Rhetorical Question of the Night - tranny Q & A

[HeavyFuel]

Is my transmission fluid supposed to look like dark purple metallic paint?


My tranny developed a loud buzzing/humming/"zzzzzzzzzzzzz" type noise last weekend.  Been trying to diagnose it all week.

Tonight I used a siphone hose to extract a couple quarts of fluid through the dipstick tube.   Yeah......you can stir it and watch the pretty ultra-fine metallic flakes swirl around.

So much for the easy solution to my mystery noise.      


(I don't see an emo-con to express what I'm feeling right now......so I'll just use these:                     )

[A383Wing]

Two words..."It's toast"

time for rebuild 

[HeavyFuel]

(A383........purple font......nice touch... )


Just fired up the damn thing two months ago.......fresh rebuild.    

I suppose I F'd something up when assembling the tranny to the engine.....or the linkage...who knows WTF.   Maybe the tranny shop skipped a couple steps.

[HeavyFuel]

Anybody looking for nice '68 R/t....numbers car........haunted.....possibly cursed?   It did try to kill me a while back, remember that?


Will negotiate my terms of surrender.....

[A383Wing]

when you put the converter in, did it drop into the tangs correctly?

almost sounds like converter didn't get seated into pump right....

[cdr]

from your earlier post during the cam break in,you should have put the car in neutral and filled the trans,as it was ,it only had the little bit you put in the converter  

10.  20 MINUTES OVER.  Reduce rpm to idle, drop tranny into neutral to fill converter the rest of the way (I had added a couple quarts before installation).  Pump brakes a few times and roll this 'oven on wheels' out into the driveway.

[Kern Dog]

In 2006 I installed a trans that I had rebuilt in 2004. I was waiting for the 727 in the Charger to show signs of failure before swapping in the rebuilt one. I was swapping in a higher stall converter so I figured it was a good time. The rebuilt trans started acting up immediately, it failed within 10 miles. The fluid was as burned as if I tried to tow a bus up a 45 degree grade. I did everything right. Either the builder scxrewed up, the parts used were defective or mine sat too long and collected moisture. They waranteed mine.

[A383Wing]

Anybody looking for nice '68 R/t....numbers car........haunted.....possibly cursed?   It did try to kill me a while back, remember that?


Will negotiate my terms of surrender.....

let me check.....I got a dollar

[ws23rt]

In 2006 I installed a trans that I had rebuilt in 2004. I was waiting for the 727 in the Charger to show signs of failure before swapping in the rebuilt one. I was swapping in a higher stall converter so I figured it was a good time. The rebuilt trans started acting up immediately, it failed within 10 miles. The fluid was as burned as if I tried to tow a bus up a 45 degree grade. I did everything right. Either the builder scxrewed up, the parts used were defective or mine sat too long and collected moisture. They waranteed mine.

This is what warranties  are for.   But you are lucky cause these 727s are tough and can work for a long time with incorrect set up.

[HeavyFuel]

from your earlier post during the cam break in,you should have put the car in neutral and filled the trans,as it was ,it only had the little bit you put in the converter  

10.  20 MINUTES OVER.  Reduce rpm to idle, drop tranny into neutral to fill converter the rest of the way (I had added a couple quarts before installation).  Pump brakes a few times and roll this 'oven on wheels' out into the driveway.

So maybe I fried something during the cam break in.....which started a domino effect of some kind and failure?   I never even thought twice about the tranny during the cam break in.   

[A383Wing]

sounds about right...fluid is not being pumped in park...that's why they say check trans fluid in neutral

[Dino]

Aww no...I'm so sorry to hear that buddy.  But don't lose hope!  These things are fixable and parts are a plenty.  It doesn't mean you have to do it right now, nothing wrong with taking a break.


...I have 5 dollars by the way that could be yours...

[ottawamerc]

Ok I'm jumping in here at a solid $150 Don't be too disappointed with that draw back it is fixable

Scott

[Challenger340]

sounds about right...fluid is not being pumped in park...that's why they say check trans fluid in neutral

I could be wrong here, but I don't "think" there is any fluid lubrication flow in neutral either ? At least not on the earlier 727's prior to 1975 I think ?
Where is John Kunkel, he will know for sure, and correct me on this.

[cdr]

yes it pumps in neutral ,you can modify the valve body so it pumps in park also.

[john108]

Don't get too disappointed.  It is part of the hobby/life style.  I bought a 1976/7 440 engine to build a 505 stroker.  Stripped it down and took the block into the machine shop to clean and check.  It looked really GOOD to both of us but after magnaflux, a large crack was found, off to the scrap yard it went.  Now I am out a block but have a bunch of engine parts that I have no use for.  So, I am disappointed.

[ws23rt]

This discussion got me wondering about the park vs neutral for checking the fluid level.

I have checked the level hundreds of time over many years and don't recall seeing any difference. Having never tested it though that doesn't tell the story.

If there is a difference it must be small.

One thing is true however and that is the pump turns when the convertor turns.

Looking at the hydraulic circuit pictures in the FSM shows the same fluid flow path in both---Which looks like through the convertor and the cooler only.

In park the preasure is 5-30 psi---And in neutral it's at 55 psi

John what is the rest of the story?

[A383Wing]

start yer car up in the morning in park and check the fluid....then put it in neutral and re-check....you will see a difference

[69rtse4spd]

  Didn't get the converter tangs set in right one time, many years ago, tranny lasted about 8 miles, lesson learned.   

[Cooter]

Whining when running may be caused by pump cavitating due to trash in filter. However, if mettalic debris in enough to clog filter, there's most likely n internal problem as stated.

[Paul G]

Don't get disappointed and don't give up. These cars are going to break, they are old and tired. When they break we fix them. It is what we do. I have come to the conclusion that every job gets done three times before it is finally reliable. That is my average. My trans is a prime example. The 727 came out for a torque converter replacement, then the 727 came out and swapped the A518 in, then the A518 came back out when the governor broke and my Charger enjoyed a 300 mile ride home on a U-Haul trailer. I hope that is the third time for the tranny.

So just plan on dropping the trans again and fixing it, make it better than it was. When it is done take the car out, have some fun and break something else. It is what we do. 

[mauve66]

  Didn't get the converter tangs set in right one time, many years ago, tranny lasted about 8 miles, lesson learned.   

but if the convertor doesn't slip all the way on that last catch you can't bolt the block up so you know its not on all the way, right??

doesn't the nose of the convertor sit about 1/2 inch INSIDE the lip of the bell housing??

[John_Kunkel]

...fluid is not being pumped in park...

If the crankshaft is turning, fluid is being pumped but a wide open leak in Park prevents the converter from filling rapidly. The key is the fluid level, if the fluid level drops below the valve body all kinds of evil things can happen.

[A383Wing]

I guess I should have said "Fluid is not pumped "properly" in park" for ya

[ws23rt]

I guess I should have said "Fluid is not pumped "properly" in park" for ya

     You are not dismissed however---close enough