Jeep sat for 2 years, now has tranny problem

[jpekarek]

Hey everyone, 1st post here. I have a '91 Final Edition Wagoneer that I put a new engine in recently. It sat for 2 years and now the tranny is making a faint whining noise and doesn't seem to fully engage the power to the ground. I changed the fluid and there seems to be a silty residue in the pan. Also I have not yet connected the throttle linkage to the tranny lever.

Does it need adjustments? Or a rebuild?

James.

[Chevelleguy]

You HAVE to hook up the throttle linkage! It controls the line pressure in the transmission and you WILL burn it up if you drive it much without it hooked up as the clutches will not apply with enough pressure to prevent slippage.

[jpekarek]

Well I have only driven it a couple hundred yards. Just up the street 3 blocks and back one time.

I have a Lokar cable I am going to install tomorrow. I will report back.

[will e]

Hi, welcome to the board.

Unlike a lot of transmissions that use a vacuum modulator and a 'kick down' lever, the 727 only uses that TV bar. I am glad you didn't drive it far.

Proper adjustment is important too.

[jpekarek]

I tried to install the factory linkage but the bushings were shot and it would just fall apart constantly.

I had a Lokar cable for my Challenger that I did not use and I will try that one on there today before I drive it anymore.

[jpekarek]

Well I installed the Lokar cable and that seemed to do the trick. It pulls out from a stop just fine now and has plenty of power.

Had to fabricate something for the carb end of it but the tranny end fits nice. The bracket bolts right to the T-case bolt behind the vacuum pot for the 4x4. The front drive shaft absolutely must be removed to do this.

Thanks guys!!

[jeepjseries]

Good job!

[Chevelleguy]

I have looked at the Lokar kits but don't know anyone that has used them.

[jpekarek]

It works pretty good. But the installation will determine how good it works. If you take your time and do a clean tight install then you wont have any problems. It also gets rid of a lot of the linkage bars and clutter.

But you were right, you HAVE to have that thing hooked up. The tranny will not operate properly without it, at any speed or in any gear. I used all Lokar sticks and things on my '67 Chevelle. They look great.

[billyj7175]

Did you use the Lokar KD-2727HT?

[jpekarek]

Yes that's the exact one I used. Worked great, plenty long.

[jpekarek]

Well the Lokar cable did the trick but I am still getting a noise from the tranny.

It is a buzzing or whirring noise that spins up and down with engine speed. Sounds exactly like a power steering unit low on fluid, but it's from the tranny.

Now here's the odd part. It only makes the noise when I put it in gear, drive or reverse. It does not make the noise in park.

It drives fine and seems to have good power, but feels like it should have a little more power, like something is holding it back a little.

It has a new converter, but it did sit for 2 years. Could it need a band adjustment or could it possibly be something worse?

[247pia]

How thick was that silky residue in the pan? If it was just a thin film you might be okay but anything thicker than opaque and a rebuild is in your future.

Whining noise could be a number of things, probably the only real way to tell is a tear down.

[DallasPaul]

Originally Posted by jpekarek

Well the Lokar cable did the trick but I am still getting a noise from the tranny.

It is a buzzing or whirring noise that spins up and down with engine speed. Sounds exactly like a power steering unit low on fluid, but it's from the tranny.

Now here's the odd part. It only makes the noise when I put it in gear, drive or reverse. It does not make the noise in park.

It drives fine and seems to have good power, but feels like it should have a little more power, like something is holding it back a little.

It has a new converter, but it did sit for 2 years. Could it need a band adjustment or could it possibly be something worse?

I think I may have had the same noise in the rig I bought. It had been sitting for a few years and made a noticable whining. It went away after about 1000 or so miles. I'm not saying you should forget about it as we may have different issues...

[Wintermute]

so...different transmission, but I just got my 1957 ford running. The transmission in it is a Ford-O-Matic three speed auto. When I first kicked it over, it made a similar noise and felt like something was holding it back. The long and short of it is that transmission fluiid goes bad over time. In order to get the transmission into functioning condition, I had to perform a full transmission flush (not just a fluid drain). I also replaced the transmission filter while I was at it (cause it has to be done). It's a seriously messy process, but you can do it at home if need be. Basically, you drain the transmission, drop the pan, connect the appropriate size hoses into your pickup lines inside the transmission, then put the other end of those hoses into a bucket with about 16 quarts of good new transmission fluid in it. Start the engine, walk through the gears and watch the waterfall of transmission fluid. Obviously, stop before you run the bucket dry. Now, clean up all of the transmission fluid that didn't make it into the catch pan (it'll probably be alot). Install your new transmission filter, install your transmission pan with new gaskets, fill your transmission to the appropriate level, run the vehicle for about 5 minutes, check the transmission fluid level (add more as appropriate), run the vehicle until it reaches proper operating temp, cycle through all of your gears, check the transmission fluid level again and top off as necessary.

When transmission fluid goes bad, it get's milky white and very thick. The problem here is that it gums up on everything inside the transmission. In order to get all of that gummed up fliuid out, new fluid has to push it out of the torque converter, pumps, pump lines, etc... The flush will do that for you properly. Otherwise, if you just drain the transmission, that gummed up bad fluid just gets distributed throughout the new fluid you just put in and results in more damage to the transmission.

Is it fun to do...absolutely not. Is it dirt cheap? Not really, 16 quarts of transmission fluid plus the new fluid after that to fill the transmission is relatively expensive. Is it necessary...pretty much yes...if you want to keep the transmission alive for a reasonable time. Is it easier to have a shop do it? Absolutely, if you can get your rig towed to a shop, have them do it...it's a heck of a lot less messy, aggrevating, painful, dirty, bad smelling, etc...

Btw, it's called an open pan transmission flush...used to be pretty common for them to be done that way back when...just not common now and I doubt if many people do their own anymore, they usually just rely on a shop to do it.

--Wintermute

[jpekarek]

Bad fluid would have been my first thought. But when I put the new engine in I also put in a brand new touque converter, plus new fluid and filter. Then after the noise started, I changed the fluid again. The only thing I have not done is adjust the bands or rebuild it.

I have to get it licenced and insured this week then I can get some miles on it. Well see what happens after a few hours of drive time.