904 stuck in low gear

-

Cope

Fusing with fire
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
6,737
Reaction score
10,191
Location
San Jose, Ca.
Took my car out for a drive today and it won't up shift out of first.

Fluid is full and clean, no adjustments to the linkage lately.

I did do a few Smokey burnouts last night in the shop parking lot....

What do you think is the issue?

Thanks again.
 
Did you try shifting it manually?
 
Took my car out for a drive today and it won't up shift out of first.

Fluid is full and clean, no adjustments to the linkage lately.

I did do a few Smokey burnouts last night in the shop parking lot....

What do you think is the issue?

Thanks again.

The thing that is the most common and comes to mind first is that there is metal powder in the fluid and when it settled in the valve body over night it sticks the shift valve the next drive.
I would pull the pan and look close at the bottom of it purely for the information it gives.

If it were a broken second gear band or servo issue it would shift directly from 1st to 3rd.

The last one I saw do what yours is doing it would free up eventually and start shifting again but the next morning it was stuck again.
Turned out to be the rear planetary set needle bearings disintegrating.
 
Last edited:
Linkage is fine.

The one two shift works manually when I shift into drive it slips then Rs way up.

I think the new motor and that last burnout was the last straw....
 
As an Mopar ex drag racer, you never did you burnout in 1st gear. The sprag gear could explode. I don't think you would still have 1st after that.
 
As an Mopar ex drag racer, you never did you burnout in 1st gear. The sprag gear could explode. I don't think you would still have 1st after that.
Or for that matter, a transmission at all!!:lol:
exploded001-jpg.jpg

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS61ND5X1yaKkEyfVBlifNiEE2h62_aP0bcyYO3XBo914tDQkmx.jpg
 
As an Mopar ex drag racer, you never did you burnout in 1st gear. The sprag gear could explode. I don't think you would still have 1st after that.

The 904 does not suffer from that problem.
 
Sounds like the direct (front) clutches are toast. Repair and make certain the throttle linkage is adjusted properly or you will have problems.

Burnouts are critical with ALL Torqueflites. If you have an underpowered vehicle and are doing a burnout at the track with slicks, make sure the waterbox is good and wet or roll through and back-in again to paint-roller the tires good (rear only-lol). Start the tires turning ahead of the waterbox at mid-throttle in manual low and IMMEDIATELY shift to second and increase the throttle to maintain wheel speed (no bog). As quickly as possible, shift to "D" and maintain throttle or increase pedal until you are throwing some smoke. Then release your line-loc/brakes and as the vehicle rolls forward, release the gas and let the tires bite (chirp!!) while in HIGH gear. Roll to the lights and stage.

With a high-powered car or full race vehicle with slicks, do your water burnout starting in manual 2nd or high. NEVER let the tires bite except in HIGH gear, as this protects the transmission/low roller.
 
You burned er up. But I bet it was fun doing it. You didn't ruin anything that wasn't on its way out. At least it was not far from home . Get another trans yours my friend is toast. You'll get more into it than its worth.
 
-
Back
Top