thanks John K.... always love your detailed insight.

Follow up on my last post with some measurements:

Overall clutch pack: .770 total, just steels and clutches

Steels: .070 each

Clutches: .082-.085 each

End pressure plate: .215

Wavy snap ring: .071

Front clutch end clearence was on the loose end of the spec, .125-.130

Gary

Ah thank you for clarifying, I think that will be left stock then.

Not sure if drilling the case is smart for pressure adjustment, it looks like a really touchy area on a 42RH. Might be best to leave well enough alone.

I am not a fan of the waffle clutches in a 904, too much surface area is gone. Also if you can get an extra one in it by using thinner ones for the rear clutch I would do it.

On the holes in the drum, I would think they would now be flooding the band and making it harder for it to grab trading one problem for another. I think if I was going to do it I would at least make sure they are not in the band contact area.

I run type f fluid but they are all probably fine.

The line pressure sounds a little low, making it external adjustable is nice.

I agree but it is at the top of the factory spec, when I had it 15 psi higher it caused the governor weights to hang up. The transmission would not downshift from third to first when coming up to a light which is common with the 413 transaxle too. They had a spring kit for those applications to fix/help the problem.

Have any part numbers? Tried the COPE site without luck, they have mostly 727 parts listed.

Rooting around in my stash found a set of selective drum snap rings, cool! One problem down!

Will call John at COPE tomorrow to order a set of clutches and steels and a 3.8 lever.

I've got a slew of 3.8 levers..... send me a pm and its yours.

....I'm in agreement with the waffle clutch discs. I just inspected a friends proflight last week. 200 passes on it and the clutch discs (waffle) were nearly smooth. Threw the same thing in since it's what we had in hand. I'm tempted to look at the 904 I have here that we ran behind our iron head 360. I'm pretty sure it had flat reds in it.... but it's been a long time since we used it, or I've been in it.

3.8 is a step in the wrong direction 4.2 is just right.

I kind of agree with the 4.2 comment..... probably why I have a few 3.8's laying here

Like J-body I worked at a Dodge dealer for about 24 years and I have a fair stock of the ATF+4 and have used it for years in all of my tranny's. I have heard some say its great and others say dont use it. All I can say about it is I use it and I have had no tranny problems at all. In fact in my 63 and my sons Dart I use stock Mopar clutches and my sons trans has been together since 1997 and the one in my 63 since 2006. Both still shift great and have given no problems at all. Many prefer the type F fluid which is fine but I just wanted to let you know I have had no problems at all using the ATF+4. When I did warranty transmission repairs we always had an extra qt or so of fluid so I built up a small stock of the ATF+4 so since I have a fair supply and it works great for me I use it. Ron

3.8 will help delay the 2nd gear release slightly which will help the 3rd gear lock up.

Lots of people with Dakota's and Durango's running 3.2-3.8 levers with no problem.

Ron this may well be true but in a borderline case such as mine the Type F may well help the situation. ATF+4 is well known to had friction modifiers for smooth shifts and shudder free lockup of the torque converter.

If you have plenty of clutch area like a 727 has you have some wiggle room, 904 not so much.

It can/may/will affect it, but slowing down the band release is not what you want, if anything you want to speed up the front clutch apply, holding the drum longer is fighting that process. Drilling the holes isn't going to really do anything but put more fluid under the band so if anything changing to a lower apply lever ratio is not a good idea because now you are putting more fluid under it that it has to squeeze out.

I still am not a believer in the ATF+ to the point I took it out of my 47RE which is supposed to use it and I had ZERO shudder issues. The + is Lubeguard, +4 has MORE than +3. Lubeguards job is to make the lockup clutch in the converter SLIP to combat shudder, you can only add so much of that stuff before other clutches slip too. Chrysler transmission engineers baffle me with the stupid [censored] they do to bandaid a problem instead of fixing it.

If it were me I would rebuild what you have currently,if you really wantto change the lever then put in a 3.8, change the piston spring in the front drum if it's still that big spiral one, fresh clutches and put type F in it.

Plenty of burnt 2nd gear bands in those also. You don't want to trade burnt clutch pack for burnt band.

Also a 2-3 flare is because the band released before the clutch engaged, that lower number will release even faster and cause more flare. Remember also that a 44re has a smaller servo than a 727 so the same lever does not hold the band as tight, a band that already has less surface area.


Get an extra disc in there, get rid of the waffles and the flare will go away.

I had to read this again ....

How so? The front clutch discs are on the splines of the input shaft so they are spinning while the steels in the front drum are being held stationary by the band when it is applied ??

The front clutch pack is turning the drum as it applies , you want it to start spinning. your clutches are getting burnt/slipping , it's either because of a lot of overlap ... band is on too long or front clutch is slow to apply.

The front clutch is applying as fast as it can, there are no restrictors in the case and the valve body orfices have been drilled out to the maximum recommended size (slightly larger actually)

She's giving all she's got Captain!



1) I understand there is a kit to convert to multiple coil springs, I was advised it was not required as the car never sees 6000 rpm.

2) Fresh clutches are not going to help, unless they are of better quality than what I had. The transmission has been together since 2012 and to the track three times without issues. Its when I started making 70+ extra hp the problem reared its head.. in 6 passes.

I am making considerable more power than a 44RH is rated for. The top dog engine put behind one was a 220 hp 5.2 making 285 ft/lbs of torque.

The Duster is putting out 370-375 hp to the wheels.

No overlap, trans has been together since 2012 and the clutch is applying as fast as possible.

I'm simply over the torque capacity of the unit as it sits.

This is the direction I'm inclined to go and raising the line pressure as much as I can get away with. 105 psi is at the top of the spec and to get much more I might have to put up with manually shifting down to first when coming up to a light. At 120 psi it would cause the governor weights to hang up.