torqueflite vs. loadflite

[F Cicalese]

Can anyone tell me the difference between a 904 torqueflite, and a 999 loadflite? I know one is for cars and one for trucks, but what are the mechanical diffs, and are they interchangable? Further, does a 999 loadflite even exist, or are loadflites only built as 727? H E L P !!!

[451boy]

I know that a 727 Loadflite is basically the same as a 727 Torqueflite. I've pulled both apart and compared them. The Loadflite valve body had some extra holes in it but I'm not sure what function, if any, those holes served. Otherwise they seemed to be about the same. I don't know about the 904/999 question. Only Loadflites I've heard of were 727 based but who knows. The marketing guys can hang that name on anything they want. They proved that when they started to call the little crackerboxes by names which used to only hang on C bodies!

[72Challenger]

Not sure about the Loadflites either, but the difference between a 904, 998 and 999 is this: the 904 was used behind 6 cylinder engines and has 3 front and 2 rear clutch plates, while the 998 came behind 318s and has 4 front and 3 rear clutch plates, and the 999 is for the 360 and has 5 front and 3 rear clutch plates. The 999 also has 2 possible low gear ratios, 2.45:1 or 2.74:1. They are all refered to generically as the 904.

[txs]

challenger, I don't think they ever made a 2 plate rear clutch, I know from the early 70s on they were all 3 or 4 plate, even the 2.0 mitubishi rear drives. The clutches can be easily changed anyway, the 2 things that are different in the 999s from the light duty 904 that can't be changed are the larger diameter k/d piston and the double wrap L/R band (the anchor for the band is totally different). This same thing is also the major difference between the 518 and 618. The different gear ratios is not a 999 versus 904 thing but the date made, as the light duty units also got the wide ratio gears. 999s started in 75 I think, for the cordobas. In 1980 MY they started the wide ratios and for 82 MY the standard ratio was no longer available.

[72Challenger]

I've never rebuilt a "true" 904, so I can't say for sure, but I got the info about the clutches from the Mopar Performance Chassis Book, 1994 edition. Ditto for the ratios. I do know that they are right about the 998, because I just got done redoing mine. I know the original Direct Connection books (which I also have) were a compilation of their bulletins, and some were out of date by the time the books were published. But I would think by '94 they would have had current info about the rations available in '80 and '82. Wouldn't be the first time a book was wrong, though.

[F Cicalese]

Hay guys, thanks for the input. I've got a 318 with a "999" behind it that was just rebuilt before the engine went away. I also have a 72 Dart with a 318 and a "904" that's feeling kind of sick. the swap of the 999 into the Dart should only take a couply of hours, RIGHT? Everything looks the same, but I'm a little worried about the torque converter and fly wheel. Any Pointers?

[F Cicalese]

By the way, that 999 is in an 86 B150 Van

[txs]

FC, both of them being 318s the converter and flex plate won't be an issue, I don't think the 904s have 2 different converter bolt patterns like the 727s. That 999 should be good hd unit, only issue might be the governor weights, some of the trucks have fairly low shift points. I don't know if you've ever r&red a tranny, on the chryslers you need to be sure the converter is all the way back in the pump before tightening the bellhousing bolts, I have fixed several that have been bit by that mistake. The flex plate bolt hole pads on the converter should be about an inch behind the bellhousing to block mounting surface when the converter is fully seated in the pump.

[txs]

FC, Looking through the application chart I don't see a 1986 999 that isn't lockup. If it is a lockup you can convert it to non lockup or rig up a toggle switch to control the lockup function.