I think my tranny is toast.

[jeryst]

When I bought my 68 Dart, I never drove it except around the alley behind the guys house because it wasnt licensed. Seemed to work fine.

Anyways, I've spent the last few months working on it, and decided to take it out on the road today. The engine is moderately built, and he told me it has a 3000 stall speed converter. Tranny is a 727.

I put it into drive and pulled out onto the road, but it wouldnt shift out of first gear. I stopped and put it into low. It started out fine, so I shifted into second, and it also seemed fine. Then I shifted into drive, and it just revved. Put it back into second, and it worked fine. Tranny fluid is okay and doesnt look or smell burnt.

Can just drive go out of the tranny?

Could it be anything else, like some type of adjustment, or maybe something isnt hooked up correctly?
Is there anything else I can check?

Since it doesnt shift on its own, I'm thinking that maybe a manual valve body was installed, and instead of shifting, the owner just started out in drive all of the time, which may have taken out drive.

I'd appreciate any opinions or pointers.

 

[dodge freak]

You sure that isn't a reverse manual vavle body?

D would be 1st gear

S would be 2nd gear

L would be 3rd gear

But you say 1st gear is in both D and L ?

Why not start in D and get on it kind of hard..2/3 the gas and shift at 5,000+ and run though the gears...you know for sure at 70+mph shifting in to L if that is 1st gear or 3rd gear, lol

 

[jeryst]

You sure that isn't a reverse manual vavle body?

D would be 1st gear

S would be 2nd gear

L would be 3rd gear

But you say 1st gear is in both D and L ?

Why not start in D and get on it kind of hard..2/3 the gas and shift at 5,000+ and run though the gears...you know for sure at 70+mph shifting in to L if that is 1st gear or 3rd gear, lol

You know, there may be something to that. When I started out in low, revved it up and shifted into second, it actuall felt like it was downshifting.

But still, why would it just rev when it hit drive? Or is there something in the tranny that prevents you from shifting into low if you are going to fast?

 

[jeryst]

You sure that isn't a reverse manual vavle body?

D would be 1st gear

S would be 2nd gear

L would be 3rd gear

But you say 1st gear is in both D and L ?

Why not start in D and get on it kind of hard..2/3 the gas and shift at 5,000+ and run though the gears...you know for sure at 70+mph shifting in to L if that is 1st gear or 3rd gear, lol

Guess what? I tried it, and thats exactly what it is. Never crossed my mind until you mentioned it.

You win the prize.

A genuine 6 foot, solid gold plated "Attaboy" with dual Wasserman coils, and a platinum coated one sided bilavial frigadoo, on an unobtanium base. (Batteries not included).

Congratulations!

 

[dodge freak]

Glad to be a help. Sounds like you got yourself a bad boy car 8)

 

[dodge freak]

I bet what happen was in 3rd gear at a stop the torque converter was slipping so much you thought it was in 1st gear. After all some of these newer cars take off about as fast in 1st gear as a old fashion hot rod takes off in 3rd gear, ha ha.

I'v been told though that is hard on the trans taking off in 3rd or 2nd gear--no matter how slow. From a stop always use 1st gear.

 

[dodge freak]

[Or is there something in the tranny that prevents you from shifting into low if you are going to fast?

It should not go in to 1st gear if you are going too fast. You can shift to 1st gear but the trans will not downshift.

Its also a reason I LIKE using a non band applied valve body. If it does hit first and revs to 7,000+ rpms, you just lift off on the throttle and the motor idles right down. Your brakes should be strong enough to stop safety, if they aren't what is going to happen if you need to stop at 75+mph?

 

[jeryst]

Glad to be a help. Sounds like you got yourself a bad boy car 8)

Yeah. I think it is pretty close to unstreetable. Was hardly getting on it when I shifted into second and the tires broke loose. Felt like the second stage kicked in - lol. Backed off a little and shifted into drive and the tires still chirped. Feels like it has pretty low gears in it too. Guess I'm gonna have to start checking things out.

 

[Woodys_Cuda]

I had a similar problem. The P.O. had put a shiftkit in mine, similar to a slapstick in an Ebody. The linkage was all wrong. If using manual you could make your way from first up to drive, and push it into neutral (not good).

I messed with the shifter linkage a bit, and corrected that, locks at drive. Works a treat now. Glad you got it sorted out.