Stewart's74

Little background. I pulled the tranny to install a new flexplate. I figured, while I have the trans out I might as well change the torque coverter and put in a shift kit.
This job was a friggin PITA.
I meticulously installed the shift kit. Went in really easy. Bolted up the new flexplate and put the new converter on the trans. Made sure the converter went into position with a clunk.
Put the trans back in, hooked everything back up. Put in fluid, started car. Shifted into gear and nothing happened. Re checked linkage, all hooked up.
Now I'm thinking the converter is the problem. Could it not be seated properly? I figured if it wasnt, them it would have made some noise or something right?
I am stumped. I really am dreading pulling the f-in tranny again.
HEEEEEEEEEEELP!

NHvette

You sound like you have it together better than this - but you did remember to bolt the flex plate to the converter, once it was up - right ?

Oh - and you filled the converter as well as you could before putting it on the
input shaft - right ? (I think this is the problem)

Recheck fluid level ?

Maybe pull a radiator line and see if the fluid is being pumped (briefly).
There is a pressure check port between the shifter shaft and the elecrical
terminal on the drivers side - in neutral it should be 55-75 PSI.

Recheck fluid level.

You didn't use grease or vaseline to hold the ***** in - right ?
If so - maybe it needs to warm up a bit first (clogged valve passageway).

That's all I can think of.

Stewart's74

Yep bolted to the flywheel
Filled converter w/ 1 quart.
I didnt use grease since I installed the kit while the trans was upsude down.
Could my converter not be all the way in?
Warm up? The trans literally does nothing when I shift it to drive etc. nada zip.
Doesnt even feel like it wants to go into gear.


[Modified by Stewart's74, 5:36 PM 7/18/2003]

Larry B.

A VERY common thing to have happen is not getting the manual control valve hooked up correctly. The valve is directly under the roller that selects the gears. There is a slot in the valve that must be picked up. That will require dropping the pan to check but.....

Also... The torque converter holds a lot more than 1 quart. More like 5 or 6. Check the fluid first. When you first fill it it may seem way over full but once it starts then the level can go way down. TH 400's need to be FULL in order to work.

Stewart's74

So do I have to drop the tranny and fill the converter or can I just fill thru the dipstick tube?
Incidently, I double checked the Manual valve. Its hooked up.
So you are saying a converter that is not full will cause the car not to go in gear?


[Modified by Stewart's74, 5:56 PM 7/18/2003]


[Modified by Stewart's74, 6:01 PM 7/18/2003]

Stewart's74

:cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry
I am so bummed.

stpman

That happened to me with a Gran Prix. as stated above check the fluid levels I had to add at least 2 quarts after I started and I put about 2 quarts in the converter. if the fluid is off the stick IT WILL NOT MOVE.
Check a manual or someone might chime in with the amout of fluid a TH400 needs

Steve :steering:


[Modified by stpman, 6:22 PM 7/18/2003]

Chevyguy

Service manual says for a dry TH 400 and converter, add 22 PINTS. Sounds like a lot, but that's what it says :chevy

arrio76

If the trans went up and seated readily to the motor and you were able to spin the torque converter to line up the bolts, then I would think that the torque converter is properly seated in the trans.
How many quarts did you put in the trans to get it to the full mark? Should be near 10 quarts.
Silly question... filter in there correctly? Filter extention tube have the o-ring were it goes into the case?

Ben's75

In the past couple of weeks, I've had to pull my tranny "6" count em, "6" times. Stewart, if you didn't have the converter all the way in, you'd have clearance problems - the tranny wouldn't bolt to the block. I had the same thing happen to me, though - I filled the converter as full as I could get it, and still hold it vertical to attach to the tranny. I then added.... something like 5-6 quarts through the filler tube. If it's low, it won't engage.

Believe me, I feel your pain - I finally had the tranny installed and (I thought) fixed, and when I turned the car on, shifted to "D", the wheels wouldn't spin, even off the ground. But filled it up with fluid the next day :conehead and drove her home.

Ben

Stewart's74

Ladies and Gentlemen, The winner for dumb butt of the year goes to ....you guessed it.
I was about to pull the tranny..again, then I figured, try the easy stuff first.
I poured 5 Qts of fluid into the tranny and guess what. It worked.
Rock and Roll :thumbs:
Now I've got a Neck snapping shift :D
Excuse me while I go smoke the skins off the car :reddevil

Thanks for all your input Al, Larry and Danger Dave. I appreciate it :steering:

isosceles

same thing happened to me last weekend with my shift kit install. I didn't have to pull the tranny, mine was just the valve body mods.
I think the manual called for 7 qts of fluid, so I figured that since I wasn't messing with the torque converter that 4 would do it.
When I got done, mine would not go into gear either, but I suspected fluid. Reading the dipstick can be difficult at times because there is some fluid on it, but not really from the pan. The next morning I bought and added 3 more quarts, and BINGO, it went into gear.

Stewart's74

ttt

Alwyn678

That is AWESOME.......So how are you liking the Stall and the Transo kit?? :cheers:

Stewart's74

Huge difference off the line. Now I've got to get the 3.70 gears :yesnod:

Alwyn678

:reddevil :reddevil Have you popped your neck out of joint yet......I love getting girls to go for rides and not warning them about the shift kit.....When I hit second at around 3k the look on their face is pricesless :lol:

Brettmc

Did the new flexplate fix the starter grind?

Brett :thumbs:

Stewart's74

Brettmc, no more starter grind either! Well......A real man admits his mistakes right? Ok so I had the original flexplate on backwards...yes backwards. :bb It was not allowing enough engagement with the starter pinion thus grinding off the teeth.

Brettmc

That sux. Well, at least you got some way cool tranny upgrades outta that mistake. I was was putting together a 406 to go in my old 69 Camaro and put the distributor gear on the distributor upside down. Took me about 4 hours to finally figure out why that dayum dizzie wouldn't fall all the way down into the block. We all make bonehead moves every now and then. Whatcha really need to worry bout is if ya keep makin the same ones over and over!!

Brett :thumbs: