trans problem

So, in my tractor repair facilities I have my 72 Plymouth parked. It is in the way of anything else fitting in there. A friend of mine painted it this summer and we got it together after it being in pieces for more than 10 years. The problem is that when I drive it the transmission doesn't shift right. I hesitates going into low from P,R,N. Also when in manual low, when I wind it up to 3500 to 4000 rpm it will drop out of gear and into reverse which is a real surprise. The trans is a 727 torque flite, it is out of a 68 pickup. When I got it the front clutches were fried. At the time in worked at a Dodge dealership and had a mechanic review my work on rebuilding it. I did the shift kit in the valve body unsupervised. It seemed to work fine for the time I drove it until I took the body apart.
Yesterday I dropped the pan off of it and I found a lot of shavings and pieces of a clutch disc or maybe a band. Does anyone have any helpful advice? It does drive now but I'm sure something is wrong that will end bad. I know I'm in for a rebuild and thinking a new shift kit too, just to get instructions on how it is supposed to go.
Thanks in advance.

Yep,

If ya wanna ruin a transmission, put in a shift kit.

Allan

Back in the day, I professionally rebuilt hundreds of these transmissions. Actually had Factory training and certification but worked in an independent shop. Any time you find residue like this, it needs rebuilt.
I will follow this post and may be able to help.

Could you tell me more Allen? I've never heard that, but that means nothing.

There is a local transmission shop that does excellent wyrk, and when they rebuild one they put everything in new and warrantee it.
The end result is a happy camper and they don't have to do it over.

I wouldn't let that comment bother you. I have three vehicles that I have personally installed the shift kits in and they are all fine. Two of them even have the manual valve body with the reverse shift pattern. If you are careful and follow the directions you will be fine. Having said that, I think you are still in need of a rebuild. BT

OK. I hadn't heard it before and IIRC Allen was a mechanic for years and has forgotten more than I'll ever know but since I'm asking advice I'll take all I can get.

A shift kit installed on a stock trans will often cause grief from higher than normal clutch/servo pressures, and faster pressure application. If all components are structured to be tougher than stock, it probably will be fine. However it will be less pleasant as a daily driver. Jim

Ok. That clears it up. Thanks for the input

On Chevy/GMC. He'll burn your 727 up not checking the fluid with it hot idling in neutral.

The biggest benefit of a shift kit in a MOPAR trans is increased oil flow to the convertor and allowing the fluid to circulate in park.

You do have the kick down linkage hooked up and adjusted per MOPAR Specs.

Yep. I checked that and it was OK.

Drops out of low and into reverse at 3500 rpm? That can ruin your whole day.
Look at powerflow....
First gear in D: Forward clutch APPLIED. Rear roller clutch HOLDING.
Second gear in D: Forward clutch APPLIED. Intermediate band APPLIED. Rear roller clutch OVERRUNNING.
Third gear in D: Forward clutch APPLIED, Direct clutch APPLIED.
First gear in MANUAL LOW: Forward clutch APPLIED, LOW/Reverse band APPLIED.
Reverse: Direct clutch APPLIED, Low/reverse band holding.
You have a situation that is somehow causing the oil flow to go to the direct clutch instead of the forward clutch. Seems to point to an issue with the valve body - specifically the shift kit.
I would recommend that you send away for a rebuild manual from ATSG. They can be found on eBay or are generally available from transmission rebuilder supply houses. You may have a valve or spring in backwards or in the wrong place.

Just a few thoughts on shift kits....
In general, shift kits are aftermarket people second-guessing the engineers that designed the transmission. Sometimes they will seemingly improve shift quality or lubrication, but mostly with a compromise in another area. In general, transmissions (automatic) are designed, tested, and developed by 50-million-dollar engineering and development departments with almost unimaginable levels of talent. I don't trust a handful of Saturday afternoon NASCAR enthusiasts tinkering with a transmission to be superior talent (my opinion).
Also, some shift kits involve replacing stock parts with non-standard parts to work with their mods. For example, a different valve body or separator plate gasket. Next rebuild, and stock parts are installed, and the transmission does not work right or just burns out prematurely. I am aware that the 727 does nor use valve body gaskets. I have rebuilt many of them. I just don't trust shift kits.

I have a service manuel for an 84 dodge truck. The basics are the same with the differences being a lockup converter, partial throttle downshift, and band torques. It says basically what you did, in reverse the front clutches and the rear band are engaged. In Low just the rear band is engaged. This leads me to believe that something is telling the front clutches to engage when the pressure gets high? Maybe the pressure relief is set too high(this was one adjustment of the shift kit) or something is "leaking" by and engaging them. Its going to be a winter project anyway. Just confused me since horsepower isn't my enemy here(318 with a cam and head work) and a 727 is supposed to handle up to 1200 HP with mods. I'm guessing it has to do with the shift kit or the installer

Look up Goerend transmission, they'll ask what you've got, what you want it to do, and they'll send you out a complete rebuild kit, valve body, and torque convertor that will do just that. As long as you aren't smoking crack when you talk to them.

ATS is good too, but they concentrate on diesels.

Thx. I'm going to need all that stuff so I might as well get good things.