Newbies photo diary - 727 pan gasket

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:43 pm

Thought I'd add a little colour to the proceedings.
Follwing the advice on the previous thread (special mentions to mr.blue, mr.cannonball and mr.Dave) I decided that this weekend was the one.

Objective is to find out
a) Where the trans leak is coming from
b) Change the sump Gasket
c) Install a sump plug for next time
d) Adjust anything I can in line with the manual (heady hopes of getting kickdown to work).

First step - read the manual (This is me with the manual) -

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:48 pm

Right - next stage - get Charger off the floor....

Being a big wimp I went for the 'Ramps + axle stands + Trolley Jack approach' just in case...

Once I got under the thing I could see the cleaned-a-week-ago sump pan was mucky again. The gasket appeared to be soggy, but (promisingly) the stuff above (the seals for various protrusions and shifters etc) seemed OK. Still v.suspect about the one Dunc pointed out though (vertical?) it is bang on for where the most fluid was...

Anyway - here is the sump before with soggy gasket

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:50 pm

Undoing the bolts. Yuk.
It goes EVERYWHERE. My skin gained a lovely redish sheen...

It was like a rainforest

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:52 pm

Ta da ! To cut a long story short, got it off and the gasket looks fairly nasty. Split in one place and the rest of it does not look too clever.
Nothing nasty lurking in the bottom (lumps of metal , dead mice etc) and the fluid is all nice and clear so hopefully all OK.

So , teaching you to suck eggs etc, here is the pan ....

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:54 pm

ARRGHHH ! ! !

WHY WONT YOU STOP ??? STOP DRIPPING DAMN YOU ! ! !ITS BEEN HOURS ! ! ! !

(review first post, apparently this is normal)

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:56 pm

At this point my mate arrived with his sweeeet 68 camaro. Not relevant I realize, and not really that helpful, but he has just got his new wheels and wanted to show them off. Car looks great... and considerably more operational than my Charger

Anyway , a distraction, but cool....

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 7:59 pm

Sorry - back to the plot. So , pan off, cleaned up a bit - time for the "blue-o-plug" patented sump plug kit (well, I bought it from Blue anyway...)

1/2" hole in the side of pan and all was good. I even remembered to check under the car first and make sure I was putting the bolt somewhere where it would clear the innards of the gearbox. (This is quite advanced 'thinking ahead' for me)

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 8:03 pm

Last one this eve... (assuming anyone gives a monkeys at this point)

After reading my 'how to build a torqueflight' book and reading the comments about 'band adjustment' I decided that I really should do this while the pan was off. Also seems that front band could well be the problem with my kickdown....

Located what I think is the front band adjustment.

It's not a 'on-the-car job is it ?

... to be continued.....

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat Jul 01, 06 8:27 pm

I hate cork gaskets and avoid them when ever possible.

I agree that, looking at your photos) it is most likely the gasket that is leaking and not anything else.

And yes. Sometimes bits can be in VERY difficult places. but where there is a will there is a way.

You are doing brilliantly so far. Keep it up.

PS
Sometimes you need a lot of patience. Keep a cool head and you will get there in the end.

Ever read a book called "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Mantainance"?
No me neither. Just thought I would mention it.

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Sat Jul 01, 06 9:02 pm

fantastic job Morgan, but erm... you maight want to censor your t-shirt slogan in the first pic

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat Jul 01, 06 9:38 pm

I have been banned from here for less in the past (but not by the current mods) so paintshop something over that word before Alex sees it and deletes it.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat Jul 01, 06 9:44 pm

BTW. The next step is to undo that band adjuster lock nut and then BOING! this happens.

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Sat Jul 01, 06 9:52 pm

if that happens, you just know when you get it all back together and in the car.......................there'll be half a dozen bits left over, don't you

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Sat Jul 01, 06 10:06 pm

Ooh ya made me go back and check the first pic, either I am tired and missing it or someone did a neato photoshop job !

Excellent write up so far and you are doing great, keep it up!

morgan · Post by **morgan** » Sat Jul 01, 06 10:39 pm

Oops ! ! !

Sorry ref pic1 - did not even realize ! - thanks to the photoshoppist, and apologies to those who were offended.