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Post by ltmike on Apr 19, 2018 10:49:09 GMT -5
I'm needing a little help with a trans issue but first here is some background info,,, Here are some shots taken last year of my '73 Charger Rallye. I've owned it 40 years now. My barn is a little cluttered in this photo, its much more organized now.    The last trans was a Lee Miles rebuild which I installed a B&M shift kit. It was ok chirping 2nd once in a while but not as good as a TH350 responds to a shift kit though. In front of it is a lightly modified '72 340 (325hp). Awhile back the reverse just let go and at the time I didnt have the time or money for a new trans so it was just stored. 14 years ago it was moved to the new house and stored again under a cover(s) in my barn. Now being retired almost 3 years and having renovated my barn into a proper workshop that's clean and clear of clutter I'm ready to get back to returning the Charger to the road. Goading from friends to work on it helped motivate me to get started too.  So yesterday I got it up on jackstands and dropped the trans pan hoping to see a chunk of the reverse servo laying in it. I read that when the reverse lets go as mine did thats the likely culpret, and its under $50 to fix. That sure beats $1,400 for a new TCI trans. Well no chunks, what I did find was abouta tablespoon full of debris from either the bands or clutch packs. Also the actuating arm to the servo has about an inch of play with some side to side movement. Is this normal? I may crawl under again today to pull out the servo to see if there is any physical damage which would allow fluid to pass through. Below are photos showing debris on the filter top and in the pan. There is also a youtube link showing the play in the servo arm. Please tell me what you think. I'm not sure if I could make this work or am I in for the expense of a new trans? Thank you in advance for your help. Mike.   |
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Post by ltmike on Apr 28, 2018 10:37:04 GMT -5
No one?
I’ve built engines including the one in this car. I’ve wrenched on tractors, motorcycles, outboards, etc, but there are two areas that I haven’t crossed the line on and that’s differentials and transmissions.
Sure I’ve installed shift kits but that’s nothing.
I’m not sure what I want to do with this after seeing that crap in the pan. I’ve googled it and read other posts that say it’s normal and the the trans is still ok but damn.
Is this worth putting any effort into or is a total rebuild in order?
How much play should I expect in the reverse servo lever?
I’m breaking new ground here and need a little help from someone who’s already been there.
Mike
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Post by hanks73340 on Apr 28, 2018 15:10:42 GMT -5
For me I ended up having the trans rebuilt. Had a tranny friend look at it and had the same type of metal shavings(alot in my case) like in your pics. The give-away was every time I put it in drive, on the 2nd shift it would feel like it was in neutral and reverse was barely catching. The bands were finally wore out. It cost me 600 bucks but its been running like a champ since.
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Post by ltmike on Apr 28, 2018 19:53:49 GMT -5
This was shifting forward fine but had no reverse and no engine braking if down shifted.
$600 was a good deal on that rebuild. If I could find a deal like that I’d probably jump on it.
Mike
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Post by ltmike on May 3, 2018 8:29:03 GMT -5
Finding myself in a familiar place again, going back to school in a sense hitting the books and learning about transmissions.
I wish I had a lift in my barn like my buddy cause I can’t get the car high enough to do this work. Even still it’s becoming evident that I’m going to have to pull this trans out of the car. Searching videos I think I’ve found the reason that I have no reverse and all that slop in the reverse actuator arm, the reverse band strut is missing in action. Where? Not a clue yet but it isn’t where it should be.
Now my plan is shifting to pull the trans out to get a better look and take it from there.
Going to also purchase rebuild manuals to school myself a bit more on this.
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DynoDave
CO-ADMINISTRATOR
Motown Mopar-Wizard
Posts: 11,169
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Post by DynoDave on May 3, 2018 17:04:53 GMT -5
Ugh, that's not good.
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Post by hanks73340 on May 3, 2018 19:46:15 GMT -5
Finding myself in a familiar place again, going back to school in a sense hitting the books and learning about transmissions. I wish I had a lift in my barn like my buddy cause I can’t get the car high enough to do this work. Even still it’s becoming evident that I’m going to have to pull this trans out of the car. Searching videos I think I’ve found the reason that I have no reverse and all that slop in the reverse actuator arm, the reverse band strut is missing in action. Where? Not a clue yet but it isn’t where it should be. Now my plan is shifting to pull the trans out to get a better look and take it from there. Going to also purchase rebuild manuals to school myself a bit more on this. Yeehhh...if your missing a band thats not good at all. Those shavings were probably some of it. Once your drop the tranny and open it up, I'm sure you'll find the rest of the band(or bands) hiding in there. Good luck on the resto on the tranny. *thumb up* |
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Post by ltmike on May 8, 2018 17:41:20 GMT -5
The bands there, there’s supposed to be a small band strut between the arm an the band. It’s about 1”x1” flat bar. Not that impressive a piece but it sure isn’t where it should be.
Without that strut the arm can’t apply pressure to the band.
Along time ago s friend took me for what he fondly called “a violent ride” in his 440 Cornet. That thing was banging gears hard and after I commented on it he said he rebuilt it himself on his garage floor! “Ya I rolled it around on my dirty garage floor rebuilding it and it works great”. I had to agree. It’s that memory that gets me to think about taking mine on myself as well.
If I swap out the servos and replace the clutch packs and bands with heavy duty I might do ok.
It’s already got a B&M shift kit in the valve body.
I also have an extra large RV trans cooler to install as well.
Mike
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Post by ltmike on Oct 3, 2018 17:48:40 GMT -5
Ok I had to step away from the Charger for awhile as I have a heap of work to do on my daily driver pickup. As I do things one repair for broken shackles led to a frame repair , strip and repaint the frame new fuel lines and now I’m welding in new cab corners but even that is sitting as I’m having work done to my house. Damn. You get the picture, but my mind is always coming back to the Charger. Working Raceway Park I get to pick peoples brains and with new info I think I know what’s happened. The reverse servo seems fine and that’s too bad because I could have fixed that. As the lever is flopping around and I can’t see the reverse band strut one of two things happened. Either the bands adjustment got so loose that the strut dislodged, which I can fix or the reverse band broke where the strut contacts it. If that’s the case the trans will need to be pulled apart.  I’ve got about 3 more days of construction to my house and I’ll be back working on my truck. Once that’s done the Charger will be moved from the house garage back to the barn / shop and I’ll pull the valve body to see if the strut is on top. Hopefully that’s all I’ll find and the band will be in one piece. If it rebuild time I’ll probably spring for a TCI street fighter trans and breakaway converter (2,400-2,600 stall). Quite frankly I don’t know what I’d rather end up doing. Mike |
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DynoDave
CO-ADMINISTRATOR
Motown Mopar-Wizard
Posts: 11,169
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Post by DynoDave on Oct 3, 2018 19:50:04 GMT -5
I can certainly understand the "not enough hours in a day" thing. I think most folks can. Keep on chipping away...you'll get there.
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