727 issues, just rebuilt, long

Ok, I'll start off by saying transmissions are voodoo to me. Thats why I pay to have someone rebuild them.
I just installed my rebuilt (by local guy) 727 into my 440 R/T. The problem is you have to rev it up high to get it to make the 1,2 or 2,3 shifts. If it shifts at all. The kickdown is adjusted to be all the way back when the throttle is fully open.
Also I had to see if the Six Pack was opening, so I goosed it for a little bit and let off. When I let off I went to give it gas and it went nowhere. The only way the car would move is first or reverse.
Frustrated I parked it overnight. The next day the transmission worked and shifted in all gears. But still needed to be reved high to shift. I'm guessing it has to come back out. And maybe send it to Cope. But does anyone have any ideas before I have to cut my brand new exhaust back off? Thanks

Check to see if you broke the tranny oil pump teeth / tabs off. If you didn't line them up with the converter snout properly - and forced the unit together while bolting it to the engine, they may have broken off.

Just one guess from me.

1. Check fluid level
2. Is the kick down all the was forward on the transmission when you adjusted the kick down?
3. Is the shift lever 100% in the low when you adjusted the shifter?
4. Does the transmission go down into first when you completely stop?

Why cut the exhaust it should unbolt from the manifolds or headers

Hello,

1. Fluid level is correct
2. Kickdown is the Bouchillon cable kit. And is set to per their instructions. The kickdown lever is not all the way forward at throttle idle.
3. Shift lever is correct.
4. Yes Thanks

Try temporarily disconnecting the kick down cable at the transmission and take it out for a gentle test drive. If the shift points are lower you have identified the problem.

The kickdown wouldn't have anything to do with losing 2nd and 3rd gear after a small burnout would it? The car wouldn't move when put into 2nd or Drive. I had to drive it back home in 1st only. But the next day all gears were back. Christine?

I take this is a stock valve body and you are saying it would not move in second or drive but in manual low it would ? That would tell me you are applying the low/reverse band in 1st and reverse so I would wonder about the sprag (overrunning clutch). It does sound like it also has to high throttle pressure with the high shift points. I would back the throttle pressure off and see if it shifts better. Is it a stock valve body ? Ron

Sounds like an internal pressure leak. Damaged metal sealing rings, loose stator support, loose valve body or valve body halfs. Take it back to the builder.
Doug

As far as I know the valve body is stock. But I have no way of knowing for sure. The one thing I do know is the thrust bearing was trashed in the motor when I went to rebuild it. This was with the same transmission but before the rebuild. So something was pushing the crank forward. But when I told the tranny guy about this. He said he didn't see anything that might produce excessive pressure. I guess it's coming back out.

It's amazing all the guesses - and no diagnosis. If you are not going to use gauges, listen to TJP - take it for a gentle ride with the kickdown cable disconnected. If it upshifts much faster you have the cable adjusted "long" making too much throttle pressure. Too much makes it shift late.

Yeah I'll give that a shot. But it doesn't explain losing 2nd and drive after a small burnout. Or why it came back after sitting. That to me is the bigger problem. It wasn't that it wasn't shifting to 2nd. But if I put it in 2nd or drive it wouldn't move. Had to drive it 10 miles in 1st.
I did play with the kickdown adjustment quite a bit. With little to no effect. But when it gets warm enough here. I'll try disconnecting the cable and see if that changes anything. Way to cold here to try that now :)Thanks for the help guys

Tim sorry to hear you got bit. Holler how it turns out

When I let off I went to give it gas and it went nowhere. > If you are at a high vehicle speed in 1st gear, it will feel like it is in neutral. To test for that, let the vehicle slow down to approx. 10 mph - then open the throttle - if the engine pulls the car - you were stuck in 1st.

Losing gears and then "getting" them back sounds like valve/s hanging up - another guess. That is why you need to get a few gauges. Don't be intimidated by auto transmissions, they work on pressure. Hang a low pressure gauge on the governor port and operate the vehicle up to the highest speed you are comfortable - gov. psi should closely approximate vehicle speed. If it remains very low or does not move then that will cause you to remain in a lower gear. If it tracks like it is supposed to - you could have the 1-2 shift valve and governor plug hung up in the valve body or too much throttle pressure. Too much throttle pressure can be caused by that cable adjustment or the baseline adjustment on the valve body. The importance of testing pressures - narrows your focus. Dirt in an auto trans is as much an enemy as it is in an engine. In a trans it is not uncommon to cause your complaints of now I have 2nd and now I don't. The burnout likely had nothing to do with it unless you put more dirt in the trans by causing some failure.

Thanks Transman. The part when I let off and it went nowhere was in drive after the burnout. So then I tried 2nd and nothing. Tried first and it worked like normal. As did reverse. I'll have to get some gauges and see what's going on. I know the trans had been opened up before. As my tanny guy told me it had the wrong drum in it. (later model I believe) And he had to order the correct one? My guess is someone jacked with the valve body also. Thanks again for the help

Not the best way to adjust it; as advised earlier, disconnect the cable at the trans lever and allow the lever to come full forward then take it for a moderate drive and see if the symptoms disappear.

Kickdown linkage doesn't explain that it wouldn't move in D or 2nd. Or did I miss something. I've been down the trail of not tightening the reaction shaft support bolts, shouldn't have stopped the build when my wife called me to dinner.
Doug

Thanks dvw, that is my concern. That's not kickdown related. As far as I know.

Don't discount John's or Lew's test's. Two of the most knowledgeable trans guys around. But my contention is you paid to have it done. I would think the builder would want to check it out in the car before removal.
Doug

I'm not. I appreciate every ones help.

when i put aftermarket kickdown cable on my truck, i noticed the shift points were a little funny sometimes. solution, find a long soft spring and set it up so it pulls the pressure lever on the trans forward.

Ya gotta start somewhere, with a mixed bag of defects it's wise to start at square one.

And cannot understand why one would try to make it more complicated by overthinking / diagnosing the issue. Try disconnecting the Kickdown at the trans. It's simple, kwik and cheap. if it helps great, if not get out the gauges.

I also agree. Its like an electrical job with 5 different problems as when I get them I pick one problem and start troubleshooting it first. And many times you end up fixing all the problems. If you try to think of fixing all of them at the same time you end up not thinking straight. Ron