I was at DI's house getting squared away with business, advice, and talking. Went home to grab my computer and my buddy to head to his dads house.

On the way to his dads house, we are climbing the 12th Street hill in Salem (Those of you who live in salem know that I am talking about, those who dont, imagine a 20-25 degree slope, over 1/2 mile long.)

I get about 3/4 the way up the hill, and the trans starts slipping, made it to the summit, and came to a red light, waited, and then when the light went green, I was slipping in and out of 1st trying to get going, we drove the rest of the 1/2 mile to his dads house, and got to his driveway, which is short and slightly steep, and I had to plant my foot to the floor to get the car to move up this small driveway. Came to a stop, and looked under the hood hoping that a cooler line had come off and I needed to refill trans.

Of course not, the lines are fine, the fluid level is fine, the fluid is clean and clear.... and theres smoke coming from the trans.

Fried clutch packs.

So, we went out with his dad, got dinner came back, ate, built my computer, and then I faced 2 options:

1. leave the car at his house until I could have it towed, or;

2. Drive it home very slowly.

Being me, I chose to drive it home. I figured that the transmission would have a little life left with the fluid being cold and thick, and that the trip is basically downhill, so I really didnt need much from the trans to get there.

Let me rewind for just a second:

1 week ago:
Trans decides to stop shifting into 1st gear when it is cold. I could manually shift it, or I could stomp the gas and it would shift down, but not on its own coming to a stop when it was cold. This is the sign that something was wrong. I didnt realize it at the time.

So, I managed to get home, 3rd gear doesnt exist/wont engage, 2nd gear will engage for about 20 seconds @ 15mph, and 1st gear will slip in and out at will. I can make the car move into gear if I step down far enough on the throttle to get the line pressure up, then it will engage, I can slowly accelerate to about 15 mph, and then it starts to float in second, then nothing again.

I am pulling the trans out of my now-parted-out 66 Valiant, and am going to see about placing it in my car, until I can get the original rebuilt.

So I have questions.

#1, will the Torque converter in my car work with the splines/input shaft of the older trans? If not, is it possible to make the bushing @ home for the torque converter snout?

#2. If it isnt realistic to make a bushing @ home, does anyone have a good 70s vintage A904 that they would be willing to donate? I really need my car, but obviously dont have the money to have the trans rebuilt, until I rebuild it next school year.

Thanks!

~The Other Rob~ a.k.a. "Slippage in Salem"

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I will sell you an adaptor bushing for $21.50. (postage included)
DD

Does that mean the converters are non-interchangeable? If so, then I'll probably order one from you, because I will need it, but if there is any way that it is possible they may work, I hope it will.

~The Other Rob~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Hey Rob, CJ just left my place with 904 reasons for you to smile. It's from a 69 Dart IIRC. Hope it works out for you.
Paul Olds

THANKS!!!!
Now I just need to figure out how to get it here... that could be a problem.

Since I got my Dart, its been the only car I own, since having 2 cars is "Absolutely Unecessary" quote: landlord.

So, I havent got a car to travel in. Maybe I'll call Steph and ask if I can catch a ride, or borrow her car.

Question.

Is it truly illegal to work on your car with it on the side of the street? Its parked pretty much exactly where it stopped, which is infront of my house, but its up on the curb now, and has the drive-up stands on the other side lifting it higher, so I can slide underneath.

Many a police officer has driven by, with me either under or over it, and not done anything. Not even give me a glance. I'll do some looking around to see.

Thanks again!!!

~The Other Rob~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

If you have time to put it in this weekend, figure out your transport and come on down and grab it. Today would be best. I'm here. After 5AM tomorrow, that will not be the case. Linda will be here though.

I'll be at work pretty much continuously until Tuesday's wee hours. If things go smoothly and I get off early, I'll run it up to you. It is important that you understand that historically this never happens. As the senior Controls guy for the site, I leave with the Shutdown coordinator.
I'm released last.

But, I get to feel warm and fuzzy about making lots of stuff work!

CJ

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Well, we did an impromptu trans installation today. The transmission shifts just fine and when it should, I just need to adjust the shift lever on the column to match. I do have a leak, but I am pretty sure its just one of the cooler lines leaking. I was driving home in the dark, and had a friend following me, and I could see light smoke in his headlights. At first I thought this was because we were greasy and climbing all over and under the car, but when I parked at my house, I looked on the ground and saw a few large drips of trans fluid, so I do have a leak somewhere....

Paul, did you know that the blue torque converter you gave me is a "high stall" converter? It has what appears to be a factory sticker on the back of the converter housing that says "High Stall", but I cannot find any information regarding what RPM the "High Stall" is rated at. It has noticeably higher amounts of slippage when cruising as compared to the green converter, but when I step on it and get the rpms up a bit, she comes to life and rockets away.

I put almost 4 quarts of fluid in it, and will add to get right at the full mark on the dippy. I will look very quickly tomorrow morning before heading to Ceej's, to see if anything jumps out at me as far as a leak. It only seems to leak and smoke when in gear, not when in park or neutral. I get a faint burnt smell, which goes away after it has been idling in park/neutral for about 30 seconds. I will do more extensive testing next week. Till then, I am at least glad that it is sitting at my house, and not my uncles shop.

I will replace the trans filter next week after we get back from Medford on sunday.

Ceej, I am afraid that I wont be driving my car to your house, and I'll be leaving the Black Bel Air at your house while we are gone if that is okie dokie with you.

All other things aside... She's Alive Again!!!!!

Big big thanks to Paul, and Ceej, for getting the donor transmission set up for me. And thanks to the board members for making this forum work!!

~The Other Rob~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Alrighty, got the trans line fixed, I cross threaded the pressure line fitting on the cooler line, so I removed it, and stole the one off the dead trans, stuck it on... and no more leaks!!!

Ive been driving it around town, and the car seems to pull alot better than it used to. It shifts exactly when it should, and the shifts feel pretty crisp. I was actually able to lower my idle RPM by a few hundred it ran so well. I am thoroughly impressed with the way the car is performing now. Driving in Salem with wet roads, any 90 degree turn I made would net me a spinning tire if I wasnt "careful"

Now its onto brakes, and alignment. I am also in dire need of good tires! Anyone have some spare 14s?

I got 2 from Ceej, and they are in better shape than my current front tires, but I need to get a "good" set of all 4 on there period.

Anyways, yes she is alive and not leaking!!! Now I am contemplating on taking it to redding... but I still see alot of doubt about that.... $$$$


~The Other Rob~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Hey Rob, I'm glad it's alive. Yes, I saw the "high stall" label, but since thre is no clue of builder or specs I didn't pay any more attention. Sounds like you got an OK deal all the way around. I'm glad I helped get you back on the road. And I got a little more shop room.
Paul Olds

There is a definite difference between the torque converter I had before and the one I have now. I dont have a tach to actually measure when it engages, but I can tell its close to 2000-2200.

Its still workin good!

Thanks again, and if there is anything else I can take off your hands, I still have shop room

~The Other Rob~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing