Hey All,
The day before Christmas Lorrie Van Haul, a 1967 Dodge P200 Postal Van, decided it was time to discard one of the Bearing Cups attached to the U-Joint Yoke on her Differential.

Apparently one of the "C" Clips just inboard of the Bearing Cup Seal broke and permitted the Bearing Cup to come out.

There was a lot of vibration till she was standing still which happened as quickly as could be done. Looking under the vehicle revealed Lorrie's Drive Shaft lying on the pavement.

A friend came and towed her home.

The U-Joint was subsequently replaced and everything seemed to be fine.

It was suspected at the time that possibly some Automatic Transmission Fluid had been lost since the Drive Shaft was out of the Transmission's Rear Seal, so after everything was back together, Lorrie was started up and brought up to operating temperature.

Her A727 Transmission was then put into Neutral, then into Drive, then into Neutral, then into Reverse, then into Neutral and the Dipstick was checked for Fluid Level.

There was none showing on the Dipstick.

Added a quart of ATF, and checked it again. It said to add a pint.

Added a pint of ATF, and checked it again.

It was right at the Full Mark and everything seemed to be in perfect order again.

The next time Lorrie returned from being out and about, the ATF Level was checked again and it showed that it was about a quart and a half above full!

Am going to take one of the ATF Lines to the Radiator off and let some ATF drain out, but can't for the life of me understand how it first showed no ATF on the Dipstick, then when ATF was added it showed that it was just fine, and NOW it is overfilled.

Am I missing something here?

Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Hello JC! Good to hear from you.

Was Lorrie on level ground at the first check?

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

I bet the first check was with cold trans, and fluid, and then the fluid heated up during use, and expanded, to read over full. Trans fluid should always be checked at normal operating temp. (fluid temp, not engine temp). This can several miles of driving.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Hey Reed!
Haven't had anything about which to post, but have been staying busy. Have spent the past five months working on my latest book. Am at Chapter 49 and have all of a sudden gotten a terminal case of writer's block!
This is where I come when Lorrie does something strange which she hasn't done for quite a while.
Sitting dead level every time.

Oh, there has been one development... Remember Lorrie was starting easily and then was hard to start and there was no rhyme or reason to which she decided to do that was in any way predictable? Was suspecting that it was the Run Switch that was intermittently going bad.

Well, finally figured out what was going on!

Her Starter was the culprit.

There were times when she couldn't start easily enough. Just a touch of the Start Switch and she was rearing to go! Then there were time that she would crank and crank and even with Start Fluid wouldn't even sneeze.

The MultiTester would show 12+ Volts going to the Standard Bluestreak LX301 Control Module when checked. The Battery would show having between 12 and 12.9 Volts when checked.

Then one day, she wouldn't start at all. Got really tired of all this going on, so decided to check EVERYTHING.

Happened to check the Voltage going to the Control Module WHILE cranking the Starter.

MultiTester showed as low as 9 Volts going to the Control Module.

Removed the Starter. Had Wesley at Smith Auto Electric rebuild the unit.

Problem solved!

Who woulda thunk?

Anyway, this Transmission Fluid Level conundrum has me stumped. It showed nothing. Then showed perfect with the addition of 1.5 quarts of ATF, and then showed overfilled by 1.5 quarts.

Have heard that one doesn't want to run the old girl with too much ATF in the Transmission.

Just curious... Is it that big a deal?

Anyway, thanks for the prompt response. I can always count on you!

Take excellent care.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Check the fluid level at operating temp with the transmission in neutral not in park note even modern mopars say to check in neutral on the dipstick or decal in the engine compartment.

Brian

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63 Plymouth Valiant Wagon

Charlie and bcschief have a good suggestion. The transmission fluid must always be checked with the vehicle at operating temperature due to fluid expansion.

Running an auto trans with too much fluid can cause the fluid to froth up and aerate and not function properly.

Glad to hear you got the starting problem figured out. That was not a solution I would have thought of.

_________________
Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

In park, pump is not feeding fluid to circuits allowing some drain back to pan simulating an over fill condition, in neutral circuits are pressurized lowering pan fluid level.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Hey Charrlie_S,
This could very well be the case. Had just started Lorrie's mighty 225 Slant Six and let it run for about fifteen minutes till the Temperature Gauge read 170+, then did the Transmission Fluid Level check.
Well, you see? There you go!


Am going to do the check after warming up the Engine and see if the ATF level is right at the Full Mark. Then will drive to the Post Office and back and check it again. If it is over the Full Mark then will know that what you are saying is the case.

Thanks for the elucidation. I learn something new every day.

Hope you are well.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Hey bcschief,
It was checked in Neutral, after going into Drive, then to Neutral, then to Reverse, then back to Neutral.
Right. It's stamped on the Dip Stick. AND it says to check the ATF level with the letter stamped side of the Dip Stick up!

Am betting the problem is that while Lorrie's mighty 225 Slant Six was at operating temperature, the A727 Transmission was NOT, just a Charrlie_S said.

Anyway, thanks for the response.

Hope this finds YOU doing well.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Hey wjair,
The ATF level check was NOT done with the Transmission in Park. But your comment is GREAT information. Had never considered that to be a factor.

Thanks for the comment.

Hang in there.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Hey Reed,
You'd think that after living with Lorrie since 1975 that one would have learned this. It seems to be an hour-to-hour, ever-changing, minute-to-minute, custom-made, second-to-second experience, with new stuff popping up all the time.
Have planned on letting some of the ATF drain out via the lines going to the bottom of the Radiator. Did that some time ago. Then will check the ATF level with the Transmission hot.
From what Wesley Smith at Smith Auto Electric (who rebuilt the Starter) said, the Starter was dragging and bleeding off most of the voltage. The Standard Bluestreak LX-301 Control Module NEEDS 12 Volts to function properly. Apparently sometimes the Starter was functioning properly. But at other times was dragging. When it was functioning properly, Lorrie would start right up. When it was dragging, she wouldn't. And every time the Voltage to the Control Module was checked, it was at 12+ Volts. The poor little old Run Switch was getting the blame for having an intermittent malfunction when there was nothing wrong with it!

Nonetheless, everything is straightened out with the Starter. Now it's on to solving the ATF level problem.

We've been having some unusually cold weather here in deep east Texas. Down to 19 degrees yesterday morning. Not quite so cold this morning (34 degrees right now), but supposed to go down to 29 before dawn. Then it's supposed to get up to 53 today, with a low of 43 tonight, along with a 50% chance of some evening thunderstorms.

You in cold weather?

I'll hang in here if YOU'LL hang in there.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Hey All,
Had my neighbor Robert come help me take the ATF out of Lorrie's Transmission.

Not knowing which was the line FROM the Transmission TO the Radiator and which was the line FROM the Radiator TO the Transmission, had both lines running into large porcelain kettle.

Watched from under Lorrie as Robert started the mighty 225 Slant Six, and noted which line had the ATF coming out of it. Ran it till it stopped coming out and had Robert shut the Engine down.

Then put in two quarts of NEW ATF.

Started the Engine and let it warm up.

Checked to see if there was any ATF showing on the Dip Stick. There was just about an 1/8th inch of fluid on the tip of the Dip Stick.

Took Lorrie out onto the street and drove her about a mile to see if the ATF would expand when heated.

Came back and checked the level. It was still just on the tip of the Dip Stick.

Added a third quart.

Checked the level. It was about half a pint below the "Add A Pint" mark.

Added a half a pint (that's all that was left), and took Lorrie out for another mile drive. Came back and checked the level and it was half way between the "Add A Pint" and "Full" marks.

Will get some more ATF next time we're out and about.

Also, with the Transmission ATF level down to just slightly below the "Full" mark, Lorrie is idling much better.

Have some more news but it will be in the Engine Threads.

Hope you all are well.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor

Sounds like you got it figured out. Hooray!

Right now I am experiencing the typical winter weather for Western Washington: 35-45 degrees and raining, day or night.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Hey Reed,
There was a marked difference in Lorrie's idle as soon as the ATF level was down under the "Full" mark. And looking back on the episode, it was only after replacing the U-Joint and then over-filling the Transmission that Lorrie began having idle anomalies. Am hoping that the Oil Pressure problem is the Oil Pressure Gauge.

BTW, since having the Starter rebuilt, Lorrie starts with less than a full revolution of the Engine even when it is cold. And no more Start Fluid necessary either. Wish that the Starter had been fixed a long time ago, but didn't think to check the voltage to the Standard Bluestreak LX-301 Control Module WHILE cranking until just recently. That has been the problem all along. Live and learn.
It's a little warmer here right now. Overcast, humid, mid 40s to mid 50s. Occasional showers and thunderstorms coming up from the southwest. Supposed to get colder this coming week, but not down into the high teens like last week. The Philodendrons took a pretty hefty shot. But they will survive, unless it get REALLY cold before Winter is over.

Anyway, hope this finds YOU doing well.

Hang in there.

JC

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Lorrie Van Haul - 1967 Dodge - P200 Post Office Vehicle - 225 Slant Six - Torqueflite A727 Automatic Transmission - Right Hand Drive Steering - Big Three HEI System - Frantz Oil Cleaner System - Bendix Stromberg Model W Carburetor