push-button 727 shifts only into 3 rd gear after slight release on accelerator

Hi guys,

I have a problem with a push-button 727 transmission in a '64 Dodge 440 with a 318 Poly.

The tranny shifts only into high gear when I release the accelerator slightly.

The transmission works fine in all other aspects.

Going manually through the gears works fine. It will go into 3 rd even without releasing the accelerator slightly.

Kick-down works fine. The carburetor gets WOT.

I have adjusted the kick-down linkage to exact FSM specs but no change.

The transmission is all original except for a deep sump aluminum pan from Summit that was installed before I got the

car. I haven't checked if the filter in the trans has the correct 2 whole filter in it as I read somewhere that by using a

single whole filter/extension this problem could occur !?


Any ideas before I go into the transmission?




Thanks a lot in advance.

Best regards,

Frank

I'm leaning towards the kickdown. even though you said that you have adjusted it to factory specs.

I just bought a 1967 Cuda and the EXACT same thing happens. The engine gets too noisy as it winds up in 2nd, and just slightly backing off the accelerator will shift it.

X2 on what 5.7 said !!

Take a look @ where it connects to the trans lever maybe it's been modified there... I had a charger where I put the 5.0 kick down lever internally to create a longer shift patern with a faster kick down...

Personly I don't think it's a bad thing!!

hi also look into adjusting the 2nd and 3rd . band to fact. spec. it's in inch #'s I just rebuild my trans on my 65 which I think is the same trans. 2 cable

Most of the time when you have to lift on the gas pedal to get it to shift into third means to much throttle pressure or a sealing problem in the front drum which applies for third gear and in reverse also. But reverse uses a much higher pressure so it wont normally show up in reverse until it gets very bad if its a front drum sealing problem. The shift is from throttle pressure working against gov pressure and since throttle pressure in the trans is controlled by the gas pedal when you lift the gas pedal the throttle pressure drops but gov pressure is controlled by road speed so it stays the same if the cars speed stays the same. So lifting the gas reduces throttle pressure enough that the gov pressure will now overcome the spring and throttle pressure and cause the 2-3 shift valve to move over.

First try to just reduce throttle pressure a little and see if it helps. If it is a front drum seal problem even if the 2-3 shift valve has moved over sometimes the leakage in the drum/seal can be enough it still wont go into third right away until the drum/seal seals enough to engage the front piston and apply the front clutch. Maybe just reducing the throttle pressure a little may be all it needs for now. Ron

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hemi#1 said:

hi also look into adjusting the 2nd and 3rd . band to fact. spec. it's in inch #'s I just rebuild my trans on my 65 which I think is the same trans. 2 cable

Click to expand...

That would be the kickdown band as the only two bands in the 727 are the kickdown band which is applied for second gear and the low/reverse band which is on in manual low and reverse. The kickdown band comes on for second gear and when it shifts into third the kickdown band releases and the front drum applies. Thats where the timing of the kickdown band releasing and the front drum applying are important so you dont have shift overlap. Ron

v8frank said:

The transmission is all original except for a deep sump aluminum pan from Summit that was installed before I got the

car.

Click to expand...

You have to drain the fluid and drop the oil pan.
If it does not shift into 3rd your second oil pump might be blocked.
A deep pan requires a filter spacer, make sure it has 2 holes in it!!!!!
Early 727 have two pumps, keep that in mind.

I had the same problem, bought a rebuilt cable shift 727 but the transmission shop blocked one of the pumps by using a wrong filter spacer :icon_evil:

Needed another rebuild after that......$$$$$

Greetings from Germany

Dan

RedHot67 said:

You have to drain the fluid and drop the oil pan.
If it does not shift into 3rd your second oil pump might be blocked.
A deep pan requires a filter spacer, make sure it has 2 holes in it!!!!!
Early 727 have two pumps, keep that in mind.

I had the same problem, bought a rebuilt cable shift 727 but the transmission shop blocked one of the pumps by using a wrong filter spacer :icon_evil:

Needed another rebuild after that......$$$$$

Greetings from Germany

Dan

Click to expand...

That is right and its something I overlook many times at first since I dont work with many older 2 pump tranny's. And old fart like me can fotget things as I get older. But thats a very good point and reminder as its easy to forget about that second pump ! Thanks for reminding us of that. Ron

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input on this !
I had my doubts about the deep sump Summit aluminum pan that was added before I got the car! On their website you can clearly see on the picture that shows their pan, spacer and filter, that comes with the kit, that both the aluminum spacer and the filter is of the "one hole" '66 and later type.

So I took off the pan and filter/spacer and sure enough both spacer and filter were of the one hole type as shown on Summits website.
The second pump hole was completely blocked off!:angryfire:

Luckily the spacer is a solid aluminum one so that allowed me to drill a second hole in it for the rear pump going to the governor.
I added a hole to the spacer/valve body gasket got an early two hole filter and put everything back together.
It runs like a swiss clock now !:yes:

Luckily the car wasn't driven at all for a long period of time before I got it and I took it only for a very short spin around the block !:confused5:

I read the installation instruction on-line on Summits website and nothing at all is mentioned about the two different filter types!???

I guess this happens frequently, even during a simple oil and filter change, if you're not aware of the two different filter types!?:eusa_eh:

Thanks again guys for your input !

Best regards,:happy7:

Frank

I`m glad it wasnt too late Frank! :headbang:
There are 2 hole spacers on the market btw, but I did exactly the same like you and drilled a 2nd hole in it.

Greetings from Germany,

Dan

Glad you found it. I updated my 63 to a 1970 trans as I knew I planned to race it some and drive it alot. And I have way more parts for the 66 and newer tranny's since I worked for a Dodge dealer from 1986 to 2011 and I did all repairs but sorta specialized in electrical/electronic and auto trannys so I have many clutch's , steels and seals for the newer 727's and alot of ATF+4 also. Ron