Why wouldn't a '98 Plymouth Voyager go into reverse?

Answer 1

My '96 Voyager, w/ 2.4L & 3 speed hydraulic tranny wouldn't go in reverse. I replaced with a rebuilt tranny. I took the old one apart recently to save the internals & do a forensics exam (discarding case since top mount broke in an accident years ago). I found that the rear piston had a torn rubber ring. That likely caused the problem since the rear band controls 1st & reverse. It could have torn from a burr on a side hole, but the rubber looks too soft. I suspect the rubber ring was damaged by adding "stop leak", which I recall I tried since the front seal had been leaking. It didn't fix the leak and I think they work by swelling rubber parts. I will never use it again. I probably caused the front seal leak by beating the crankshaft pulley with a sledgehammer (long story - inadvertently swaged crank to pulley during a timing belt change). I think you can remove the rear piston with the tranny in the vehicle. I didn't pay real close attention, but I think you would have to remove the valve body. Re-installing is trickier than old RWD Torqueflites, as I recall you have to reach above the valve body and pull a spring lever back on the shift detent cam, requiring 3 hands. Anyway, with the piston exposed (after removing band lever), you need to remove a large circlip. I was able to so using needle-nose pliers. You have to wiggle the clip around the piston cover while compressed and it kept popping off my pliers. The proper tool would make it easy. I haven't checked how to get a replacement rubber ring or piston assembly.