When I first get going in the morning it's slow to engage when I put it in drive. After that it's fine. Freshly rebuilt trans, full of fluid. Got maybe 1500 miles on it since the rebuild. Not sure if it was doing this before because I just started driving it in the morning. Seems like something new. Oil change maybe? Brand new stock type Hughes converter. Non lock up tranny. Lokar shift cable set loose with throttle off. Maybe the shift cable is too loose. I was getting some pretty stiff shifts and took it to the guy who did the bench rebuild for me. He drove it and said I could loosen the cable slightly to get it to shift a little sooner and smoother. But he liked the way it shifted. He said it felt like a shift kit. Anyway I did loosen it slightly. Could be the problem I suppose. Any thoughts?

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Sweet Emotion

This has nothing to do with your shift cable, and is pretty normal for 904s, or even most automatics of any make. 60s-70s 904s do not pump fluid in Park, but will in Neutral.

I always put my car in neutral for a few seconds or more, then it will engage the gear quickly and the trans will be better lubricated before you put load on it.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Does it have the same symptom in reverse? If so you may want to take a look at the low-reverse band adjustment. Both low and reverse depend on this band for engagement.

Sorry, that's not true. Low/Reverse band is only applied in reverse and "manual low". Breakaway in "D" range is the overrunning clutch.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

This is only true starting in 1965. The '64 and earlier Torqueflites do pump fluid to the torque converter in "Park" as well as "Neutral" (because on the earlier transmissions, the only difference between P and N is the engagement of the parking sprag). The '66-up transmissions can be easily modified to do so with an inexpensive kit from Transco (TransGo). The symptom isn't really harmful, but it's not strictly "normal", either. It means the torque converter is draining down, usually due to a worn front pump bushing. It's not enough to make a problem by itself; it pretty much just means the transmission isn't as young as it once was and, sometime in the future, will need a rebuild.
This isn't quite true. The only part of the trans that doesn't get fluid in "Park" starting w/'65 models is the torque converter. There's really no better lubrication of anything as a result of idling in Neutral for a few seconds before shifting into gear; there's more than ample lubrication right away. The issue is hydraulic fluid volume needed to generate pressure to transmit drive in the torque converter.

These transmissions are so reliable that it's easy to forget they do need periodic service. A fluid and filter change (Chrysler Mopar ATF+4 is an excellent fluid and the early Torqueflites like it a lot), proper band adjustment and slight increase in line pressure often improves things markedly.

My mistake on not mentioning the 64-down units, and for being totally clear...

I haven't tried new fluids in the old trannys. Good to know that works well.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Thanks. I guess I'm hearing to maybe do an oil change and then go with it. I may call the shop that rebuilt it and let them know whats going on. I may just take it to them and let them do the oil change and any adjustments. Thanks again.

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Sweet Emotion