904 torqueflite issues

86' 2.5L, 904

Its my neighbors kids jeep. It is not going back into 1st gear at a stop. Even if I pull it down int 1st with the shifter it still pulls out in high gear. This is a mechanically controlled tranny and I do not have a clue what the issue is. The engine and drivetrain are in good shape and the 2.5 is amazingly strong!

The tranny is freshly rebuilt and it has a "new" torque converter and it is still doing the same thing it did before the rebuild. When it finally kicks down into first gear it takes off and shifts through the gears as it should either in auto or when "sticking" it through.


Is there a linkage or cable that needs adjusting?

C'mon guys! I wanna help this kid out!

ANY 904 experts out there?

Is all the linkage hooked up properly? Check to see if the adjuster for the linkage is loose.

http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/145/index.htm

A nice little pamphlet, most is likely valid for the Jeep.

I'm fairly familiar with the 727, if the 904 is the same (likely) if the governor holds to much pressure, it will keep the tranny from down shifting when the vehicles slows and stops. With the vehicle stooped the governor should have less than 2PSI pressure at the tap.

There are a few adjustments that are important on a Torque Flight. One is the TV rod. The TV rod adjusts the amount of pressure the front pump generates, and thus determines shift points. When the throttle is all the way open, the TV linkage should push the TV lever on the transmission all the way back.

The other adjustments are band adjustments. One is external and is the 2nd gear band, the other is internal and is the 1st and reverse band. These need to be adjusted per spec.

The valve body is what shifts the transmission and is a flat assembly under the transmission body inside the pan. Has anyone messed with it? There are a number of checkballs inside and some shuttles. These check balls and shuttles generate pressure for, the timing or, and actuate the accumulators and the Clutch pack. If someone messed up there, the tranny would act very strange indeed.

Thanks for the replies. The tranny seems to act as it should once it does kick back into 1st. I think its all adjustment. I'm going to tinker with it this week and see what happens.

The tranny is freshly rebuilt and it has a "new" torque converter
and it is still doing the same thing it did before the rebuild
===================================
Take it back. It was not fix right in the first place.

badron said:

The tranny is freshly rebuilt and it has a "new" torque converter
and it is still doing the same thing it did before the rebuild
===================================
Take it back. It was not fix right in the first place.

Click to expand...

Two problems with that, the kid got a "guy in his home garage" to rebuild it, so no warranty and it was acting the same way before the rebuild so nothing was changed or made better/worse. That tells me the issue is an adjustment/linkage/cable.

The guy that rebuilt the tranny actually has a good rep for doing solid rebuilds on trannys and builds many race trannys locally. He has taken a drive in it and says he has no idea whats wrong?

xjtrailrider said:

Two problems with that, the kid got a "guy in his home garage" to rebuild it, so no warranty and it was acting the same way before the rebuild so nothing was changed or made better/worse. That tells me the issue is an adjustment/linkage/cable.

The guy that rebuilt the tranny actually has a good rep for doing solid rebuilds on trannys and builds many race trannys locally. He has taken a drive in it and says he has no idea whats wrong?

Click to expand...

Like I said most of my experience is with the 727, but did he do the governor when he did the rebuild? Fairly easy to clean and inspect.
Just a hunch, but if the other stuff doesn't work out for you remove the tranny cooler lines and blow through the in line through the cooler and out the out line. I've seen blocked coolers cause shifting grief. Part of the TV circuit.
I tend to work from simple towards complicated.
Hopefully it's not a blocked orifice in one of the clutch drums. Been there done that.
You can over pressure and back flush the system a little by putting it up on jack stands running at 5 MPH and shifting into reverse. Not good, but something to try as a last resort. It can sometimes dislodge a blockage.