Actually I'm trying to find a fluid leak and I suspect a rotted transmission line but I figured as long as I had the car on ramps I would try to change the fluid and filter and adjust bands (FSM says to do this every 25,000 miles). I tried to find a video on you tube but no luck for a 727 transmission (440 engine). Does anyone know of a good video or have advice on how to proceed? Is this a job for a professional or can an amateur like myself do this in the drive way on ramps? Paul
need advice on transmission fluid change
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57fury440
Senior Member
Changing the fluid and adjusting the bands can be done on ramps in your driveway. The pans do not have drain plugs, so to get the fluid out you need to unbolt the pan and crack one side to drain it. Get a big pan to catch the fluid as it is easy to make a mess. Changing the filter is easy. The band adjustment should be in the FSM. The Barracudas we have both have the 904 which is similar, and the instructions were online. You can also drain the converter by removing the dust cover and rotating it, so the drain plug is on the bottom.
57fury440
Senior Member
I just googled "adjusting the bands on a 727 Torqueflite" and several videos came up.
If there is NO detected slippage, no real need to even touch the band adjustment. Of course, you can if you desire, but if it has no evidence of needing it, no need to touch it.
25k miles? That sounds much too soon, if needed. Sure that's not for "Severe Use", as in trailer towing or police work?
Years ago, I was getting our then newer '66 Newport serviced by the book. I mentioned the band adjustment and the old-line Chrysler service manager (as in he remembered the Dodge Brothers and rode a hard-tail Indian motorcycle in his youth) said that over the years (he was a line tech before getting to be the service manager), he had run those adjustments "loose" and others "tight", NO difference in how the transmissions performed. So he recommended not to do them. When I stopped driving it, the '66 had over 165k miles on it. Our other Chryslers (all 727s) didn't go quite that far before they were retired, but none had anything other than fluid/filter/atf changes in their lives (when their fluid stated to get a bit dark).
I suspect the OP's car is new enough to NOT have torque converter drain plugs?
For general principles, you can look in the appropriate FSM to see when "the band" is applied, so you can be alert for slippage issues. Seems likt it is in "Low" and "Reverse"? Do NOT use the torque converter drainback issue (when started in "P" the first time in the morning) as a reason to think the band is slipping!
Just some thoughts, experiences, and observations,
CBODY67
25k miles? That sounds much too soon, if needed. Sure that's not for "Severe Use", as in trailer towing or police work?
Years ago, I was getting our then newer '66 Newport serviced by the book. I mentioned the band adjustment and the old-line Chrysler service manager (as in he remembered the Dodge Brothers and rode a hard-tail Indian motorcycle in his youth) said that over the years (he was a line tech before getting to be the service manager), he had run those adjustments "loose" and others "tight", NO difference in how the transmissions performed. So he recommended not to do them. When I stopped driving it, the '66 had over 165k miles on it. Our other Chryslers (all 727s) didn't go quite that far before they were retired, but none had anything other than fluid/filter/atf changes in their lives (when their fluid stated to get a bit dark).
I suspect the OP's car is new enough to NOT have torque converter drain plugs?
For general principles, you can look in the appropriate FSM to see when "the band" is applied, so you can be alert for slippage issues. Seems likt it is in "Low" and "Reverse"? Do NOT use the torque converter drainback issue (when started in "P" the first time in the morning) as a reason to think the band is slipping!
Just some thoughts, experiences, and observations,
CBODY67
fury: I googled the phrase you gave me and adjusting the bands looks like no big deal. Looks like you tighten 2 bolts to 75 lbs and then back them off different number of turns. My mechanic wants $100 to adjust the bands. Am I getting ripped off? Paul
"Ripped off"? That depends. What is the hourly base labor rate? How much time does the labor manual indicate?
How much time would it take you to get the car secured on jackstands, get the tools our and under the car, and then to do the adjustment with a torque wrench? Then to put everything away when done?
That $100.00 might sound like a lot to "twist some bolts", BUT considering the time and such involved, plus NOT having to do it yourself, that money could end up being quite inexpensive, all things considered.
CBODY67
57fury440
Senior Member
Check your source for the adjustments. I'm pretty sure they say inch pounds, not foot pounds.
'66 Fury I
Active Member
I paid $75 some 35 years ago for fluid/filter/band adjust, so $100 sounds like a bargain. In my case, however, I got ripped off as they did not do the work and I had to do it myself, lying on my back in a very slushy driveway. The filter was so plugged that I had no reverse at -20*F. I learned two lessons that day. Always be certain you are getting what you pay for and If someone else can do it, you can do it too! Lindsay
wyrmrider
Member
Some converters do not have drain plugs
switch to ATF +4 much improved over DEX III and whatever your car came with is no longer available
was designed to reduce converter clutch shudder
but the big thing is the better base fluid for this semi-synthetic
Only better fluid is CITGO Quatrosyn
Do not use DEX VI ,(or similar) it was designed thin for mileage and to reduce costs
switch to ATF +4 much improved over DEX III and whatever your car came with is no longer available
was designed to reduce converter clutch shudder
but the big thing is the better base fluid for this semi-synthetic
Only better fluid is CITGO Quatrosyn
Do not use DEX VI ,(or similar) it was designed thin for mileage and to reduce costs
No. I'm sure that doesn't include trans fluid and gasket, but $100 is a good price.
What that saves you is crawling around under the car and getting trans fluid all over you and the garage floor. I've done that on my back and I've done it on a lift. It's much easier on a lift.
The other thing is you'll need an inch/pound torque wrench if you want to do it to the OEM specs. Since I'm sure you haven't done a lot of these, I would say you don't want to do this by feel like someone else might. So, you could buy a torque wrench that you won't find a lot of uses for, or you could pay $100 to have someone else get the trans fluid in their hair and down the back of their neck.
IIRC, you have a big block, so it's a 727 trans and you'll want to use Mopar part #02464324AD as it's the best pan gasket out there. No sealants of any kind are to be used with it. Stress that with your mechanic if you choose to have the work done. It's even reusable.
Knebel
Senior Member
"I find this kind of work very interesting, do you mind if I watch when you adjust the bands"? Gets you around paying $100 and having nothing done to it ;). If they are absolutely hardcore 100% against it, go someplace else.
I did that with an alignment before, and I even watched how the guy didn't align my car right and said to my face "good enough". When I basically had an aftermarket performance front suspension.
Not a mopar but it was a fully adjustable front suspension and he was just...not doing it. That was through another shop, the owner and I were friends and he looked at the printout, ripped the alignemnt shop a new one and didnt pay for it. This was an alignment shop he brought all his car to.
Next one was les schwab here in the US. I Aligned my fury on the garage floor, got the initial readout and it was pretty much perfect but needed some evening out side to side. Waited 2h and basically they messed up the alignment so bad...long story short lots of excuses, well they ended up calling in their "specialist" redoing it. Then it was fine.
I am saying this because you never know if they rip you off. You wont know if they even pulled the pan off, but you could use a paintmarker and mark the bolts and the check afterwards. "Oh nice you marked the bolts again" -no? "Then how did you adjust the bands without taking the pan off?"
I had marked all the alignment bolts and could tell he didnt even touch half of them. Fun when you have to confront them with that. Anyway for $100 if thats legit, I wouldnt mess with it myself.
I did that with an alignment before, and I even watched how the guy didn't align my car right and said to my face "good enough". When I basically had an aftermarket performance front suspension.
Not a mopar but it was a fully adjustable front suspension and he was just...not doing it. That was through another shop, the owner and I were friends and he looked at the printout, ripped the alignemnt shop a new one and didnt pay for it. This was an alignment shop he brought all his car to.
Next one was les schwab here in the US. I Aligned my fury on the garage floor, got the initial readout and it was pretty much perfect but needed some evening out side to side. Waited 2h and basically they messed up the alignment so bad...long story short lots of excuses, well they ended up calling in their "specialist" redoing it. Then it was fine.
I am saying this because you never know if they rip you off. You wont know if they even pulled the pan off, but you could use a paintmarker and mark the bolts and the check afterwards. "Oh nice you marked the bolts again" -no? "Then how did you adjust the bands without taking the pan off?"
I had marked all the alignment bolts and could tell he didnt even touch half of them. Fun when you have to confront them with that. Anyway for $100 if thats legit, I wouldnt mess with it myself.
I forgot to tighten the clamps on the cooler hoses to the radiator after I did the timing chain job so this probably accounts for some of the leakage. Also went around the pan and snugged the bolts but not enough to crush the pan gasket. Added Valvoline Dex-Merc, drove the car (no slippage anymore) and parked it in the driveway; no spots (driveway dry as a bone this morning). My mechanic things the seals may swelled back up after the car was driven after being dormant over the winter.
Thinking of adding Lucas Transmission Slip preventative but I watched a video and they said too much Lucas was no good. So maybe I'll add 1/3 bottle. Wish I didn't think so much. Paul
Thinking of adding Lucas Transmission Slip preventative but I watched a video and they said too much Lucas was no good. So maybe I'll add 1/3 bottle. Wish I didn't think so much. Paul
Don't put the Lucas in. It's not going to help. In fact, it could make it worse. The only thing it will do is remove some hard earned money out of your wallet.
Regarding the leak, yes, sometimes they leak when they sit for a while. It's usually fluid draining back from the convertor and making the trans over full. I always idle the car in neutral for a little bit when I start it in the spring. That runs the pump and circulates the fluid.
John; you seem to know a lot about cars. So to satisfy my curiosity why don't they have drain plugs in transmission pans like they do in oil pans? Can you install a drain plug in a transmission pan? Paul
aaron72
Member
You could definitely install one in the pan if you'd like, or you could find an aftermarket one that already has a plug installed.
It comes down to saving a few bucks on the assembly line most likely.
If you look in any of the FSMs from that era of cars, you'll see the only time they call for a fluid change is 36 months/36k miles for cars that are towing and that included adjusting the bands. Since the pan has to come off, for the band change anyway, they must have figured no one needs a drain plug. With everything else, they didn't suggest a regular change/adjustment, so no need to put a drain plug in the pan.
B&M sells a drain plug, but it won't let you completely drain the pan as it sticks up about 3/8" above the base of the pan. It may be fine, but I see it as another potential leak spot.
https://www.holley.com/brands/b_and...s_and_accessories/drain_plug_kit_-_universal/
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