my FIRST real issue with the 68 *UPDATED*....Now New ISSUES!

[DadsCharger00]

So last night, took the car out for a little drive, and apon reaching an intersection about 3 minutes from my house I noticed A LOT of smoke coming from the car. My first thought was the thing was on fire!  :flame:SO I attempted to go around the turn to get to a safe location to stop and check out the car, but when hitting the gas.....the car wouldn't move! So I let off the gas.....pushed it one more time, and limped around the corner where I stopped the engine and got out. Opened the hood and tranny fluid was EVERYWHERE. Blew a line. Ok enough, I figured. I know the problem, I'll fix it, and away we will go driving into the sunset. NOT SO MUCH. Fixed the line....and nothing. No gears. No go. No sunset. When you put the car into gear, basically it feels like the car doesn't engage at all. It will barely move.....forward, or reverse.  Talked with chargerboy last light, and doesn't sound like a good thing. Close on my house in 2 weeks. Pulling a tranny....(and I think I'll pull the motor at the same time) wasn't on the docket of my to do list.   Oh well. It'll give me an opportunity to learn a little more about my car. Clean up the engine, and repaint the engine compartment. Gotta look for that silver lining I guess.  Any thoughts on what I'm truly up against? Words of advice? Thanks guys and gals for listening to my rant!

[fy469rtse]

Did you you do the obvious thing and refill the lost transmission fluid ?  , how much did you loose, possible that ran it out of fluid and heat is the biggest issue, you might have fried it,

[DadsCharger00]

It hadn't lost a TON by any means. Splashed all over the motor, top of the hood, and a little on the ground. Certainly far from empty. Yeah. I checked and there was actually quite a bit left in the reservoir. We filled it back up to the full mark...and still nothing.

[MSRacing89]

Sounds like you lost the pump or the system is plugged somewhere and blew out the weakest point.  Probably the reason you have no gears right now.  Somewhere it is not moving fluid.  Either way it sounds like it will need to come out.

[DadsCharger00]

Here is a suggestion from a friend? Thoughts?

Possibility that there is air in the trans circuits.  The trans pump could have lost prime and is not delivering fluid to fill the torque converter / clutch mechs? Check  the repair manual procedure  for first time start up after rebuild could help.  Here is why I say this. initially trans pumps need to have  assembly jelly to initiate fluid suctioning.   Your pump is older. the pump would be emptied by the leak.  Wear clearances wouldn't allow the pump to produce suction.  Its different when you are just changing fluid and filter as you only drain the pan fluid not the pump and the converter.   You maybe able to prime the pump by pushing fluid back thru the out trans cooler line. Coyld get her back on the road sooner with little effort and $.

[bull]

What's the condition of the remaining fluid? Is it burnt? It could have been bleeding long before you noticed the smoke and it's pretty common to not notice it until you've come to a stop. Unless you really want to pull the engine and trans I'd try changing the fluid and filter and see what happens. You've got nothing to lose.

Regarding the advice above, I don't think a trans pump can really lose a prime per se. It's either pumping the fluid that's present or it's not because the fluid is gone. If the pump is so used up that it can't create suction without assembly grease it's probably shot anyway and won't ever work again. The bigger issue IMO is that when there's no fluid you start burning up clutches. Not sure about the 727 but I doubt it's very unique when it comes to auto transmissions and there are plenty of transmission converters out there that can be drained with no special procedure for startup afterward. If the pump is working at all it will instantly (within 5 seconds) fill itself with fluid and start pumping. I've drained converters on transmissions with 300,000 miles on them them and did nothing special other than refill them with fluid. They won't move for the first 3-5 seconds but they always work.

[Dmichels]

fix the line and see what happens could just be the loss of presure
Dave

[ws23rt]

I agree with those above about the pump being an issue.
That kind of pump makes high pressures needed to run the trans.  If it was worn to the point it would not pick up fluid it would have been a long time coming and you would have noticed trouble before the leak.

On the other hand one thing can lead to another and I have learned to never say never

[fy469rtse]

next thing I would is get a pressure gauge, if you access to a factory manual, there are threaded port taps in external housing to check line pressures to certain points of transmission, that would be my next step, its not an air build up , something gave in ? no pressure at one of these points will tell you a lot , I haven't got my manual in front of me , but these ports are there to help diagnose these type of conditions

[DadsCharger00]

So I drained the fluid....re-checked all the lines. Filled up the fluid one more time....put her in neutral. Let the fluid circulate. and presto.....tranny works! Drove it around the block. No slipping. Shifts smooth. Good to go. Not sure what the problem was. But it's fixed. So thats good. But heres the NEW PROBLEM  Got her home. Wanted to let it sit and run to burn off the tranny fluid on the exhuast etc. She sat for about 10 minutes. Died. No sputter. Just died. Went to start her. Turns over great. Won't start. Fiddle with the coil, and wire....get back in....starts. So I let it sit for a bit longer.....same story. So I push it in the garage, and go buy a coil. Figure that was the problem. Change it out. Same routine. Dies. Starts right back up. Runs for 10 minutes or so. Dies. SO now what....change the spark plug cables? Distributer cap maybe? Seems like a spark issue to me. But any other ideas? I had a cruise planned for saturday if I can it figured out. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks Guys, you've all been a great help so far!!!

[1BAD68]

sticky carb float or restricted fuel inlet maybe

[DadsCharger00]

if it's the sticky float....basically just rebuild the carb?

[Back N Black]

No sputter and just dies, sounds like a ignition problem, not fuel. Do you have an extra orange box to switch out?

[DadsCharger00]

okay I'm an idiot. Orange Box?

[Canadian1968]

Orange Box = Mopar ECU assuming you have converted to Eletronic ignition.

I would also check the bulkhead connections. You said tranny fluid sprayed everywhere !! Did it get on the bulkhead. Pull out the harnesses and clean the terminsals inside and out.

For that matter, anythign else that electrical that had fluid splased on it.

[Dino]

Time to check every single wire in the engine bay, that atf may have done some damage.  Check the bulkhead connector, mine died once just like that and it was a loose connector.

The ecu may be toast if it works when cold but not when hot.

[myk]

On a side note, don't get too crazy with the 'carb if it's a float issue; floats are supposed to be adjustable and you shouldn't have to rebuild it based on that alone.  What 'carb are you running?  I agree with checking all of the wiring; maybe that viscous stuff has damaged something somewhere...

[elacruze]

Bypass the cooler lines. I've seen twice that debris has blocked the trans cooler in the radiator and caused restrictions with blown hoses. You could disconnect the lines at the trans and blow some air through them too. (be very careful about where the open end is pointed).

One blockage was caused by a hunk of rubber hose that broke loose from the inside because the hose was old and hard.