<VV> powerglide

[shortle]

Chris,
I just spent this past weekend overhauling my 1963 Rampside Powerglide.I purchased an overhaul kit from Dave Edwards as well as the movie made by Harry Yarnell on rebuilding the PG. 
For no apparent reason, I completely lost reverse but forward gears worked well.I found all 3 reverse clutches physically broken. My guess on yours is you have worn parts. Seals not holding pressure and/or worn clutches.
I am undecided on synthetic ATF.Your diff. drain plug is only for your diff.
Now my question for ALL is the manual valve adjustment using tool J-8365. Could this adjustment have contributed to my broken clutches? I had replaced my cable about 1,000 miles before I lost reverse.
Anyone?
Thanks, Tim in Durango, Colorado.  
-----Original Message-----
>From: Chris <vairchris at gmail.com>
>Sent: Oct 21, 2007 9:49 AM
>To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
>Subject: <VV> powerglide
>
>I sent this in yesterday, but I don't see that it posted, and no one
>responded, so I'm submitting it again.  Please accept my apologies if my
>questions appear on the list twice:
>
> 
>
>I have a 61 Rampie with a powerglide.  I posted a few weeks ago about
>problems with reverse.  Specifically, when I first start up, all gears,
>forward and reverse, work perfectly.  As the vehicle warms up, I lose
>reverse.  Several of you suggested running seafoam through it to loosen the
>reverse piston.  I put in some seafoam today and then went on a 10 mile
>drive.  This brought me through the forward gears multiple times.  When I
>got home, I put it in reverse and left it running with the parking brake on
>for 5 minutes.  Then, I did about 100 repetitions of putting it in reverse,
>backing up, then putting in forward and pulling forward (about two car
>lengths each way in my driveway).  I am getting it into reverse, and there
>is enough reverse to overcome inertia on level ground, but my driveway then
>goes up hill, and I can't get enough reverse to make it up the driveway.  
>
> 
>
>Anyway, I now feel I've run it enough to get whatever benefit I'm going to
>get from the seafoam transmission stuff.  So I'm at the point of draining
>and refilling the transmission.  This is where my questions come in.  
>
> 
>
>1)      There is a drain plug on the differential.  Does this drain both the
>transmission and the differential?  I'm going to drip the pan anyway because
>it leaks and needs sealed, so this is more curiosity than anything.
>
>2)      While I have the pan off, is there anything I can adjust to give me
>a more solid reverse?
>
>3)      I understand that if I really want to change all of the fluid with
>new, I will need to drain and refill the system a few times, as a lot of
>fluid remains in the torque converter.  It seems I read to drain and refill
>three times, running the car some and using all gears between each cycle.
>Should I drop and clean the pan each time, or is it enough to do that once?
>If I only do it once, should it be on the first cycle or the last?
>
>4)      I'm not going to try to start a war here, but since this
>transmission is not working perfectly, I decided to invest in synthetic
>transmission fluid.  Any objections?
>
>5)      Anything else I should do while I have the pan off?
>
> 
>
>Thanks everyone!
>
> 
>
> 
>
>Chris
>
> 
>
> 
>
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