http://webpages.krausonline.com/spaul/Trans.html

This transmission was used in all Auto trans equipped Front Wheel drive Chrysler products beginning in the late 70's until 1989, when the New A 604 Ultradrive electronic 4 speed trans was introduced, and the 3 speed was used less and less. The 3 speed is still used today in the Neon.
The transmission has been called by several different names, but they are all basically the same transmission with minor changes to the case to accept different engines as follows:

A-404     used with the 1.7 liter engine
A-413     used with the 2.2 and 2.5 liter engine. Available with or without lockup converters.
A-415     used with the 1.6 liter engine
A-470     used with the 2.6 liter MMC engine
A-670     used with the 3.0 liter V-6 MMC engine, came with the lock up converter.

It appears that the V-6 and turbo transmissions have 4 clutch disc packs, Where the others only have 3 or less.
 
 

I have went through a few steps for "freshening up" a transmission. I would strongly recommend buying the transmission rebuild manual from:

Automatic Transmission Service Group (ATSG)
9200 S. Dadeland Blvd.
Suite 720
Miami, FL  33156
(305) 670-4161 or 1-800-245-7722

I bought mine from J C Whitney. Go here to order and get info.
 

You could also get the Factory service manual.  I think it actually includes more info than the ATSG manual, but it is also much more expense than the $12.99 The ATSG book cost!  Do not buy the Chiltons book on transmission repair for all domestic cars from 84 to 89. It is over 800 pages and includes step by step instructions on all transmissions except the 3 speed chrysler. It does have a large section on the 4 speed electronic 4 speed. I called to Chiltons to complain that they included a trans barely used in 89 only, but left out the main transmission used by Chrysler. You can guess what there response was.....
 
 

Chrysler uses 4 main bolt head sizes, 10 mm, 13 mm, 15 mm, 18 mm. You must have these sizes in both deep and shallow sockets and wrenches.
You will also need a 8 mm socket for work on the transmission.
A 32 mm socket to pull the axles.
2 Jack stands and a floor jack. Also either another jack, blocking, or one of those "over the engine" bars to support the engine while the trans is out.
Regular and Phillips Screw drivers
A set of TORX bits. I use a "Eklind" fold out set, like the hex key sets.
Pliers, Channel Locks, Vise Grips.
Electric drill and small (3 or 4 inch dia) wire brush wheel for it (to clean off gaskets)
Feeler Gauge set

Several cans of Carbuter Cleaner for cleaning off parts
8 quarts of 7176 (ATF+3) Transmission fluid
Rebuild kit (got mine from the dealer $65)
RTV Gasket sealer

Anyway, step one:  Pull the transmission. Below are some notes, but are not a step by step:

First--- Take the car to a spray car wash and really clean the transmission well. It should be almost sterile when you open it.

You must pull both axles.  Not too bad, Go here for instructions on pulling axles

The flywheel bolts to the torqe conveter only one way. One bolt hole is off center. It is the slotted bolt hole in the fly wheel. In order to easliy re-alain the converter to the flywheel when you put the trans back in, you should mark the two before you unbolt them.  As soon as I pulled the dust cover, I sprayed some spray paint up in there on the flywheel and converter to mark them.

You must raise the vehicle and put in on jack stands! No exceptions! Do not even consider crawling under the car without it being securly held up. Before you are through with this "transmission remove and replace", you will have pulled, pushed, pryed, cussed, and done everything you can to knock the car off a regular jack, so don't try it.  I place my jack stands under the K frame, behind the engine so they don't interfere with access to the front.

I have lowered the trans with a floor jack with a board between the jack and trans pan, but I prefer to use a engine lift crane (Cherry Picker) and lift the trans from the top and lower it down to the floor from above. Easier to lift back up into the car with  picker too. There is a threaded bolt hole close to the timing access hole that I bolted the chain to. This puts the transmission at about the right angle to mate to the engine.

You must support the engine before you disconnect the transmission. I just put a jack under the oil pan with a board on it to keep from denting the oil pan.

The front motor mount can be left attached to engine block (two bolts) but I had to loosen them for realignment when I put the trans back in. The drivers side mount has 3 bolts to the trans, and one long bolt throught the mount. Take out all four bolts so the mount is completley separte form everything

Transmission fluid should be drained before you start. It will run out of the axle holes at the worst times! (like when you are under it) You pull the pan to drain the fluid. Put the pan back on after draining it to protect it.
 
 

The basic driving parts of the transmission that control which gear you are in consist of two "clutch packs", and two "bands"  These act upon a planetary gear set which give you three forward and one reverse gear by stopping (or turning) the different gears in the planetary set. Which gear is which speed is not that important.
The clutches are in "drums", and the band wrap around and squeeze the drums.  If the clutch is compressed, power will travel straight through the assembly. If the band is tightened, the drum cannot turn.  The drums are attached to the ring gear, and the front clutch pack is attached to the rear clutch pack.
Difficult to explain, but the point is, through different combinations of clutch and band engagement, the gears are shifted.

IN "DRIVE":
In 'first" gear, The rear clutch is engaged, everything else is loose.
In "second" gear, The rear clutch stays engaged, but at the shift to second, the front band tightens on the front clutch drum.
While in second gear, the rear clutch and front band are tight. At the shift to third, the front band loosens, and the front clutch tightens. In third gear, both clutches are tight, both bands are loose.

In reverse, the rear band tightens, along with the front clutch.

From the above we can see the following:
The only time the rear is "engaged" is when the shifter is moved to D. It remains engaged in all forward gears. If yours is slipping in all forward gears this could be the problem. I would guess this is the "neutral drop damage clutch"
A loose 1-2 shift could be a loose front band (adjusted outside the case)
A loose 2-3 shift could be worn front clutch disc.
The 2-3 engine flare up is caused when the front band lets go faster than the front clutch engages. The clutches are not 'self adjusting", so the more they wear, the longer the stroke to tighten them. The longer the stroke, the longer it takes to shift.
Any problem can be caused by dirty fluid or a filter. I will not discuss change intervals, but before you decide on a rebuild, pull the pan, look around, and put in a new filter and fluid. You may be suprised at the improvments!
 
 

If the transmission is not clean, clean it.
If you pulled the pan to drain the fluid, and it was full of metal parts or shavings, I would consider getting a new transmission. You may discover the cause of the metal, but it will be difficult to clean completely, especially the converter. This will cause shifting problems with the valve body and governor.

First, temporayally tighten the front band ajustment bolt. this will hold everthing inside the case while you pull the front pump.
The picture shows it very loose. you must tighten it pretty snug.

 

Pull the pump out the bell housing
I used two 3/8 bolts about 6 inches long, and pulled them out with a hammer.
Two of the bolt holes a threaded so the 3/8 bolts thread into them.
They are actually metric 8 mm bolts, but regular 3/8" bolts will work, just a little loose.

 

The pump actually comes out pretty easy. You can almost pull it out just by grabbing the 3/8" bolts,
but I used a claw hammer for a little leverage.

After the pump is out, loosen then front band bolt again so you can get out the clutch drums and the front band.
When you loosen the adjustment bolt, the small "H" bar will fall out, probably into the pan.

 
 

Here are the parts as they came out:

My kit did not come  with replacement bands, and mine looked ok to me. I dont think they wear
out too often. I just left my rear band installed. This as far as I took down the cluch and gear
section of the transmission. My gears worked ok, it just slipped in gear.

Thr front and rear clutch drums slide off each other, and the input shaft.
To replace the clutch plates, just remove the snap ring:

They come out in alternating between the clutch disc and the steel. Pay attention to
the order they come out in.

 

This is how you check the clearance. Mine was LOOSE!
I could stick a 16 penny nail in the gap! The "H" bar is next to the clutch drum.
You should check the clutch clearances before and after installing the new plates.

 #
4539124 is about .110 thick and # 4539123 is about .097 thick.
You want about 40 to 50 thou clearance. Set the rear clutch at the low limit
on the spec too.
 
 

thanks to Paul Smith for the info/work

click to go to his web site
 
 
 

The differential:

To remove the differential, remove the stamped steel cover (10 mm socket) then the 4 long bolts on the pass side bearing support, and the 6 shorter bolts from the drivers side (shown above still installed) All three of  these items are installed with only silicone. Use normal practice to remove the cover. It will spill fluid. To remove the axle bearing supports, the must be twisted back and forth to work them out. To move the Speedometer side (shown loose above) I stuck a wooden hammer handle into the speedometer gear hole and used it to lever the support back and forth, breaking the silicone seal.  On the drivers side, I put two of the bolts back in the holes, but made sure they did not go in far enough to keep the support from turning when I used a small pry bar to apply a twist to the housing. In the picture, I am pressing down on the bar, twisting the support.  The diff. will fall out when both are loose.

Note. It is not required that you remove the differential but you MUST remove the steel cover and inspect the unit for damage. The spider gear shaft will fall out:

 
 

Lots of people ask what is involved in installing the Manual Valve body. Remove the shifter arms from the top, then the bolts marked.
The yellow circles mark the bolts that hold the valve body into place. 10 mm socket. the two lower yellow circles on the left mark the park pawl retainer. I have found it easiest to remove the bolts, then swap the park rod over to the new valve body after it is out. (13 mm)  The yellow arrow marks the governor pressure lines that will just pull out when you remove the valve body. the red circle marks the pressure adjustment screw. Loosen it to raise the pressure!

 
 

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