Tranny troubles in the Demon!

[Coyote Jack]

This all happened a couple of weeks ago but I have been on vacation so I have not been able to post about it.

Here is my setup. 360, 400+ hp and 400+ tq, 727 with manual reverse valve body and billitt servo, 2800 stall convertor, B&M Mega shifter, 4.10 gears with spool.

I rebuilt the tranny about 3000 miles ago.


I was at a local cruise night and everything was working good. I did get on it a couple of times on the way to the cruise night and all seemed well. I headed for home and when I started to gear down to turn in my driveway second gear felt wierd, sort of like it was stuck in 2 gears at once. I wasn't moving very fast so I shifted to first. The back wheels just locked up. Keep in mind I was doing less than 5 miles an hours at this point. The car wouldn't move if I hit the gas, it would just torque up on the engine. Put it in second again and it would move but it was like it was in 2 gears again. I went to third and all seamed well so I limped in the driveway. I thought it might be the shifter out of adjustment or the cable gone bad, but everything looked good there. Now after playing with things there is no park. I can't even unhook the shifter and get to park by moving the lever on the tranny. It just won't go there.

Any ideas of what I should look for?

Jack

 

[fishy68]

Not being able to move it into park sounds like the parking pawl came loose from the manual valve comb and is binding up but that shouldn't cause it to get stuck in 2 gears at once, unless it's jamming the shifter between gears. Only other possibility I can think of is the shifter detent spring in the valve body broke and is jamming things up. It sounds like more of a jam up than a major problem. I bet you find the problem easily when you drop the pan.

 

[Coyote Jack]

Not being able to move it into park sounds like the parking pawl came loose from the manual valve comb and is binding up but that shouldn't cause it to get stuck in 2 gears at once, unless it's jamming the shifter between gears. Only other possibility I can think of is the shifter detent spring in the valve body broke and is jamming things up. It sounds like more of a jam up than a major problem. I bet you find the problem easily when you drop the pan.

Thanks for the input. I like the last line especially. I will be having a look at it this week sometime or maybe on the weekend. I will keep you posted.

Jack

 

[waggin]

Oh Boy,I have had this happen before,the sheetmetal piece in between the two halves of the valve body...the balls have beaten their way thru that sheet metal piece and it needs to be replaced,I'm sure someone is gonna chime in with how stupid this sounds(don't waist your breath)I ran a manual valve body in my 66 dart gt years ago and had to replace this sheet metal piece about once a year.so if you have to pull the trans pan down,you might just want to look at this part while you are at it.hope this is helpful

 

[Coyote Jack]

Oh Boy,I have had this happen before,the sheetmetal piece in between the two halves of the valve body...the balls have beaten their way thru that sheet metal piece and it needs to be replaced,I'm sure someone is gonna chime in with how stupid this sounds(don't waist your breath)I ran a manual valve body in my 66 dart gt years ago and had to replace this sheet metal piece about once a year.so if you have to pull the trans pan down,you might just want to look at this part while you are at it.hope this is helpful

Thanks Curtis.

At least that still puts me in a position where I am not pulling the tranny out. I still have a spare valve body so I may not be out of action very long.

Jack

 

[waggin]

Yea after some years of those ball bearings in the valve body slaping against those holes in the sheet metal plate it starts to enlarge the hloe and then the ball's kinda wanna get stuck,you may find shifting into reverse or park that it will release,and double check the band adjustment's one on the drivers side of the case and one inside the trans pan.if you do find the problem in the valve body maybe check into the valve body types that were discussed in the transmission thread I believe it is a sticky there and will post the link if I find it/remember to do it....etc.