[Rovernet] Transmission help, please

[James Radcliffe]

Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2016 18:52:10 -0700
From: LANCE LA CERTE PSY D <lacpsyd6 at msn.com>
To: Rovernet <rovernet at rovernet.org>
Subject: [Rovernet] Transmission help, please
Message-ID: <BLU169-W2B96DAE65513508B3C67783AF0 at phx.gbl>
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1970 P6B      Rebuilt BW35 with about 1,500 miles since rebuild. Transmission (never my favorite to begin with) ran just fine except for the perfunctory 'clunk' downshifting from 2nd to 1st.  Ran across RCCC article and discovered after all of these years that I was apparently using the wrong ATF----Had been using Dextron/MecronIII (apparently even in the rebuild by the mechanic).   Article indicated I need an F Type (i.e., Ford, pre 1977) as this would make all of the difference.
Since replacing with the F type ATF the transmission is slippery as hell.  The biggest shock was that the  "clunk"  was almost gone, BUT, any attempts at acceleration from a stop, the engine would just spin, then lurch into gear.   After about 15 minutes of driving shifting was pretty normal, but it feels like the car has no torque and takes its sweet time getting up to speed. The shifting from 1st to 2nd to 3rd seems to happen very quickly.
I'm wondering a variety of things  1) Do I need to make 2 more complete flushes of the tranny to get all of the Dextron out (as noted in the RCCC article) before I do anything else?
2) Over the years I and several mechanics have tried to 'cheat' the clunk by adjusting the downshift cable.    Do I now need to think about re-adjusting it because the fluid is 'correct'
I'm just shocked at how a different transmission fluid can make such a difference, but am clueless about how to correct my new problems.  I was really spooked by the RCCC article when it indicated that not running the F type would result in early tranny failure.   I feel like I'm heading for failure right now with F fluid.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Lance

Lance La Certe, Psy.D.
Outside of a dog, a person's best friend is a book.  Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.

Where was the transmission rebuilt?  If the rebuild kit was from an Australian supplier then it would have most likely been supplied with Dextron compatible friction material. I have had my transmission serviced in my Rover 2000 (also a BW35)  and the mechanic would refill with Dextron. Then I have topped off with type F. I would check with the re builder and ask where the clutches were sourced from and are they Dextron compatible.

Type F is a much less slippy fluid. It should give very harsh sudden gear changes.

What was the fluid like which you drained out like? Was it clean, or did it look like there was a lot of friction material floating around? The friction material in the fluid may be what was making your transmission work okay.

I would suggest posting your question at classicroverforum.net  A good transmission bloke, HarveyP6 would have a good idea of what might be going on.

Yes to get all the Dextron out, you would have to change a few more times. A lot of fluid sits in the torque converter.

James