700r4 Help Please

[bzerko_cj7]

OK, so I bought Yager’s old Jeep some time back. It’s got a TBI 307 SBC, 700R4, Dana300, D60 & 14B, and 42” tires. He had no issues with stock transmission when he had it. It had 38” tires at that time. When I bought it, he had the transfer case out to replace the output shaft with a heavy duty shaft. So I figured while the t-case was out I would get the tranny beefed up a little.
Upon a referral from a friend, I had a “mechanic” rebuild it in the garage at his home (may have been first mistake, dunno). It’s got Raybestos clutches, Atlantic torque converter, TCI manual valve body, Corvette servo, Beast sun shell, etc., about $1,000 for the rebuild.
Anyway, get it put back together and everything seems to work fine on trails, slow speed, etc…but occasionally I will drive it on the road. If you get up any speed, the tranny temp climbs rapidly, especially if it shifts into overdrive. Maxed out the gauge a couple times.
The TCI kit came with a vacuum switch for the lock-up. Tried it with it hooked up, unhooked, adjusted the vacuum setting, etc…no help.
Took the vacuum switch off and wired a direct toggle switch to lock-up…no help.
Did a bunch of research on the TV cable adjustment. Got adjusted where I thought it should be…no help.
Added a Hughes aluminum oil pan and a 30,000 lb Deralle external cooler with shroud and own cooling fan, mounted behind radiator…no help.
I’ve talked to several local transmission shops and most don’t seem to know a whole lot about the 700R4 with lock-up converter. They just want me to bring it in and let them tear it apart to check it out. I have talked to all kinds of people…TCI tech support, drag racers, offroaders, gear heads, etc…no solutions.
I have changed the fluid so many times I probaly could have bought a new tranny by now with the cost of fluid these days.
I don’t know, maybe the guy who rebuilt it has something screwed up. Maybe wrong torque converter. I keep thinking it is something to do with the lock-up converter, but can’t figure anything out. I am at the end of the rope with this thing. If anybody has any ideas, it would be appreciated.
I really don’t want to have to spend the cash to have it rebuilt again as it only has a couple hundred miles on it. If anybody knows of someone who REALLY knows something about 700r4’s and lock-up converters, I may consider having it rebuilt once again.

 

[4x4302Ranger]

I would probably try and get the guy that built it in the first place diagnose and fix it for free or the cost of parts at the most.

Have you tried to talk to him yet?

 

[transman731]

there is something wrong with it.(call me mr.obvious)
a 700 doesn't reach full cooling capacity until it is in l/u. with that being said, you shouldn't be running hot.
it could be a few things,
do you know what stall the converter is? (i have used a few atlantic converters and have had no issues, but only for stock applications)
at what rpm range is it creating the heat?

if you say it's fine at slow speeds i would assume you are saying 1st and 2nd. that leads me to believe that the issue would be in the 3-4 clutch circuit. third and fourth use the same clutch pack and the addition of band apply makes fourth gear. the band is applied in 2nd and 4th,so if you are not running hot in 2nd it would seem the issue wouldn't be the band, unless it is too tight and not releasing for for 3rd. if the 3-4 clutch clearance is too loose it can create extreme amounts of heat and coning of the clutches.

as far as your tv cable adjustment, it's simple.
push the button on the cable
have someone push the pedal to the floor(not by hand on the throttle linkage)
the cable should move, that is the base adjustment, (i usually like to go towards the firewall about 1/8" from that point)

 

[nctom]

Are you sure the Throttle Valve Cable is adjusted propperly.
Engine swaps open it up for issues. At WOT you want no slack in the cable, but not overly tight. With TBI and a factory cable it should be fine.

There are pressure tests that can be done to the 700 to find the issue, or at least isolate the section of the trans that is giving you the issue. One way or the other, the valvebody or the whole trans is comming out. The pump seems to be pressurizing well, The convertor dosent heat up in the lower gears, so it is a friction/lubrication issue. More than likely an assembly error.

 

[bzerko_cj7]

I would probably try and get the guy that built it in the first place diagnose and fix it for free or the cost of parts at the most.

Have you tried to talk to him yet?

Have talked to the guy and he offered to take a look at it, but I don't think the guy really knows a lot about a 700r4 and I am very skeptical of having him work on it again. I am just not confident that he would fix it right. I wish I would have taken it to someone who really knew something about them to begin with.

 

[bzerko_cj7]

do you know what stall the converter is? (i have used a few atlantic converters and have had no issues, but only for stock applications)
at what rpm range is it creating the heat?

if you say it's fine at slow speeds i would assume you are saying 1st and 2nd. that leads me to believe that the issue would be in the 3-4 clutch circuit. third and fourth use the same clutch pack and the addition of band apply makes fourth gear. the band is applied in 2nd and 4th,so if you are not running hot in 2nd it would seem the issue wouldn't be the band, unless it is too tight and not releasing for for 3rd. if the 3-4 clutch clearance is too loose it can create extreme amounts of heat and coning of the clutches.

as far as your tv cable adjustment, it's simple.
push the button on the cable
have someone push the pedal to the floor(not by hand on the throttle linkage)
the cable should move, that is the base adjustment, (i usually like to go towards the firewall about 1/8" from that point)

I don't know what stall the converter is.

1st and 2nd seem to be fine. It is 3rd and 4th when it starts getting hot.

 

[bzerko_cj7]

Are you sure the Throttle Valve Cable is adjusted propperly.
Engine swaps open it up for issues. At WOT you want no slack in the cable, but not overly tight. With TBI and a factory cable it should be fine..

I think it is adjusted properly, but not 100%. I am no transmission man and this is this first time ever messing with one of these.

More than likely an assembly error.

This is what I am afraid of...I am to the point where I am considering ordering a new transmission from a reputable source so that I know it is built right the first time and I will be confident that it will give me no problems.

 

[Ron]

Yeah for $1,000 you should have a bullet proof 700 with a nice warranty....
trhats a masisve rebuild number.

 

[transman731]

i typically get between 700-800 for a rebuild on them. i can see 1000 if it were r&r also.

 

[greg slade]

I can attest to lee's rebuilds, he did my 700r4 a couple weeks ago and found issues the last rebuilder did not. I guess thats why it didnt last the first time.

 

[Ron]

i typically get between 700-800 for a rebuild on them. i can see 1000 if it were r&r also.

Based on your posts on here without ever having met you, I would have no problem with that.

A mechanic in his home garage....$400 sounds right.
There is what $300 in parts there MAYBE if he went BEEF on lots of stuff...and if it was a bench job...what 2 hours TOPS...

Ive rebuilt a few 700s there aint a whole lot there

 

[BigJUGGY]

I take complete blame for all of the situation above...I arranged the rebuild deal...this has nothing to do with Yager or his jeep/workmanship or anyone else on the board. We knew the tranny needed rebuild upon purchase...actually tranny came out & went back in with Yager's help @ his house...just for the record.
No one else is to blame except me going by advice of a friend and getting his other friend to do the rebuild...I met with the guy (who is "supposedly" a transmission specialist @ Crossroad's Ford) maybe that's the issue ford man working on chevy stuff...
After the next two rides we go on...tranny does fine @ low speeds and if it's f'd it's already f'd, so anyhow the tranny's coming back out very soon & some quality workmanship will be going back in the jeep...not another jackleg i was gullable enuf to hand some money to. This has been a tough learning curve for me & my brother...and I did not know Lee or some of the other talented folks on this board...nor did I research it enough. The $1K number did not start out there, but Thanks Ron for your helpful Insight.
That said...some money, time & the school of hard knocks will help us resolve this issue.

 

[bzerko_cj7]

Based on your posts on here without ever having met you, I would have no problem with that.

A mechanic in his home garage....$400 sounds right.
There is what $300 in parts there MAYBE if he went BEEF on lots of stuff...and if it was a bench job...what 2 hours TOPS...

Ive rebuilt a few 700s there aint a whole lot there

There is some beef in it, we bought some of the parts ourselves and had the guy install. A lot more than $300. He didn't charge that much for labor. I was not complaining about what he charged because I knew what the parts cost. I just want it to work the way it's supposed to.