I don't know where to begin, so any insight is appreciated. I've got a recently rebuilt stock 327 and a rebuilt 2004r...both done by yours truly, in the garage. I followed the books and advice on the forum to the letter. Engine fired right up, needs some tuning, but idles smooth and responds well. The issue...every time I put it in Reverse or Drive, with my foot smashing the brakes, the car lunges then dies, or really bogs down. The idle is set at ~800, and it chirps the tires every time. Just seems like the torque converter, brand new 1650 stall, isn't allowing any slip?

any further info, insight, or things I should try...please help.

clay

Sounds like the clutch maybe locked up.

Something wrong w/converter?

MBHD

Chad, even if the clutch packs are locked up, shouldn't the torque converter allow the slip?

It's on the mark for fluid level, and I don't have a transmission pressure gauge to read what's going on in there, but maybe the frictions and TC need more time to circulate the fluid and break in???

I don't know...I'm just guessing at this point. any ideas???

Are you using a lockup converter? Perhaps the lockup clutch is engaged.

Are you using a lockup converter? Perhaps the lockup clutch is engaged.

I should have been more clear the converter clutch is what I meant.

That's what I figured.

It has a lock up torque converter, but no electrical power running to it. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it should be unlocked until power is applied, right?

If it's opposite...if the lock up is "locked" until 12V is applied, would Drive and Reverse both work? I thought the lock up was only 4th gear? And is there something I can do to verify this is or isn't the problem?

when idling, if I put it in Drive or Reverse, it bogs down, chirps the tires a little, but with a little gas I can keep it running without going forward/reverse...which makes me think it can't be locked up, but maybe the torque converter is just built too tight??

I don't know, thanks for all ideas....

If all is well inside your tranny, the lockup circuit should work as advertised. Our supposition is that all is not well inside the tranny and the lockup clutch is somehow being actuated. It requires no power to have a failure inside your transmission.

The issue...every time I put it in Reverse or Drive, with my foot smashing the brakes, the car lunges then dies, or really bogs down. The idle is set at ~800, and it chirps the tires every time. Just seems like the torque converter, brand new 1650 stall, isn't allowing any slip?

any further info, insight, or things I should try...please help.

clay
Too much TV at idle will contribute to this, should be set to be approx 5psi higher than no TV at the idle position (then fully open at WOT), if you're not using a gauge to set your TV then you really should consider it. Additionally if you have a large duration cam you're gonna have to dial you idle up and feather the throttle when transistioning from park/neutral to the drive gears. I have my idle set a 1050rpm and when it's cold (I don't have a choke) I have to feather it (and I have a Yank SS3200 stall). If you feel like you need a looser converter I have a brand new 2500 stall for a 200-4r.

I followed the directions for setting the TV cable for WOT, but I'll play with that to see if I can adjust this action at idle. Iv'e got the adjustment bracket for my edelbrock, so I assumed fully engaged at WOT would also be bottomed out at idle. With a stock 327, stock cam, and relatively low hp, no matter what's going on inside the tranny, it seems the torque converter should slip enough to allow a soft slide into gear. Then the internal gears and frictions would kick in to shift gears and such at higher RPMs...once more power is being transferred.

advice on what I can check or ways to verify???

Well that got it close...still bears down a bit more than I'd like when dropped into gear, but it's not killing the engine or chirping the tires. I was getting tired of leaving black marks on my garage floor.

I completely disconnected the TV cable. Not an actual solution, but a test. and it worked, mostly. But that leaves me with a new problem. I had adjusted the TV cable to full travel with the throttle at WOT. but that was holding too much TV at idle. So now I've got the TV cable bottomed out at idle, but I won't have enough to hit full travel at WOT. I have the TV correction bracket for the edelbrock, but it doesn't seem to be right. I can't get full TV cable travel, idle to WOT?

any ideas???

any ideas???
You need a different (more adjustable) TV cable linkage solution.