Transmission starts in second/third sometimes?

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65Valiant310

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From a stop, my 904 trans starts in second or third, or at least feels like it. It does this 50 percent of the time.
I can manually shift down to first to get the correct acceleration whine/feel indicating first gear.
I heard it might be sticking governer weights, yet before I take the tail shaft off, any idea what im going to be replacing in there? Maybe seals/gaskets?

Any help would be great. Its a 1978 904 trans...not sure if its lockup though
 
Linkage can't cause that. It's a stick valve/valves. I'd try putting a can of K&W Trans-X in it first to see if that cures it. You can get it at most auto parts houses. If that don't fix it it's possible it's a sticking governor, but it can also be a sticking shift valve in the valve body. If you do pull the tail shaft there is only 1 gasket and 1 seal to replace. The gasket between the tailshaft and main case and the tailshaft seal where the driveshaft slips in. The governor doesn't use any seals. The governor is pretty simple. Just a few parts to it. If you don't find a problem there you'll have to drop the pan and valve body and check out the shift valves.

I've had the K&W Trans-X stuff completely fix 2 transmissions that had sticking valves so that's why I always try and recommend it first.
 
Great info thanks, yet what is the cure for a sticking governer? Clean it well? Sorry im new to transmissions
 
65Valiant310 said:
How do the valves get stuck? gunk buildup?
Click to expand...

That can do it and that's where the K&W helps loosen them up. Sometimes a small fragment of metal will chip off of something and get lodged in a valve. That usually has to be removed by taking the valve body apart and cleaning it.
 
K&W not working so far, and driving the car a lot each day
Might try to pull the tail shaft, or pull out the valve body and check out the valves. From a dead stop, car is now shuddering pretty badly...not good!
 
If it's shuddering from a stop you have bigger problems than a stuck valve, sorry to say. That's generally caused from a rear clutch assy. slipping.
 
have you been doing burn outs. thats what mine felt like when the case was torn . Sprag was going out. Very dangerous to your feet.
 
nope, actually I drive it pretty darn slow...the second gear prob has been going on for years, and wasnt consistent so I lived with it...now its gotten a whole lot worse
 
Just thought if it's starting in 2nd gear that means the front band is applied. If it's slipping that could also cause the shudder on takeoff.
 
new fluid, new filter...they were quite dirty even though not many miles on the new fluid. Cleaned out the valve body and checked all valves for scoring.
Car runs better...kickdown is off though, must of reset the linkage incorrectly.
Still getting a shudder sometimes if I hit the gas quickly...if I drive slowly it is smooth. Seems to accelerate better from a stop also.
 
65Valiant310 said:
new fluid, new filter...they were quite dirty even though not many miles on the new fluid. Cleaned out the valve body and checked all valves for scoring.
Car runs better...kickdown is off though, must of reset the linkage incorrectly.
Still getting a shudder sometimes if I hit the gas quickly...if I drive slowly it is smooth. Seems to accelerate better from a stop also.
Click to expand...

The fluid has burnt form over heating due to slipping. I think it's time for a rebuild.
 
Definetly sounds like it's time to rebuild it if the fluid was dirty and burned. And while your rebuilding it find out why it didn't last long. The crap you saw in it is most likely caused from overlap during shifting or starting in second gear. Does it have a shift kit in it and if so what brand?

Also if you pull it to rebuild it make sure and either replace the torque converter or at least get it flushed and checked. It's most likely full of crap too.
 
..............The most overlooked part of a trans rebuild is the trans cooler in the rad......it is loaded with junk from the trans+converter.......then is flushed back into the rebuilt trans killing it...........sometimes u cant just flush it out, u have 2 change it.................kim..........
 
oldkimmer said:
..............The most overlooked part of a trans rebuild is the trans cooler in the rad......it is loaded with junk from the trans+converter.......then is flushed back into the rebuilt trans killing it...........sometimes u cant just flush it out, u have 2 change it.................kim..........
Click to expand...

THAT IS WITHOUT A DOUT THE MOST OVER LOOKED PART OF A REBUILD!!! Flush the cooling lines and the coolerr real good.
 
Thanks for the advice all
Funny part is, after driving the car on the freeway-full warm up- it kicks back down into first at stoplights...weird huh
I am going to have my mechanic look at it and see if he can figure it out
 
Update:
Trans needed a rebuild badly-thanks for the help all
Lots of the parts/clutches were scored badly and were slipping (hard parts replaced)
Ill post some pictures later
 
........CHANGE THE COOLER IN THE RAD, if u dont u will fry the tranny again.......its ur money though.........spend how u wish..........kim.........
 
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