Band Adjustment for 1988 904 Transmission

-
PocketAces

PocketAces

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
1,360
Reaction score
80
Location
Torrance, CA
I've got a 1984 904 transmission out of a 318 Fifth Avenue that's going into my 1965 Dart with a 273. Before I put it in, I want to change the seals and adjust the bands.

Does anyone have the band adjustment procedure for this transmission. I'm finding lot's of conflicting info for different years, so I'm hoping someone has a manual for something close to what I have.

Most people say torque to 72 in-lbs and then back off some number of turns. But one guy said back off until you can just barely turn the output shaft and then 1/2 turn more.
 
72 inch pounds and 2 turns out for a normal 904 with normal bands and on some years with some levers. (probably why the confusion and conflicting info)
The tailshaft turning way is about the same thing as setting it as per factory specs.

Personally, I would go with 72 inch pounds and then two turns out for the front band, and the tailshaft method for the rear band.
You can also solve some mild binding (also called overlap) of the shifts by band adjustments as well as get some shifts closer together so they are not a hard and fast rule of adjustment.

Hope this helps.

Watch, now somone is going to say they have to be exact or it'll ruin the trans. :)
Totally not true.
 
I carefully measured my starting point.

The front band took 3 turns to get to 72 in-lbs.
The rear band took 5 1/2 turns.

I found this post by fishy68:

Every spec I've ever read said to torque both to 72 In/lbs then the front band gets backed off 2 to 2-1/2 turns. If you can verify which front servo lever the trans has you can make the adjustment more precise. The ratio of the lever is stamped into it. It will be anywhere from 2.9 to 4.2 The 2.9 thru 4.0 gets backed off 2-1/2 turns and the 4.2 gets backed off 2-1/4 turns. If you can't verify the ratio of the lever just back it off 2-1/2 turns.

The rear band is also dependent on the type. It will either be a single wrap band identified by being one solid wrapped or a double wrap band identified by being slit in 3 parts around the circumference so the inner part can move independently from the outer parts. Most stock trans. had the single wrap band.

If it's a double wrap band back it off 3-1/2 turns. If it's a standard single wrap band back it off 2-1/2 turns.


My front lever is a 3.2. My rear band is a double wrap band.
 
I loosened the bands just until I could rotate the tailshaft by hand.

The front band started to slip at 1.5 turns.
The rear band started to slip at 2 turns.

Adding 1/2 turn to each would result in 2 turns for the front and 2.5 turns for the rear.

Whereas fishy68's advice would be 2.5 for the front and 3.5 for the rear.

Since his numbers are closer to my starting point, that's what I'm going to use.
 
single wrap rear bands are in /6 904s.

double wrap rear bands are in v8 904s.

I would go with the manufacturer recommendation with the band adjustments..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top