727 Woes

[erik70rt]

Now that I have got the Challenger back to operating condition, the 727 has started giving me a problem.  When you put it in reverse, it engages a little on the hard side and is fine from there.  When you put it in drive, it doesn't engage until you give it some gas, and then it grabs hard.  Could it be a faulty torque converter?  Or maybe the bands need adjusting? 

[Chryco Psycho]

Fluid level OK  check in Neutral running , filter clean ?
Sounds like a lack of pressure or sticking valves in the valve body rather than an adjustment

[erik70rt]

Fluid level is good.  I haven't pulled the filter yet.  I should pull it and change the fluid anyway.

[RUNCHARGER]

Did you do anything to kink the cooling lines?

[Skunkworks Challenger]

Fluid level is good.  I haven't pulled the filter yet.  I should pull it and change the fluid anyway.

When changing the filter it is also a good time to adjust the forward/revers band.

[erik70rt]

Did you do anything to kink the cooling lines?

No.  Only thing I did was change the kickdown linkage to a three piece setup.

[RUNCHARGER]

Ah okay: That was my second guess. Check that the lever on the trans can rotate properly without binding, that it is adjusted properly and that the return spring is doing it's job. It sounds to me like when it is going into reverse that the KD linkage is not all the way back. That doesn't explain the drive issue but it's a start.

[erik70rt]

I readjusted the linkage last night.  It's pouring here so a test drive won't happen until tomorrow. 

[erik70rt]

Took it for a test ride last night. Still the same problem, but not as bad.  Shifts hard from 1st to 2nd.  Nicely from 2nd to 3rd. 

[erik70rt]

Here's the latest and I hope it sheds some light on the problem.  I decided to drain it yesterday and go from there.  The dipstick reads that it's a little overfilled, so I opened up the pan to drain it and all that came out was a few drips! 

Could this be a clogged filter or a much worse problem(s)? 

[Roadman]

Did you pull the filter off.  ???

[Chryco Psycho]

pulling the pan off you should lose 4-5 qts , if there was only a few drops in the pan it should not move at all

[erik70rt]

I did not pull the filter yet. 

@Chryco Psycho Exactly!  I expected a gush of fluid.  Car still moves, so there's fluid in there.  I'm stumped.

[Cudajason]

I did not pull the filter yet. 

@Chryco Psycho Exactly!  I expected a gush of fluid.  Car still moves, so there's fluid in there.  I'm stumped.

Do you have a drain plug on the pan??  If so, I think you need to pull the pan and see what happens.

If not and you already pulled the pan, I think you need to pull the filter...something does not sound right!

Jason

[erik70rt]

Update - I cracked the pan yesterday and a lot of fluid poured out (as expected).  I now have the fluid at the right level and it shifts better but still has the problem of when you come to a complete stop.  It's still stalling a little and then catching hard - chirping the tires even if you try to take it easy.