sounds like the rear clutch frictions are toast. sticking servo maybe. But because its a 4 wheel drive, I'll guess the clutch frictions.

 

drop the pan and if it has a thick mud-like substance, that is the material from the clutch frictions. The key here is that it goes into reverse but not into drive. reverse uses a different drum than forward.

 

ouch.. time to start looking for another transmission..
call the local U-Pull-It yards, sometimes they'll pull it for you for a fee,
then all you have to do is pick it up.
Or you could get that one rebuilt..

Or, if money is really tight for you at present,
you could try the following for a temporary fix -

Clean out the pan.

While the pan is down, adjust the Low/Reverse band.
also adjust the kickdown band on the outside of the case
(follow published procedures & specs for your vehicle).

Install a new filter and reinstall the cleaned pan.

If you saved your old trans fluid, strain it through a new Scotchbrite pad
in a deep funnel, into a clean container (you will re-use half of it).

The other half of the fluid will be replaced by 2 bottles of
Lucas Transmission Fix, and for the remainder use Type F
transmission fluid.

If you did not save the old fluid, use the 2 bottles of Lucas Transmission Fix
and all Type F fluid.

You can add a shotglass full of brake fluid to the mix as well.

Make certain that you do not overfill the trans.

Make certain that your kickdown linkage is hooked up & adjusted properly.

"Baby" the car while you drive it, and let the new fluid circulate and
do it's job, and you might get another few weeks or a month or two
out of that transmission, depending on how bad it was fried..
Remember - it's a temporary fix, just so you can keep the thing rollin
till next payday or till you find another trans or are ready to have
that one rebuilt..

I can hear a lot of you laughing at this "ghetto" method of
getting a little more life out of a tired transmission,
but I've done this a number of times over the years
and it's always worked for me..
Key points are:
> Do not overfill the trans (any trans, ever)
> Use the 2 bottles of Lucas & the Type F
> Maintain proper fluid level if the trans is a "leaker"
(and if it is - add another shot glass of brake fluid first,
then top off w/ Type F).
> Make certain that your kickdown linkage is hooked up & adjusted properly.
If it's not - all bets are off..

Notes: If the kickdown is not connected or not adjusted properly,
and/or the trans was operated in a low fluid or overfilled condition,
and/or you often manually shifted up & down all the time
(especially at heavy throttle) then any or all of those reasons
may be why the trans is dying..
then again, it just may have gone too long without proper maintenance..

Good luck

 

I am not a professional transmission mechanic,
but I have played one on TV..


but seriously, just call around, parts stores, tranny shops,
ask your friends..
If you've never done one, then you wouldn't have the special tools anyhow..
Often your best bet is to buy a remanufactured trans,
it'll come w/ a warranty too.

 

Rebuilding a 727 is not that hard at all. Most people can do it and there are no special tools required, just a detailed step by step instruction manual and an extensive tool collection. You can pick up rebuild kits for them anywhere. I would go with a TCI kit, by that is me. Call around to local tranny shops also, see how much they charge to rebuild it if you pull it and bring it down.

You can buy a second hand one but who knows how long that one will last and if its really in that much better shape than yours. A new one is several hundred dollars too and you have to make sure that it has the right output shaft and length for your t-case.

By the pics, I'd say that it would need a rebuild. You can try to clean out/replace the fliter and clean the pan, put it back together and see what happens.