Can I go threw the gears of the transmission without the drive shaft hooked up??

[Canadian1968]

I just put the engine/ tranny back in the car.  I do not have the drive shaft in yet, but wanted to know if I can shift the transmission threw the gears to check my fluid level?  I mean with the engine running of course !!

I am thinking it will grind the gears ? If I don't have the drive shaft in and rear brakes to hold it?

[Ghoste]

Well its for sure going to rev freely and continue to spin long after the clutch is engaged but if you just want to know the fluid level in the gearbox you don't need to put a manual through its paces anyway, thats just an automatic thing.

[Canadian1968]

Sorry forgot to mention that's a 727 auto

[Ghoste]

Oh, for some reason I just assumed it was a four speed.  Personally I wouldn't do it with the automatic either.

[ws23rt]

I too was thrown off by the question about "grinding the gears"
The 727 has no gears that could "grind". The gears that it does have are moved or spun by clutches. Grinding could only happen  without trans. fluid. (that is a different kind of grind)

As for any concern about harming the trans. without the drive shaft connected?  --No--

I will step out on a limb and even predict that John will agree. ---Hey John you are our last word here on this stuff.

[A383Wing]

fluid will come out the tail shaft if driveline is missing

[ws23rt]

fluid will come out the tail shaft if driveline is missing

OOPs--I forgot about that. ---This could be considered to be damage.

[ws23rt]

I just remembered a trans. repair I did for my sister in the seventies. Their was a big leak from a hole in the center of the spline shaft connection.
If I recall not all of those connections had that hole and therefore did not require the seal that prevented the leak.

I am hurting from accessing my memory.

[JB400]

Personally, I'd wait until you had the driveshaft in and could drive it around the block.

[Canadian1968]

I can throw the drive shaft in . I just don't have the brake system hooked up is my big worry . I was breaking in the cam of the motor obviously also filling up all other fluids in the drive train . Currently running the motor/ tranny in neutral . Before start up dip stick reads slightly over "full" after start up there is no reading on the transmission dipstick . Can I just fill to "full " running it in neutral ?

[John_Kunkel]

On initial startup in Neutral, the transmission pump will fill the converter and the fluid level will drop so this is normal. Problem with checking the fluid level in Neutral (like you're supposed to) with no brakes is the spinning internal parts will toss around a lot of fluid...so the dipstick reading will be off.

Best fill it to a quart low and then wait until the driveshaft can be stopped before making the final level check in Neutral.

[Canadian1968]

Is there another way of draining a small amount from the tranny other than dropping the pan?

Does the converter not have a drain plug in it?

[birdsandbees]

Pull the dipstick.. stick a 1/4" tube down it and syphon with a cheap drill pump or a vacuum pump and reservoir. Some converters have a drain plug.