Mike's A727 Rebuild

RockwoodMike · January 24, 2024, 12:31 AM

Lower valve body ...

Pic 1 and 2..Dirty!

Pic 3 and 4..Clean!!

RockwoodMike · January 24, 2024, 12:38 AM

Transgo shift kit..TF 2 was the same price as the TF 1..

TF 1 is for RV firm solid shifting..

The TF 2 kit can be used to create the TF 1 install but can do the TF 2 install that creates Ground Pounding, Asphalt Smoking, Earthquake Making, Coffee Spilling,Window rattling...shifts..

I think I will go with the TF 1 install..I don't want my dishes in the upper cabinets to go flying out!!

RockwoodMike · January 25, 2024, 12:28 AM

Here is the quick details of all the shift kit involves..

Pic 1..You get a new shifter select spool..This is the spool that moves when you select park, reverse, neutral and all the forward gears..The old one on the bottom, new on top..

What it does is allows cooler oil to circulate through the transmission in the Park position..Originally that circulation comes to a stop in Park..
Then starts up again when any gear is selected..
New spool has the oil circulating at all positions..

Pic 2..This is the hole that spool goes into..If you look close you can see the individual position that the spool lines up to in each gear as you move the shift lever..

Pic 3..But there is the problem of this new spool..You have to cut this notch in the valve body with a file..If you don't do that , the spool will send oil to the rear band and cause it to partially engage..This slot causes that oil to bleed off..So no band engagement...

RockwoodMike · January 25, 2024, 12:39 AM

This is the modification that was the most difficult..But if done by the directions, it goes smoothly..You are drilling out a wall in the valve body at a precise location using a special plate jig and a drill bit..What this is for is to give the direct clutch more oil (I think it does, not sure actually)

Pictures show the results..

The divider plate gets 3 of it's holes opened up some..That is no problem..

Because you need to drill and file, you need to take the whole valve body apart..So you might as well do t like I did..Buy the book for the explanations and pictures..
Clean it good and have a nice shifting transmission,,

RockwoodMike · January 25, 2024, 08:15 PM

Pic 1..Here is the lay out for the check balls..
One big .375 sitting on top of a spring..Using the blue goo to hold it in place..

One size medium ball..About .310 size location shown in yellow

5 .25 size balls,,locations shown in red..

Pic 2..Completed valve body..

Here is the bottom line..You don't need to take the trans out..BUT,,you will need to disassemble this valve body completely..

2 reasons..It will be filthy ..You have to take it apart to clean all the passages that have filled with clutch dust

And you need to enlarge holes in the divider plate..File a slot in the side of the valve body..Drill out a passage in another place..And it all needs to be flushed all out totally clean..

It is not just a quick spring change out..

You need a good size table top to lay out all the parts..

And TAKE LOTS of PICTURES..before after shots..showing views as you pull it apart..

And just go slow and loaded up on caffeine so much so..

RockwoodMike · January 25, 2024, 08:22 PM

Using the same trick for the Direct (front) clutch for adding extra clutches, I am going to add 1 more clutch to the forward ( called "forward" because it is on in all 3 forward gears but is also called the "Rear" clutch because of it's location in the trans)

Normally has 4 clutches but can now add 1 more..25% increase in holding power..

When you are going up a 7% grade for the next 15 miles and then down that same grade, having extra strength will be nice to have..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:22 AM

Pic1..Forward clutch all built up ..It now has 5 clutches where there use to be 4..
This clutch is on in all forward gears..Off in Park Reverse Neutral..

Pic 2 Direct Drum all built up..It now has 6 clutches,,before only had 4..

This clutch is on in High gear and reverse..

Pic 3..Direct..forward.. and pump ready to go in..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:26 AM

This is the action of the forward clutch when it is applied..

Pic 1 shows it in neutral

Pic 2 shows when it is applied with my compressed air testing..It clamps all those clutches together tight..Without this all forward gears are off

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:30 AM

Pic 1..Thrust washer installed and the 2 sealing rings..All gooed up

Pic 2..You have to wiggle it and twist to get all the clutches to fall into place..This pic shows it not fully installed..

Pic 3..After plenty of wiggle and twist it finally falls in place..This is how it looks fully seated..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:35 AM

Pic 1..Installed ready for the direct clutch to go on top of the forward that was just installed..

Pic 2..Setting the direct in..Somewhat difficult to line all the clutches in..Lots of wiggle and twisting

Pic 3..It engages the tabs into these slots..But deeper than this..Needs to go in further..

Pic 4..fully seated in as shown

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:41 AM

Pic 1..As seen from the front..2 guide pins made from 5/16 bolts with the heads cut off..Lines up the pump as you install it

Pic 2..Pump slid right on..Install the gasket (makes a difference in end play..)

install 2 bolts to tighten the pump to the case..Time to check in play..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:42 AM

About 60 thousand end play..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:44 AM

Pic 1 and 2..How it looks with all play moved forward and then back..

Pic 3..Pump installed and torqued down..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 12:46 AM

Both band levers installed and adjusted..

Next is the valve body and tail housing

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 08:54 PM

Pic 1..New seal for the selector shaft..in the kit.

Pic 2..Selector shaft polished up with green Scotchbrite..

Pic 3..Easy to drop in..guide the parking rod shaft in towards the tail shaft..down over the seal for the selector shaft..10 bolts tighten down to book specs..( I can't remember what the torque was but it is in Inch pounds)

Pic 4..Neutral safety switch installed..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 08:59 PM

Pic 1..It will have a deep pan, so an extension for the filter is needed..

Pic 2..How it sits on the valve body..

Pic 3..Filter and extension screwed down ..

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 09:03 PM

Pic 1..Old pan not very deep

Pic 2..New pan. much deeper..About 2 quarts added to volume..So the filter will be totally submerged..

Use the original dip stick for oil level.

Pic 3..Comes with studs and nuts..No more stripped out threads.

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 09:08 PM

Pic 1..Each stud has a recess cut in the pan to locate the nut to the pan..

Pic 2..Pan with nuts on and torqued..This should add strength to the whole transmission..

Pic 3..Rolled over in place..Roll it away from the neutral safety switch..You could damage it otherwise..

I can't install the tail shaft just yet because...

RockwoodMike · January 30, 2024, 09:10 PM

because the kit has the slip in yolk seal..Different than the seal needed for the bolt on yolk..

Bolt on seal is smaller outside and inner diameter..On order..Until it gets here the tail shaft housing will wait..

That is all..

RockwoodMike · February 03, 2024, 06:28 PM

All Done..Tail housing with the new rear seal fully installed..

I know there is probable not to many members doing something like this but..

Any Questions on any of this??

Eyez Open · February 05, 2024, 11:35 AM

Questions absolutely not! Only a time honored attitude towards tranny rebuilders..."priceless"

mytoolman · April 12, 2024, 03:12 PM

I chuckled when I first opened this post....your tear down bench is brilliant that isnt why I chuckled. You mentioned you used cardboard to act as a type of sponge "in case there was a transmission fluid leak of some kind".....I cant open a transmission quart container without having a clean up of some kind...lol...
This post was an excellent one so many nice pictures and details. I almost think I could do mine by looking at what you did if it there was a need