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I know the 727 Torqueflight is a tough tranny, but I may have done mine in for its final dirt nap. The PU is an 86 W250 w/ 360 and the snow fighter package available in that era. It has plowed snow, small commercial type jobs for 24 years, and has gotten a few band adjustments, filters and fluid changes (odo: 62,000 mi). Yesterday I was using the PU to bring fuel to service one of our tractors 1/4 mile away, so it never even got above 20 mph, and was a cold start. So I got on a somewhat steep slope (4x4 engaged), and take care of the tractor. Evidently the off roading caused the frame to twist or flex a bit, and a steel tranny cooler line cracked off a kinda big rust pimple. I did not know it was pumping out tranny fluid until I tried to back away from the tractor, it wouldn't move, so I chained the tractor to the W250 and pulled it up the slope backwards with motor running at normal idle. Other guy was driving the tractor, so this was not a solo act. When we got to the top of the slope, I could see the oil puddle and oil trail in the dirt.
No problem, I had 1 1/2 qts of tranny fluid and the funnel stashed behind the seat for such events. (It's a farm truck!!). So I put them in the tranny fill pipe figuring that that was probably enough to get Old Blue and me home the 1/4 mile. At that moment it would back up and go forward, but was not the usual positive engagement of gears. I was able to drive without excessive engine RPM, but knew there was some slippage. We got it home to the yard at which time it would not move any further. It had a distinct HOT smell (but I found tranny oil had been squirting on the exhaust crossover and the left frame rail). So the heat and smell could have been from the oil bathing the exhaust pipe (no doubt!!) but also maybe from the tranny itself.
Now your turn in this saga.....did I destroy the tranny, or will it run again without OH. I have not had time today to replace the cracked cooler line (lower one of the 2 lines) and try adding oil to see if it will work. Did I fry the clutch pack, or will it likely survive one of these serious transgressions? I have never run a tranny low on oil before, so I have no idea of its tolerance for such harsh treatment. It will be a couple of days before I can get under its rusty belly and replace the line, so help me out of the suspense. Did I kill it, or is it worth the likely 8 quarts of oil and a new steel line??
Thanks for your thoughts and replys!
Paul in MN
No problem, I had 1 1/2 qts of tranny fluid and the funnel stashed behind the seat for such events. (It's a farm truck!!). So I put them in the tranny fill pipe figuring that that was probably enough to get Old Blue and me home the 1/4 mile. At that moment it would back up and go forward, but was not the usual positive engagement of gears. I was able to drive without excessive engine RPM, but knew there was some slippage. We got it home to the yard at which time it would not move any further. It had a distinct HOT smell (but I found tranny oil had been squirting on the exhaust crossover and the left frame rail). So the heat and smell could have been from the oil bathing the exhaust pipe (no doubt!!) but also maybe from the tranny itself.
Now your turn in this saga.....did I destroy the tranny, or will it run again without OH. I have not had time today to replace the cracked cooler line (lower one of the 2 lines) and try adding oil to see if it will work. Did I fry the clutch pack, or will it likely survive one of these serious transgressions? I have never run a tranny low on oil before, so I have no idea of its tolerance for such harsh treatment. It will be a couple of days before I can get under its rusty belly and replace the line, so help me out of the suspense. Did I kill it, or is it worth the likely 8 quarts of oil and a new steel line??
Thanks for your thoughts and replys!
Paul in MN
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