like a starter circuit problem.
 
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