I rebuilt my slipping-into-drive 727 last winter,and now have a funny noise. It sounds like a power steering pump low on fluid. It only does it under a load, and gets louder with more load. I put a higher pressure spring from A&A in it when I rebuilt it to raise the line pressure and thought it may be a part of the problem,so I took it out and put the stock one back in this weekend.There were a few aluminum "shavings" in the pan when I pulled it off.Still noisy with the stock spring. Another strange symptom it has is that if I brake torque it just enough to get it to make the noise, and then just turn the key off, I can hear the noise "wind down" after the engine and fan have come to a complete stop. When I rebuilt it I put in a 5 disc set-up(A&A)into the 4 disc front clutch,but the rest is the same as it was just with new seals and frictions. The torque convertor is the same ancient 11" Fairbanks which seemed to be O.K. last year. Anyone else ever have this happen? I used a factory service manual,and double checked all of the end plays and other clearances given therein during the rebuild.Could the convertor be taking a s#!t? The thing shifts great and didn't slip into drive on the W.O.T test drive.Any and all thoughts and opinions will be considered,but it looks like it"s going to have to come back out either way.

How ' bout a drum? Did you replace, was there and big time ware on the bands?

No, the drums were not scored or burnt so I reused them. The bands had mucho material left on them so I reused both of them too.The trans had been rebuilt by a well known local shop years ago,and worked well the way it was except for slippage into drive caused by the 10 lbs. of boost in the intake manifold. It came out of a 69 imperial with 69K miles in 1990 and had a rebuild tag on the case.I drove it in my old 66 Newport for years(R.I.P.) and stuffed the 383 and trans into the Satellite in place of the original 318.

If the noise resembles a "buzz" or "moan" it might be caused by a rapidly cycling pressure regulator valve, a problem that has been around for years. It's more of an annoyance than a real problem, the factory recommended fix is to replace the entire valve body.

If nothing else appears to be wrong inside,I have another v.b. in the original small block 727 I could try.Or I could buy an aftermarket. It made the same groan with both the high pressure spring and the stock one. The manual called for 54-60 p.s.i.@1K r.p.m. in drive(on stands) and 90-96 with the throttle lever fully depressed. With the high pressure spring it had 110&140 and with the stock spring it had 65&100.A little high but not too far above spec. Why would the valve suddenly start moaning though?

The only reason I can think of for the buzz/moan is simple wear; the steel valve wears away the aluminum casting with use.