Classic Automatic gearbox 1991

Hi- I need some expert opinion on the automatic gearbox of my RRC 91, 3.9 efi please. A leak sprung on the rubber pipe to the oil cooler on a recent hunting trip. Repaired the leak and refilled with transmission oil. Level confirmed after shifting through the gears and in neutral with engine running. Now unfortunately shifting up in gears only happens at revolutions close to 4800!

Perhaps I should check the filter first?

I'm not a transmission expert, but it could be that the effect of running low on fluid has caused some debris inside the 'box to move around.
How much fluid did you add & what's the service history of the 'box ?

Does manually shifting change the situation ?

Good morning. Thank you for supporting my thoughts on this. I have added 6.5 litres and according to the box's dipstick it is n level. Yet I've checked the capacity of the box and it shows 9.1 litres - source Porter manuals step by step service guide. I am going to add some more and see what happens. Luckily I got hold of a filter kit locally ( otherwise had to import it as spares are running low in SA on these models). Do you have any experience of the Lucas transmission additive perhaps? Various claims of being the answer for my particular problem are floating around on the internet, yet I am always careful not to add stuff like this.

So here is my plan:

Step 1: add some more oil, let the box heat up and take her for a short drive.
If no improvement then
Step2: heat up the oil and drain it. Loosen the pipe after the oil cooler and try to get more oil out by running the engine in drive. Add fresh oil and repeat.
Step 3 replace the filter and o-ring kit.
Step 4: hope for the best!

Don't add more oil to the box, 6.5l is about right. The rest is in the torque convertor, oil cooler and pipes.

Get a couple of transmission pipe O rings before you start. Use a flare nut spanner if you have one the right size. Take off the pipe running from the transmission to the cooler, put the end in a bucket and start the car. Watch the flow carefully and AS SOON as you see it start to falter, turn the engine off. Don't run it past this point as you will damage the pump. Put the hose back on.

Drain the sump, pull the pan, do the service, back together, fill to the mark on the dipstick, start her up, cycle the gears, check the level whilst running, add more oil to bring it up to the mark whilst running.

You still won't get all the oil out, but it will be a good start.

Whatever you do, don't add any after market transmission fixes, they will cause you grief.

As said, don't use snake oil !
Good luck with the cross member removal.
Hope all goes well & your actions cure the problem.

Presumably you used automatic transmission fluid and NOT oil?
Possibly the new fluid has stirred up a lot of the very fine debris that builds up on surfaces within the gearbox - common with the ZF box - and this can then find its way into the governor and cause it to stick.
Possibly the filter is blocked/partially blocked - also a common issue - replace.
Only refill to the correct level. 9 litres is for a completely empty system and you cannot get all the old fluid out as a lot will be retained inside the torque converter which can't be drained in situ.
This might be of interest: Ashcroft Transmissions (ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk)

Ratae said:

Presumably you used automatic transmission fluid and NOT oil?
Possibly the new fluid has stirred up a lot of the very fine debris that builds up on surfaces within the gearbox - common with the ZF box - and this can then find its way into the governor and cause it to stick.
Possibly the filter is blocked/partially blocked - also a common issue - replace.
Only refill to the correct level. 9 litres is for a completely empty system and you cannot get all the old fluid out as a lot will be retained inside the torque converter which can't be drained in situ.
This might be of interest: Ashcroft Transmissions (ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk)

Click to expand...

Guys, thank you. I was some 350 km away from Cape Town in rural areas- got hold of automatic transmission fluid (Total Fluidmatic IIIG). So yes that was the best I could find at a farners coop in Barrydale where the car got stuck.

I now await my kit from Johannesburg and will jump in along the general advice from you guys.

if it is the governor that got stuck...will the draining and cleaning get it going again or will time tell the answer to that one?
Best

Noiriht said:

Guys, thank you. I was some 350 km away from Cape Town in rural areas- got hold of automatic transmission fluid (Total Fluidmatic IIIG). So yes that was the best I could find at a farners coop in Barrydale where the car got stuck.

I now await my kit from Johannesburg and will jump in along the general advice from you guys.

if it is the governor that got stuck...will the draining and cleaning get it going again or will time tell the answer to that one?
Best

Click to expand...

Fingers crossed.

Make sure you use Dextron III oil or compatible. Later spec oil isn’t necessarily better.

Noiriht said:

if it is the governor that got stuck...will the draining and cleaning get it going again or will time tell the answer to that one?
Best

Click to expand...

It might. Hopefully you will be lucky.

If it doesn't then you will need to remove it and clean it.
Requires the transfer box to be removed and then the rearmost part of the gearbox itself.

Can be done without having to remove the gearbox from the engine but helps to have the transfer box mounting plate shown in the RRC factory manual as it makes removal & replacement vastly easier.
I made the one for the LT230 transfer box which fits on my trolley jack & makes the transfer on/off job simple.
A transmission jack may also work.

Thank you guys. Much appreciated!

Morning All. Hope you guys are all well and still in love with that thing called "Land Rover"...even though, ok, let us leave it at that...

My "Dearest Rangie" - yes the one that is not shifting up in gears here under discussion- shifted down perfectly fine from 4th to one during the times I did get her into Drive ( as explained at very high revolutions). Still awaiting my filter kit from Johannesburg so I am looking at the kickdown cable. That has plenty of slack on it and I think to adjust that. If this tension is out the shifting up might be influenced? Right?

What is the best way to adjust that? I am reading the manual but unfortunately do not have those measuring tools...practical advice please guys.

Wishing you a great day! Best.

Noiriht said:

Morning All. Hope you guys are all well and still in love with that thing called "Land Rover"...even though, ok, let us leave it at that...

My "Dearest Rangie" - yes the one that is not shifting up in gears here under discussion- shifted down perfectly fine from 4th to one during the times I did get her into Drive ( as explained at very high revolutions). Still awaiting my filter kit from Johannesburg so I am looking at the kickdown cable. That has plenty of slack on it and I think to adjust that. If this tension is out the shifting up might be influenced? Right?

What is the best way to adjust that? I am reading the manual but unfortunately do not have those measuring tools...practical advice please guys.

Wishing you a great day! Best.

Click to expand...

Adjusting the KD cable is covered on the ashcroft site linked to above....

KDC's do break - so this might be your issue - it half sounds like it to me.

Also, IMO, do not run the engine with any of the pipe's disconnected - the potential for disaster is too great - a seconds inattention and your AT is toast - depending on the year of your AT, you might have a drain plug in the TQ - have a nosy on the tube for Mr China's exploits with chocolate sauce.... in that case, he had the removable cover on the BH, but no plug on the TQ .... Good old LR

Are you thinking of the cover plate FRC2859 on the lower part of the bellhousing?

Ratae said:

Are you thinking of the cover plate FRC2859 on the lower part of the bellhousing?

Click to expand...

Possibly - rather, I'm relaying what China said in the video I mentioned - I've never seen a cover plate on an AT BH - and I own three of 'em - and seen "a few" others... so

Not seen a zf on a classic without one.
Although I expect there will be some that have been removed and left off!.

Hi guys. Update. My problem ended up beingvthe kickdown cable - it jumped off the cam. I have put it back on. Next a new filter will be fitted and then I need once again some help: how to adjust the kickdown cable...

Best

See post #6 above.

Regarding oil in the face taking off the valve body - I have managed to skio that by draing the transmission fluid on day 1, putting the drain plug back on. Then on day 3 I have drained the second batch - a further roughly 2 litres. On day 6 I have removed the valve body and got 2 droplets of oil above my left eye as proof. The car's front wheels are on a ramp, I had safety glasses on and moved around underneath the car with my six-wheeler creeper.

As you've removed the valve body you'll need to reset its position unless you marked its location before removing it.
See your other post, I've put a link to the factory manual.