Tranny tips

[Amy F.]

Post questions/tips/suggestions here!

[DeRbYtHcR]

heres an old one but run your shifter direct from the tranny i like the raptor fab shifters

[stris141]

Here's a couple more. Run a tranny cooler, if allowed. We have ours in a old beer keg, and we fill with ice. But I'm sure you can come up with something like that. DO NOT, use fuel line, for the tranny. Best is steel or copper line. Copper being a little easier to work with. If you do use rubber line, make sure it's for transmissions. And it's not a bad idea, to change the filter each year, if you use the same one over again.

Steve

[gfalls]

Run with REAR brakes for rear wheel drive cars, get the wheels STOPPED before slamming into another gear. and if ya CAN, lock out PARK

Gary

[Slam_Shifter]

When ever possible always drain your tranny ,change the filter, and on a mopar adjust the bands while the cover is off. I also prefer hydraulic oil and a bottle of lucas. Here we can't run coolers so I loop the lines using all metal line. Direct mount shifter is always a plus too.

[doba75]

I have never adjusted the band on mine , maybe that is because I don't know how. But have never had a problem with my trannys, just change the oil and filter.

[Slam_Shifter]

Well the low / reverse band is located at the passenger side rear of the pan area. It is a threaded stud with a jam nut on it that pushes against a spring loaded type plunger deal on a little rocker shaft set up. Stock spec says torque to 72 inch pounds and back off 2 1/4 turns. I normally run mine down decently snug with a 3/8 rachet and back it off 1/2 turn. Since doing this and what I wrote above I haven't lost a mopar tranny. Before doing this I could pretty much count on burning up one per show. The 904 has the same style adjustment but I can't remember its exact location. You can see the adjustment plain as day with pan off to change filter and it only takes five minutes max so I do it just as security. Also with hydraulic oil in the trans if it is cool outside it takes a while to get things running smooth because of its thickness, so don't be alarmed if at first coming off the trailer it shifts sluggish. I don't know if the band adjustment actually makes much difference but I do it anyway, seems to have helped. Doesn't cost anything to do either.

[dadicted]

cooler, custom shifter, new fluid and lucas additive. once ayear chage the filter depending on haw many derbys u go to. and change all the fluid.

[derbyman753]

cooler, hydrolic tranny lines to cooler , hydrolic fluid,
lucas treatment, we use a real big pop cooler filled with ice works great 4 us , change screen each year ,
change front and rear seals each year . 753 ;D

[chryslerfat]

Run a TH400 or TH375 if you are running a GM tranny.

[slahnen]

i use a air conditioning condenser fastened to the back of my seat bar as a tranny cooler. have a short piece of high pressure line connecting to the steel lines

[dadicted]

i use gravity and ice to and a fan to do the job. take a old condencer and attach it to your brace bar so its running parrallel to your car frame. then attach a fan on the top. than what the fan doesent cover i cover with huge chunks of ice that i get from taking bannana bread pans and filling them with water and putting them in a freezer until they are rock solid. then start stock piling them in a bag and you will have enough. after you attach the fan take some wire mesh and attach it to a small metal box the same size as the fan and about 5-10" thick and put it over the top of the fan and then fill it with the rest of the ice. that way when it melts and drips it will fall on the fan blades and that will blow it on the condencer. ;D ;D ;D ;D

[crookeddemo]

most people around here run 3 speeds, less things to go wrong with them, with this u dont need a cooler, and if you have to make the last hit u can do it with the starter if the car wont run, 3 speeds are the best

[chris426]

jwarner said:

When ever possible always drain your tranny ,change the filter, and on a mopar adjust the bands while the cover is off. I also prefer hydraulic oil and a bottle of lucas. Here we can't run coolers so I loop the lines using all metal line. Direct mount shifter is always a plus too.

what do you mean adjust the bands? and what kind of hydraulic oil?

[doba75]

Chris you took the words right out of my mouth WHAT HYDRAULIC OIL NEVER HEARD OF THAT? What does it do to the tranny, seams like it would be harder on the tranny being so thick at first, wear down on the bands.

[stris141]

Using tractor hydraulic oil works. It takes the heat better. By the time you get to the track, and the heat starts, your fluid will be warm enough. The only thing I've seen, is some of the stuff is clear, so it's not as easy to check the dipstick.LOL
If your rules don't allow a tranny cooler, then this might be a good way to go.
Your clutch bands wear out. On Mopar trannys, you can adjust them, I think, when your pan is off the tranny. If you have a tranny shop, you can ask them to do it.

Steve

[Slam_Shifter]

Stris is right. I have it all typed up in the post above. I just use standard hydraulic oil from napa like a case backhoe would use.

[doba75]

how long would you have to let it run before the oil is warm enuff, seams it would clog all the valleys in the tranny

[doba75]

sorry hit the wrong button, and how long has this been expertimented with because I have a tranny (my friends thank I'm crazy) but it slips in rev. when you put it in rev. it it takes a second before it engages been through 5 derbys now and I like it because you have to stop before putting it in rev. if not sometimes it takes long to engage.

[stris141]

I never really timed it. And it has been a number of years. But I would guess, a minute or so. What I would do, is start it up, and then put my helmet on, and buckle up. That would be enough to drive it, I'm sure. And, by the time you drive out of the pit and onto the track, you should be good to go.

Steve

[doba75]

it don't seam that would be enuff time to get warm.

[Shorty Thompson]

This tip taken from the Allpar website;

Band adjustment ("Jasfcar")There are 2 bands in them that according to the manuals are supposed to be adjusted at the time of transmission fluid changes.

One band is easily accessible from outside the casing. The other is the low-reverse band and requires (at least) removal of the transmission oil pan and filter (and probably also the parking rod and e-clip). Also, in order to adjust them, they require a precision torque wrench (that reads in inch-pounds, not foot-pounds).

I'd suggest if you don't want to tackle the complicated task yourselves that you have a trusted and knowledgeable mechanic do it for you (ideally at a Chrysler dealership).

You might want to try this. Pop the hood and with the engine idleing (parking brake set and with foot firmly on the brake) shift it in reverse. If your motor pivots/jerks violently this very well could be your problem. (You should be able to see what the motor does through the crack under the
hood.)

[derbyman753]

doba it works great man weve been runnin it about 8 years now , never lost a tranny , and the thickness isnt that much of a difference either not enough to hurt it it helps it takes wayyy more heat , and wont breakdown , its the way to go im telling u 753 ;D

[doba75]

maybe I will have to try it. What is a good type of fluid to use?
And what do you think it will do of mister slippy (my tranny)

[derbyman753]

doba is this a gm or mopar tranny ? if its a gm tranny
on the side of the tranny ull see a little pull over deal
looks like a brake master cylinder hold down , or sometimes a bolt , take that off and there is a acumulator spring behind it this is common in gm trannys, the spring lost tension or broke and it takes along time to go in gear go to a nother ranny same kind and get one from it and usually its perfect but if not it may help a litle but as far as ol slippy ges shes not gonna last much longer if its not the spring , i would change it before it cost me a derby just my opinion hope this helps 753 ;D

[slahnen]

mister slippy, lol, first time i've heard of any one naming their tranny. i think i'm gonna name my 305 smokey

[doba75]

we have a name for alot of motors and trannys and they are tagged so we kmowthem by that.
1-mr slippy (904 tranny slow in rev.)
2-mr limpy (has a bent crank 318 but he has never let us down)
3-mr stinky (no mater how many times you change the oil in this 302 it stinks like rotten eggs after he had been ran)
4-mr skippy (305 that by the end of the derby he is running on 7 instead of 8)

Now there us a story behind every one of these why they got their names but won't get into them but I can say that these items have been well used and they have been VERY good to us.
P.S. mr skippy is getting another set of heads, should clear up the problem but he will still be still know as mr skippy.

[Slam_Shifter]

Are we talking demo car band adjustment? If so do it yourself. You don't have to adjust the band on the outside of the tranny case. That is the kick down band. And to adjust the one inside the tranny (low/reverse) all that is required to be removed is the pan which you have to take off to change the filter . And for derby adjustment you don't need a torque wrench. If on a street vehicle by all means use torque wrench or have it done professionally. Brake loose the set nut on the screw in stud for the band and run the stud in tight with a 3/8 ratchet or wrench and back it off 3/4 to 1 turn and retighten the set nut. The proper adjustment ( I think) is torque stud to72 inch pounds and then back off 2 1/4 turns. But since you are only using the low revese side of tranny and should have the kick down wired back there will be no ill effects to the method listed above. They do shift hard until warm with hydraulic oil and this adjustment done. But anyone who can change a tranny filter has enough mechanical skill for a demo style adjustment. Job should be able to be completed with a filter change in a half hour to 45 minutes counting draining, adjusting, changing filter, and reassembling. This is just my opinion and method and does not mean it is the only way to be done or is even right for that matter. But it does work for me.

[derbyman753]

yes slam but i was talking gm tranny sorry should have specified 753 ;D

[derbyalex]

WE ALLWAYS WIRE BACK THE KICK DOWN LINCAGE ON THE MOPAR TRANNYS