727 noises normal? couple issues

[///Matt]

Hey everyone... got a ‘68 Satellite, started as a 318/904, now its a 440/727. I bought the car this way. It sat aplenty before I got it, and I’ve fixed a lot of “professional upgrades” it had already.

However, its my first 727 equipped ride. And the trans is....funny. It’s supposedly built by some reputable someone in OK, has a custom converter, a shift kit, and a deep pan on it. Don’t know what else has been done.

Is first gear supposed to sound like straight-cut gears? All whiny and whirry, and loud? Even creeping at idle, once the car is in motion first gear makes a LOT of noise.

And also, park doesn’t always catch. I’ve checked the column-shifted linkage and the arm at the trans, and full range of motion is being achieved, but going to park only sometimes actually parks the car. When it doesn’t, gassing it will create some forward motion in the vehicle. Sometimes, the park pawl will catch, and be done with it. Sometimes, the car will creep on and you get a ratchet sound. In either scenario, you cannot start the car while its in park, and must shift to neutral. When it DOES find park, the car starts in P no problem. I have replaced the PNS switch already, to be safe.

Does this sound like a teardown to you? Or a “wtf is wrong with your trans?”

 

[beanhead]

Shouldn't sound like that..First (and you probably did this) did you make sure you've got a good clean filter and oil, and the oil's at the proper level when idling in neutral? You're sure it's not the rear end whining? Then it should probably be opened up and looked at (by a pro if it's out of your comfort zone). A good way to check your linkage for the parking issue, is to disconnect it from the lever at the trans, have somebody move the shifter through each gear while you move the lever on the trans by hand. That shifter linkage should want to naturally line up with the hole in the lever if it's adjusted and working properly (you could also see how it starts when you move it into park by hand). I wonder if whoever had it last shifted it into park while the wheels were turning..

 

[AR67GTX]

First gear whine is usually a sign of planetary gear wear. It will probably be more of an annoyance than anything else and may function just fine for years without any issues (except whining in low). My did the same thing before I rebuilt it a couple years ago. I found the rear planetary seemed OK but the rear of the case had been worn down by the thrust washer plate behind it - it was worn such that it looked machined into the back of the planetary case and I missed it at first. I put a new planetary in it and it's now quiet.

The parking pawl is probably an issue of adjustment somewhere in the linkage. You will probably just have to keep at it to find the correct adjustment.

 

[dvw]

Only ever seen 2 planets fail at the bearing. If the pans full of steel shavings that will be your issue..
Doug

 

[///Matt]

I’ve replaced the fluid previously (since I lost a ton of it swapping speedo gears and PNS switch), and it’s at the right level. It’s a distinctly 1st-gear-only noise, increasing with speed, gone as soon as the 1-2 shift comes. The fluid that came out was pretty normal, no notable material, smell, or discoloration.

The shift linkage is all original columb gear, with no adjustability that I can find other than the index of the selector lever at the trans, but since its only on a hex, there’s only one functional location for it.

I really don’t want to pull this thing apart (it’s within my skillset, rebuilding it isn’t a challenge), because it’s the wife’s daily, and finding time to actually work on the car around our work schedules and 2 toddlers is a real pain. I think if it comes down to “it probably needs deep repair” I’ll just be putting a nee trans in there and then dealing with fixing/selling/trading this one on slow time.

 

[AR67GTX]

I suspect another 727 won't in itself solve the parking pawl problem alone. I'm not familiar with the column shift linkage and maybe it doesn't have much adjustment. The console shift linkage has a couple points of adjustment.

The planetary gear may whine but it probably won't fail you.

 

[///Matt]

I suspect another 727 won't in itself solve the parking pawl problem alone. I'm not familiar with the column shift linkage and maybe it doesn't have much adjustment. The console shift linkage has a couple points of adjustment.

The planetary gear may whine but it probably won't fail you.

I’ve been trying to convince the wife that the car needs a floor/console shifter, because column shift is doodoo anyhow... ha.

 

[Cranky]

Never had any Mopar that didn't have adjustable linkage on the transmission....at least not on factory set ups.