I put the 904 in today, tightened the flex plate, being careful to seat the torque converter. It sat back about 1/16" from the flex plate installed, and the flex plate bolts pads were back the required 1/2" from the bell front before install. I installed the dip stick and began to fill it with fluid.

Unfortuanately I glanced too quickly at the manual and thought it said 15 1/2 quarts, instead of 15 1/2 pints. Boy do I feel like an idiot now. When I got to ten quarts it started running out the front. I assume it came out the front seal. AFter a half quart or so drained out on the floor it stopped. So did I.

AFter looking at the manual again with some horror, I pulled the temporary yoke and drained out about 2.5 quarts, which was about when it stopped running out the back, and slid the yoke back in. The oil is now up to the lettering on the dip stick that says check hot and in neutral, which looks like maybe a quart or so too high.

AFter I get a drive shaft and finish the coolant lines, my plan was to start it up and check it out. Do you think I have damaged anything here? Do you think I have trashed this front seal? Or was there just too much pressure from the overfill to hold it back. Or, do you think the seal was bad in the first place? It seemed fine. And the rear one hold just fine.

What is the recommended protocol for filling a rebuilt trans for the first time? How much initially, and then how to start it and get it warm enough to do a final check? Thanks for any advice you may have for me. I need some comforting right now.

Sam

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A front seal would be pretty worthless if fluid could leak past it because of an overfill (not that much pressure behind it.)

If it actually leaked out of the front seal, it WAS bad, the overfill didn't do it.

If it didn't leak out the front seal, the seal is fine....

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Did the fluid come out of the seal or from the vent at the top of the pump housing?

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Good question! I have no way of realy knowing, since you cannot see up in there. I did not know there was a vent. I just assumed the front seal was the only place it could leak. I hope it came out the vent. The pump seal looked perfect, and felt fine when I installed the torque converter. The fluid just poured out as if it was running over the top of something. It did not look like a leaky seal, which is usually just an annoying drip on the garage floor. I know so little about automatics that I feel pretty vulnerable when working with them. I did not know there was a vent. I did check the dip stick before I opened the FSM and found out what I had done. At that point, before draining the 2.5 quarts, (in addition to what ran on the floor in the first place) it registered way up on the dip stick. I am certain it was up over the top of the pump housing. That is why I went back to the book and re-read. AT that point I was begining to suspect I had done something really wrong. I am going to say it again; Boy do I feel dumb! PINTS not QUARTS! You know, when I purchased the fluid, it seemed like a lot of fluid. I don't know why I did not double check then.

Ed, is it fair to interpret your comment to say that if the seal looked good it probably would not have leaked there, and overfilling would not have done damage to it? I am glad to learn there is another avenue for fluid to have come out up front. It did not leak at the back even though the fluid simply poured out when I pulled the slip yoke. When I went to pull it out, there was actually quite a vacuum seal on it, and it took some effort to get it out of the seal. Once removed, and oil was drained, it behaves normally, sliding in and out easily, but free of drips.

Do you think it is safe to go ahead and finish the conversion, and start it up? I have to hook up the shifter, the kick down, the cooling line, and the drive shaft. The starter motor is still hanging loose, so that needs to be buttoned back up. Thanks for the comments so far.

Edit: I looked in the FSM and now see the vent hole in the top of the pump. That has to be where the fluid came from. I am feeling better. Thanks for the tip Richard!


Sam

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Didn't know about the vent, but hoped there was one.......

I'm now 99.9% sure the seal is good




How much of a pain is it to take apart?

If it's easy, I'd probably take it apart to clean up the fluid residue..............

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Thanks Ed, I am going to try and clean it up without taking it apart. Transmission fluid is a pretty good cleaner. I think the TQ hub to crank recess will be pretty well lubed by now. I am definitely not in the mood to take this thing apart again. Thanks again for the insights. I will now go to bed and sleep better.

Sam

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My vote is on the vent at the top of the bellhousing behind the converter. You should drop the pan and drain it completely then refill.

Pull the coil wire and turn it over in neautral. That should fill the converter, then start it andlet it idle in neutral a while.

Overfilling it should not have hurt a thing.

The vent is right at the top of the pump. When it pushes fluid out there, it makes it look like the converter seal leaked. Great idea Ma Mopar.

All of mine have had that vent plugged and a new one installed on top of the tailshaft housing.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Thanks again all. My vote now, because it is easiest is to do what Dennis says. It seems I should get the coolant lines done first. Will that slip yoke just hang there without coming out? It has no drive shaft yet. A support community like this is worth its weight in gold.

Sam

PS. Pints, not quarts.

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The yoke should stay in, but put a pan under it just in case.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

The trans in my van got over filled after being rebuilt. It has leaked from the front seal ever since that. I never have dropped it and it has been years. I just refill

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'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's

93 D350 Cummins THD Maxfuel 35mpg parts to hit 400hp+ Suncoast Cat2 A518, converter DDP Stage III injectors 62/64 HX35, 3 piece manifold, 4" Diamond Eye, Gear Venders OD. Stage I street/tow PDD head on order.

Did you start it in the over filled condition?how badly does it leak now?

Sam

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I thought that when I bought 8 qts.

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1964 Dart GT

You should be fine. Out the vent... Drain a few qts and do as Dennis says.

Slant on,

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I just realized why it was hard to pull the yoke when it was too full: with the vent covered with fluid there was a vacuum on the inside. Once fluid drained the vacuum was broken. Thanks again for the support here. I just bought AN fittings and line to the tune of $200. Its easy to spend a lot on that stuff. It adds up fast.

Sam

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