727 Torqueflite stuck in third

[Watteee]

Hello guys!

I just finished my project car, and i just had my first drive in it.

It's equipped with an 727 torqueflite, and the slap stick shifter. I do not know what the previous owner has done to the gearbox. All i know is that it looked fresh, oil was good and it had mopar performance stickers on it. The car also had 4.10 gears, big block engine and aftermarket torque converter, so it has probably been a race car back in the days (It also had extra rear springs, and a coil spring on the passenger side in the rear)

I changed fluid and filter on the gearbox (It has been sitting for at least 5 years). The oil looked OK (still red, and no clutch material in the pan)

The problem i have is that when i put it in drive, it starts out in third gear, and stays there no matter what. I have not tried going WOT to check the kick down yet.

Park and neutral is OK, and i can only crank while in park och neutral.

Revers works fine.

I can manually start in first gear, and go to second and then drive for third without a problem, but if i start in drive it's always in third.

The throttle cable for the gearbox sits somewhere in the middle at idle, and it's all the way back at WOT. No return spring on the lever on the gearbox.

This is my first Mopar, so I'm not very familiar with the 727.

Could this be an adjustment issue? Governor? Or might it be a manual valve body with normal pattern? It shifts very firmly while going manually, and it also shifts hard into reverse from park/neutral.

[Cuda Cody]

I was going to guess it's just an adjustment issue, but since you can start in 1st or 2nd that kinda seems like it's not just an adjustment thing.   

[1 Wild R/T]

Either it has a manual valve body or the Kickdown (Throttle Pressure) is out of adjustment....If it's got a cable I wish you luck.... Originally it was a linkage, lots of guys like the cables, personally I don't, never had much luck getting them to work as well as the OE stuff..

[Watteee]

It has the Lokar cable.

But how do i figure out if it's an adjustment problem, or if it's equipped with a manual valve body?

[1 Wild R/T]

The fact it has a cable probably means it isn't a manual valve body...  try shortening the cable so it puts more pressure on the throttle valve....

[Watteee]

If i shorten the cable i won't be able to go into WOT, since I'm already pretty close to being all the way to the end on the transmission.

It's adjusted so that at full throttle, it's all the way back. And at idle with no throttle, it sits around the middle at the gearbox (right before you can feel some resistance if you move it by hand)

[1 Wild R/T]

Well then either it's a manual valve body or there is a stuck shift valve or two....

[Cuda Cody]

What is the advantage of using cable or the stock linkage?

[ply64post]

I have done some of these manual valve bodies and they will start out in the gear you select.There will be no automatic function at all.Why the throttle rod is hooked up I have no idea because it is not needed with the manual valve body.I would think you wouldn't  see any function difference with throttle rod  hooked or unhooked. Its not uncommon to have a manual valve body in a drag car. Here are some instructions from TCI.

http://news.compperformance.com/Instructions/121700.pdf

Depending on the shift kit manufacture the shift patterns can be PRN12D or PRND21

[Chryco Psycho]

The advantages to the cable are difficult installs , where the stock linkage will not fit or different intake & carb combinations where the factory linkage will not reach & has to be modified to fit .     For example as an extreme illustration , a tunnel ram where the carbs are turned sideways .

[1 Wild R/T]

If your running a Tunnel Ram with a 727 chances are your running a manual valve body.. But thats neither here nor there..... Some folks like the cable.... And I'm sure it can be made to work... But the real question at this point is does the OP's car have a manual valve body....

If it does the shifts should be crisp, firm & positive when the shifter selects a gear....  And if thats what you've got then just manually shift & enjoy the drive...     If it shifts soft & mushy at the very least I'd be dropping the valve body & checking the valves & their bores....

[Chryco Psycho]

a manual valve body should downshift manually also , I feel something else is wrong 

[Watteee]

I can downshift manually.

Took her out for a drive again today. If I put the car in second, it stays there no matter speed or throttle. Same goes for first and third gear. Only way to shift is by using the stick.

I tested WOT in third, and there's no kick down.

Have not tried to adjust the cable, but it seems like it might be a manual valve body

[303 Mopar]

I can downshift manually.

Took her out for a drive again today. If I put the car in second, it stays there no matter speed or throttle. Same goes for first and third gear. Only way to shift is by using the stick.

I tested WOT in third, and there's no kick down.

Have not tried to adjust the cable, but it seems like it might be a manual valve body

All of this sure sounds like a manual valve body.   

[Watteee]

Yeah it sure does.

But i want to be 100% sure, so i don't mess the gearbox up!

Im dropping the pan and the rear housing this week, since there's a leak where the rear housing meets the main house.

Any tip on how to see if it's an manual valve body?

And while I'm in there, is there anything i should/could do to upgrade the gearbox without have to dig into it more?