904 band adjustment for a 408 stroker???

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schultec14

schultec14

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Hi, I have a good 1979 chrysler, lockup 2300 stall converter, 904 transmission I am using for my 1970 dodge dart swinger street car. The transmission was linked to a 318 before. I would like to know if there should be any band adjustment changes to match the extra 90 cubes and the 200+ more horsepower... I now have a 408 stroker to go in the 318's place.

-(PS) For the future, maybe the near future..lol, I would like to know what exactly to install in it to beef it up so it will last...unless it will on its own the way it is...bone stock??

PLEASE ADVISE!
Thank you,
-ANTHONY
 
it wont last long, but before i drive it i would install a large trans cooler in front of the rad and a deep pan
 
You don't have to readjust the trans. when you put in a bigger engine. Just like you don't need to reset the carb or timing when you put in a new transmission. A good shift kit such as a Trans-go TF-2 kit will make the trans. last a lot longer. In stock form they didn't always have the greatest shift timing and sometimes overlapped or slipped when shifting. The Trans-go kit makes improvements that eliminate overlap and slipping. As long as the trans. is in good shape (such as been rebuilt sometime in the near past) it should last ok. Lockup trans. converters leave a lot to be desired. Most guys shy away from lockup transmission because of that.
 
I would get a new stall convertor to match your cam,gears and tire sizes.It will perform better IMO.Good luck.
 
If the transmission is one that only has a 3 disc direct drum, it really could stand upgrading. That 408 is gonna have a ton of torque. Unless you know for sure what's in the transmission, there's no way to tell. It'll probably last a while with a good shift kit, like fishy68 said, but if you upgrade it with a few inexpensive factory parts, it will dang near be indestructable. ...and like pettybluedart said, matchin up the converter to the rest of the car is really important. Lastly, that lockup converter ain't gonna make it. It'll be the first part to fail. Unless it is a high quality aftermarket piece, look for it to grenade and likely take somethin else out with it.....usually the front pump. The factory lockup units were just not made for high torque. You 408 is gonna have at least 408 LB FT of torque I would imagine. Probably more. I would advise losin the lockup feature.....but that's just me. If you really want to retain the lockup feature, or go to an overdrive unit, the A-518 is really the way to go. They were available in a non lockup version that uses a standard, non lockup converter. Non lockup converters are just much stronger, unless you go with an aftermarket piece as said before and they are very expensive.
 
Thank you all for the input! I had my transmission thouroughly checked by my transmission guy, and he said It was in really good shape. I also had him install the Transgo TF-2 reprogrammer kit. I forgot to mention, the 2300 stall torque converter I was talking about I had completely rebuilt at cottman transmissions in woodbury heights, NJ. I told them what my plans were and they said now that they knew that, they would "install the necessary parts for that application"...Im guessing that would extend the life of it..? I am also installing an inline trans cooler also, but should I tap it in before or after the fluid flow direction going through the radiator??
Thanks,
-ANTHONY
 
I ran stainless flex line directly from the tranny to the cooler.Make sure to mount the cooler where it will be in direct path of cool air.Good luck.
 
No need to run the trans fluid through the rad, none what so ever.

A non lock up 904 converter will not just slip in place of a lock up. The input shaft needs to be changed, trans needs to come apart.
 
Yea, to take the lockup option out, i know i have some work ahead of me to do that, but I'd rather keep the lockup feature since I had the torque converter beefed up, unles it would need more fluid pressure to hold it in lockup due to the added hp's???...For the A 518 transmission conversion, wouldn't I have to cut the trans tunnel in a '70 Dart Swinger to fit it in the car? How about the overdrive part...wasn't there some solenoid that needed a switch on the dash to be flipped, or was that for lockup trans models only?? I'm kinda new to those aspects..
 
yeah the 518 or 500 would require a lot of work to fit in an a-body,cuttin and weldin,you would be in for quite a treat.
 
So if I were to make it fit, wouldn't I just have to modify the tunnel for the O/D unit "bump out" on the case and the mount? but what about that solenoid stuff and a switch needed to be put on the dash I heard about? any of that true for a non lock-up O/D trans?
 
schultec14 said:
So if I were to make it fit, wouldn't I just have to modify the tunnel for the O/D unit "bump out" on the case and the mount? but what about that solenoid stuff and a switch needed to be put on the dash I heard about? any of that true for a non lock-up O/D trans?
Click to expand...

I believe that's all that needs modified. Do a search for 518 and/or overdrive in this section and you'll find several threads about doing it. Some even have pics. You will have to have a way to control the o.d. unit as it is electrically controlled. You don't need to put a switch on the dash if you don't want to. You can make it controlled automatically with a vacuum switch. Here's a link to how to do it a couple ways. It's near the bottom of the page. Warning this page has a ton of info and pics and takes a little while to load even with HS internet.

http://www.transmissioncenter.net/dodge.htm
 
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