904 Torqueflite Rebuild HELP?!?!?!?!

-
J

jkallen83

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Location
Alabama
I got a 1960 Valiant with the 904 transmission. It's push button shift.

I'm thinking it needs a rebuild BAD. It's my daily driver so I need as little downtime as possible.

I've never rebuilt a transmission before but I'm GREAT with instructions. So I'm asking for anyone who knows these transmissions to give me some advice.

If there is a good website of detailed instructions, I would LOVE to have the link.

Also, I need to know what rebuild kit I need to buy. I found one on ebay for $110 that "says" its everything needed to rebuild the transmission. So basically, I need to know what I need to look for in a kit to be sure I get what I need so I don't have to get it all apart and then need to order and wait on something.


Keep in mind, this is my daily driver, I don't race so no need for performance parts. Just the cheapest possible kit that will get the transmission back to proper performance that it was intended to do.

Any help is appreciated. When I start this, I want to make sure I have all the parts needed, and also pretty well know how to actually do the rebuild.


Thanks.
 
hey, I answered the other post and now answering this one, haha. The 904 torque-flite is one of the easiest transmissions to rebuild. If you can find an "ATSG" transmission guide, that is what I would suggest. You can order them from a lot of places on the net. They cover specific transmissions and are easy to understand with a lot of helpful hints. Just search for 904 torque-flite ATSG transmission rebuild guide. There may be many useful videos on the youtube also. Goodluck! (many books also available, I got mine from summit racing).
 
70aarcuda, that rebuild kit is cheaper than what I looked at and has more in it.

omahamoparguy, thanks, i searched for that book and found it. gonna look around and check prices on it also.
 
I would suggest getting the factory service manual. The astg manual doesn't cover the cable shift 904 trans (it is too old), and there are some important differences.
 
BIG thumbs up for the FSM like Charlie said. Also, another GREAT book is The Torqueflite A727 by Carl Munroe. Yeah, it's about the 727, but the two transmissions are so similar, it's worth getting. Also too, I highly recommend the ATSG Service Group manual for the Torqueflite.

Lastly, I don't recommend an all in one kit. You limit yourself to somebody else's interpretation of a kit and it's always a compromise of quality. I like to get Borg warner clutches. They are the best for what you're doing. Great quality and they won't kill your pocketbook. Some people will say "use alto clutches" or use "red or blue clutches" but save that stuff for the race transmission. The Borg Warners are fine. Also, get RIGID cast bands, not flex bands. They release much faster than a flex band and that helps firm up and speed up shifts. They are not a must, but they do add to and make for a stronger transmission.

You might also think about upgrading to higher capacity drums. Most 904s have 3 clutch direct drums. The 998 and 999 usually have 4 clutch direct drums and in some rare cases 5 clutch drums. The more clutches, the more holding power.

There are several other tricks, but if you get that book by Carl Munroe, it's all in there.
 
jkallen83 said:
I got a 1960 Valiant with the 904 transmission. It's push button shift.

I'm thinking it needs a rebuild BAD. It's my daily driver so I need as little downtime as possible.

I've never rebuilt a transmission before but I'm GREAT with instructions. So I'm asking for anyone who knows these transmissions to give me some advice.

If there is a good website of detailed instructions, I would LOVE to have the link.

Also, I need to know what rebuild kit I need to buy. I found one on ebay for $110 that "says" its everything needed to rebuild the transmission. So basically, I need to know what I need to look for in a kit to be sure I get what I need so I don't have to get it all apart and then need to order and wait on something.


Keep in mind, this is my daily driver, I don't race so no need for performance parts. Just the cheapest possible kit that will get the transmission back to proper performance that it was intended to do.

Any help is appreciated. When I start this, I want to make sure I have all the parts needed, and also pretty well know how to actually do the rebuild.


Thanks.
Click to expand...
Make sure you know the year of the transmission. Don't guess at it, as the gasket and seal kit for the early 904's is different from the later ones. I don't recall there being a hard front band for the 904, and as for the rear band there are 3: a single wrap for the 6 cylinder, a single wrap for the 273 and a double wrap band for larger engines.

Not being able to see the transmission apart, it's difficult to say what it will need, but you say its bad. I'd also consider a washer kit, a bushing kit, the one way roller clutch, etc. As mentioned by someone else, because its a push button unit, the FSM would be better for you than an ATSG manual. The ATSG manual will help you rebuild it, but when it comes to setting the cable(s)up, the FSM is the only way to go. You can use either Borg Warner or Raybestos friction plates in the drums. Raybestos are the OEM plates for Chyrsler. Don't let price be your only guide, DO IT RIGHT ONCE. Forget E-PAY. Contact W.I.T and they should be able to set you up. If they can't there's a company called FATSCO that can supply you with old parts. Remember you're dealing with a 50 year old unit and parts for it might be year specific.
 
i say the transmission is bad. i drive it everyday. just the shift has a whine coming from first to second, then second to third sometimes u gotta punch or let off gas pedal to get it to shift on into third, its like it starts to then hangs, but when u punch/let off gas pedal it shifts on out. dont do it everytime, but quite often, like a couple times a day at least.
plus im hoping it might give it a little more power, its a 3.55 rear end, i would figure would have plenty of power but it REALLY slows down on hills. might be normal but ive read that the shift im getting is not normal and is time for a rebuild.

RustyRatRod, thanks for that info. its not a racing car, never will be. its just my daily driver, of course im fixing it up, BUT, i drive it because its SIMPLE. pretty much anything that goes wrong i can fix in just a few minutes. unlike new computerized cars. i HATE the new cars, they screw up, ur out of luck or ALOT of money.
 
What you have going for you is the 904 has to be the absolute easiest transmission ever to rebuild. Read the books. Disassemble it as subassemblies. Rebuild the subassemblies and reinstall like they came out. As long as you look at it like that, you won't get overwhelmed.
 
jkallen83 said:
i say the transmission is bad. i drive it everyday. just the shift has a whine coming from first to second, then second to third sometimes u gotta punch or let off gas pedal to get it to shift on into third, its like it starts to then hangs, but when u punch/let off gas pedal it shifts on out. dont do it everytime, but quite often, like a couple times a day at least.
plus im hoping it might give it a little more power, its a 3.55 rear end, i would figure would have plenty of power but it REALLY slows down on hills. might be normal but ive read that the shift im getting is not normal and is time for a rebuild.

RustyRatRod, thanks for that info. its not a racing car, never will be. its just my daily driver, of course im fixing it up, BUT, i drive it because its SIMPLE. pretty much anything that goes wrong i can fix in just a few minutes. unlike new computerized cars. i HATE the new cars, they screw up, ur out of luck or ALOT of money.
Click to expand...

the whine noise is the pump.......my 727 has been whining for 10 yrs now.....

if you gotta let of the gas to shift into 3rd...check your kickdown linkage adjustment....you might want to just adjust the bands and change the fluid and fliter...
 
download the rebuild videos from youtube , theres a series from a guy in New South Wales on how to build a 600+ hp torqueflite , it's for the 727 but the process is the same I used them and a couple of others to do my 904 and it's been back and forth across Canada behind 525hp/527tq with no problems , Don't let anybody con you into thinking you need to know some Voodoo science , the guys here will help you with anything you don't understand from the videos TrailBeast and Fishy are both great guys for that along with OldKimmer and a few others . I had never seen the inside of an automatic transmission in my life and did mine in a couple of hours it's easy just clean every part real well and keep everything clean when your putting it all together .
 
70aarcuda said:
the whine noise is the pump.......my 727 has been whining for 10 yrs now.....

if you gotta let of the gas to shift into 3rd...check your kickdown linkage adjustment....you might want to just adjust the bands and change the fluid and fliter...
Click to expand...

Whine could also be a clogged filter , or worn out planet assemblies.
It is after all a 53 year old transmisson.
I agree about fluid & filter change. Dropping the pan to do this will give some indication how good/bad the unit really is. If the pan is full of gunk (metal shavings, clutch material etc.), black smelly oil then the unit needs more than band adjustment and filter/fluid change.
 
K125H-R kit... Your saying that is a TH-350 Kit?
 

Attachments

  • 904.jpg
    58.8 KB · Views: 688
I see a K12951B washer kit in there...which is Chrysler: A904 w/ Selectives Washers - K12951B

The filter is a dead giveaway for a Torqueflite....or am I looking at the wrong picture.
 
70aarcuda said:
I see a K12951B washer kit in there...which is Chrysler: A904 w/ Selectives Washers - K12951B

The filter is a dead giveaway for a Torqueflite....or am I looking at the wrong picture.
Click to expand...

No, you're right that one is and is for a 904
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top