tranny slip

[mudshark]

This morning I drove my 81 wag without any problems. Then this afternoon I jumped on for a grocery run. Now the tranny disengages (or something) between first and second after leaving a stop. What could be wrong and how do I troubleshoot it?

[andy d]

does it complete the shift?. 1st thing to check is the dip stick level. even a pint low will make a torque flite shift funny when cold.

[BIG BAD JON]

Im with Andy D! With a TF727 or TF999, you always want to keep atleast one quart of tranny fluid with you at all times. I was driving back from a salvage yard located about 20mi from me one day, and while going up a hill, I lost power in my drivetrain, and gained it back at the top. I stopped at a dollar store, looked at the tranny dip stick and I was about a quart low. The driving uphill shifted the tranny fluid away from the torque converter. After putting a quart in it, it drove fine! :D

[mudshark]

I've checked the fluid level, topped it off and took it for a test drive. It's still having troubles. What do I check next?

[ July 24, 2002, 08:21 AM: Message edited by: mudshark ]

[gsmikie]

what tranny is it ???????

[mudshark]

727 automatic

[gsmikie]

check the linkage going to the shifter it might be time to adjust the bands mr bob barry just did this

[andy d]

next? how long has it been since the filter has been changed? a clogged up filter once caused me to take 45minutes to go 4 miles, the trans was slipping so much. always do the cheap easy stuff 1st.

[mudshark]

I ended up taking it to the shop. ! band strut broke, another ready to go. Didn't have second gear anymore. All is back together and the wallet is lighter, but I am driving again. I still have some klunking going on in the driveline, how hard is it to change u-joints on an 81 wag?

[Bob Barry]

Glad the problem was simple. Once you take apart a tranny, you realize that there's really no magic involved, and that on a TF727, there's not a whole lot that can go wrong to the point of needing a new tranny. Even on the 108,000 mile tranny I rebuilt for my truck, the clutches and steels were in excellent shape, showing hardly any wear, and the bands had plenty of material on them as well. I could have probably re-used most all the parts and simply replaced the seals. In fact, I may rebuild the original tranny using the bands and clutches I took out from the tranny I'm using now, just so I have a spare ready to go.

That band-strut is just a bit of metal that a hydraulic piston pushed on to engage a large external drum-brake; when that drum is held stationary, the annulus gear is held in place, making the sun gear turn the planetary gears. When that strut broke, that external drum wasn't being held stationary. With a new strut, the tranny will be as good as new.

U-joints are simple; there are some posts that detail the procedures, if you search the archives. You can do it with a set of sockets and a sledgehammer, or a vise. I've had good luck and bad luck with both methods.