A904-30Rh Fresh Rebuild. No 3rd gear, Please Help

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William Horne

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Hey guys, I'm new here and just really need help because i'm stumped.

97 model 904 or 30rh. I have read post with people who have had this problem. It was usually the first clutch inner piston seal, governor stuck, or the valve body.

I have the transmission torn back apart and am inspecting everything. Front clutch seal is perfect. I have questions about the governor though. The inner weight slides into the outer weight just fine but gets hung up if you try and push it all the way through. Is that normal? Does the spring ever compress enough to allow the inner weight to go that far through the outer weight?

The transmission had perfect reverse and smooth shifting manual and auto. Just stopped at 35-40 and reved high.

Forward clutch drum has a 3 way thrust washer. A piece is broken off on the drum but I cant understand how it would cause a problem? Please let me know what you think.

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Solid reverse without delay, timely 1-2 shift--not the governor. It's in the valve body.


I have torn this valve body apart like 4 times. I have to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I must have swapped a spring around or something. Is there any extremely detailed guide on these valve bodies?

Thank You!
 
You mean to tell me you've torn that valve body apart four times without googling an exploded view?

I have and I have two rebuild manuals. I dont feel like either one of them explain everything in that much detail. If I accidentally put a spring or something in the wrong place they dont provide enough info to figure it out. I know all the check balls are in the right spot.
 
Do u see on the top left of the vb they are showing a line pressure limit ball, cause it is 3/8s. Does yours have that? We’re there 2 balls in the lower vb? Kim
 
I tore apart my valve body today and all valves were moving freely. There is no 3/8s check ball in this 904 - 30rh valve body.

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I think its very possibly I let one of the 3 circled springs get put in the wrong spot. Can any pros look at it and know for sure if that would cause no 2-3 upshift. I'm trying to figure out 100% which spring is which and put them where they need to be but I'm having a hard time not having doubts about it.

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It has a good 1-2 shift; right? That eliminates the 1-2 spring as a problem. And how does the kd lever feel? About right? Did you put all the springs on the correct end of every valve? That stupid picture shows a spring and ball on top of the kd valve. What is your direct clutch clearance?
 
It has a good 1-2 shift; right? That eliminates the 1-2 spring as a problem. And how does the kd lever feel? About right? Did you put all the springs on the correct end of every valve? That stupid picture shows a spring and ball on top of the kd valve. What is your direct clutch clearance?


1-2 shift was smooth as glass really couldn't feel it happen. I had 0% knowledge with kickdown or how it worked but I think I just figured it out. Swapped the springs around and I'm noticing something that feels right and I hope its right please verify this with me.

The kick down valve when I use to push it in, it would stay in. Now I have swapped springs around and the kick down valve pushes back out so it can actually be controlled by the kick down lever now.
 
Ok but that should've giving you a late and hard 1-2 as well; I would think, (insert disclaimer here). Are you even sure you had a 1-2 shift? Cuz these cars can go 40 mph easy in first. Don't forget you could have more than one problem.
 
Ok but that should've giving you a late and hard 1-2 as well; I would think, (insert disclaimer here). Are you even sure you had a 1-2 shift? Cuz these cars can go 40 mph easy in first. Don't forget you could have more than one problem.

lol well it might have been in 1st the whole time. I've never had the privilege of driving it with a working transmission but the manual shift seemed to work in every gear. It is very possible it was just stuck in 1st though.
 
Drive is third. Start out with the lever in 1, get up to 20, shift to 2, up to 30 shift to D. But it's my understanding that there were no shifts whatsoever...maybe.. If you set the front clutch just exactly wrong, then you could have reverse but no third. Put the drums on the pump in a vise and air check the clutch packs. Cuz when it's back together, you want to be sure the only problem could then be valve body; so you don't have to take it out again. Post clutch pack clearance specs.
 
Drive is third. Start out with the lever in 1, get up to 20, shift to 2, up to 30 shift to D. But it's my understanding that there were no shifts whatsoever...maybe.. If you set the front clutch just exactly wrong, then you could have reverse but no third. Put the drums on the pump in a vise and air check the clutch packs. Cuz when it's back together, you want to be sure the only problem could then be valve body; so you don't have to take it out again. Post clutch pack clearance specs.
It will take me a while to do that, do you think the damage on my forward drum would cause any problem. It’s the first pic I posted. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.
 
Also make sure and air pressure test everything once all the clutch packs and pump are installed. That'll tell you if they are all working correctly. Do you know how or have a manual that shows you how to do an air pressure test?
 
That chip is nothing. Those three cutouts are for the tangs on the washer. The early ones didn't have any tangs at all. I'm still curious about the direct clutch clearance.
 
Check out this pic from Trans-go's shift kit instructions. I circled the part that Kim was referring too earlier when he asked if it had a 3/8" check ball in it cause that'll cause no 3rd gear. It's easy to get the 3/8" check ball from the shifter detent mixed up with the 11/32" ball in the VB because their so close in size. Looking at the pic of your VB it's the lower left ball and looks pretty big. Something worth double checking

Torqueflite valve body no 3rd gear.jpg
 
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