Thread: Th350 experts needed....help!!!

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I wondered about the ability for a trans shop to hook up a gauge to some port, like you mention, Pat. Tomorrow I may go by one trans shop I see locally and pick their brain and see if I can slip some cash to one of their guys to stop at our shop and see what he can find. It has to be something dumb, like the TC not engaging. When we pulled the pan down everything inside there is really spotless and the gaskets all look new, so I think they did a good job on the transmission.

However, I told Dan some of the suggestions you guys have given us, and we will do those tomorrow night for sure. Also, Dan says to thank all of you for all the great suggestions and help. I appreciate it as well.

I think I am going to take up checkers..........how much trouble can that get you into????

Don

I've been trying to find any additional info I could on the internet and just found a thread on some forum where a guy has exactly the same problem we do....ie, no gears and no fluid going to cooler. He installed a second rebuilt trans and it did exactly the same thing. It was suggested that he may not have the tc seated all the way back to engage the pump tangs. The one poster said there are three clicks you need to make by spinning the tc. The first one engages the input shaft, the second one engages something else, and the third one engages the pump. He said it is easy to think you have all three engaged because the tc will clear the flexplate.

That is very much what a lot of you on here hinted at, so tomorrow night the tc will get unbolted and we will see what we have. Thanks again, all.

Don

Well, I feel for Danny, this is a definite morale stomper.

Early in the thread my thought was the same as Pat's first comment. Now I'm wondering if at any of the times the engine and trans were bolted together with the TC in there were the bolts used to draw the trans up to the mounting flange rather than it seating fully "on it's own". If so, the pump would have been damaged probably due to improper seating of the TC.

The second thought is that something (improperly located check ball, incorrectly installed circuit plate, some debris, lots of choices) is blocking fluid flow in the valve body. If it were just the pump a chance that could be done in the car, but unfortunately you'll more likely have to pull it out.

Sorry guys.

well the bad news is if the stall was not back on the pump lugs you can screw up the pump it happens .if the converter needs to be all the way back when you bolt the trans up and pull the converter up to the flex /auto fly wheel. so if the fly wheel was put on the wrong way /off set on the fly wheel. then the pads on the fly wheel where the converter bolts up will be the wrong way pulling the converter away from the pump and keeping the pump from working as the converter spins you may see some movement more of free wheeling as the input is in the stator but the converter drive lugs are not in the front pump to build PSI for the clutch packs and bands to make the trans work so i would bet on this

That is my fear, Pat, that some damage has now been done to the pump lugs. I know for sure the flexplate is on the right direction as B and M mark it very well, but I am not sure how far forward we had to pull the tc with the bolts because it was so long ago. I imagine that to replace the pump the trans comes out? I don't see that happening from under the car with it still in.

We haven't thrown in the towel yet on trying to get it going for Billetproof, but it sure isn't looking good.

Don

how much fluid have you put in ? ..takes 10 to 12 quarts if i remember corectly .. we always started our cars and went immediately to reverse with new rebuilds .. something about reverse picked up fluid quicker ..

Is it making any noise when the the engine is running? wrirring noise or anything? It sure sounds like either pump to me. If the convertor was not seated in the the pump tabs and the engine has been started a few times,you can bet there is some damage by now.

Don, I don't want to pour on an already damp parade, but It's gonna have to come out. I have been there before and kidded myself that I could do something without pulling it. It doesn't sound like it's pumping any fluid. You may even damage clutches by running it like that. I believe you will either find pump drive damaged, or if memory serves, I believe you can install drive gear back wards in the pump, and I think the drive taps are offset, so installed back wards the converter will not engage the tabs. Either way you need to check the converter, and the pump drive. And I know the feeling, I have had several in my life that at one point I would have pushed off a cliff.......... Actually have one now, a silly trans leak, just a drip, but I can't find the source, and stop it..............

but i would`nt take it back out till i could finish buttoning every thing up .. go ahead and put the chunk and driveshaft in and try some more .. may simply be an air pocket at the pump .. get full pressure up and see what gives ..did you pour some fluid in the convertor before you slid it in ?

why do you have to lift the body. why not pull the engine and trans out the front ?

Wow! That's great of him to offer that to you. I'm sure it will be remembered by all who reads this and we'll remember Jackson as a place to support!
Brian

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

why do you have to lift the body. why not pull the engine and trans out the front ?

We could pull just the engine, Pat, but we stand less chance of scratching something if we get the body totally out of the way. It is so tight under there, and so much stuff in the way of sliding it forward that it is really the only way to do it. Knowing Dan, there will be towels and blankets draped over everything.

Yep, OMB, I was surprised too by their offer to send a new one down free. To be honest, all my dealings with them before this have been just fine. The trans in my 23 came from them, Dans trans also. Plus I have a C6 sitting and another TH sitting for my own rpu project. Their prices were good and they have something like a 3500 , 100% positive rating on Ebay. I guess I just jumped the gun and got upset a little too soon. (My Sons accuse me of that all the time ).

Don

I thought we found the solution tonight, but it didn't end up that way. We removed the 3 torque convertor to flexplate bolts and spun the convertor while it was up touching the flexplate, there was no resistance at all, it spun as if it wasn't connected to the pump inside the trans. Then I turned the TC while applying pressure to the rear and it dropped back 3/16 of an inch and seated into something, and there was resistance when you turned it by hand.

I think the guy from B and M said there should be no more than 1/16 inch between the TC and flexplate when installed, so that the bolts only pull it up that far and not out of the pump lugs. So we made up some 3/16 shims to go between the TC and flexplate and bolted it back up. Started the engine, and still not pumping anything or engaging any gears.

So, possibly running it without it being engaged damaged the pump. I think I remember seeing round plates that go between a flexplate and the crank flange, and maybe that is what we omitted originally. In any event, we don't want to even see the car for a while, until we feel like pulling the body and getting the trans out so we can take it to a shop.

This car hobby is SO much fun.

Thanks again to all who offered help.

Don

A litle update. Spoke to Jackson Performance Transmissions today, they didn't realize this one is the BOP bolt pattern and they have none of those in stock to send us. They say they are hard to come by. So, we are going to palletize Dan's and ship it up to them at their Ohio facility, where they will go through it and repair whatever is wrong. I think that is very fair of them, in fact, more than fair since we bought it at least 4 years ago.

Don is going to be needing a C4 for his 46 project, and I hope he goes to them for that one.

Dan's new 9 inch rear center section came in today (4:11's this time) and this weekend will be spent pulling the body off and installing the rear end. We've decided Billetproof is out of the question, so now we can slow down a little and stop killing ourselves to get the car running. Dan and I both need a rest.

Don

You can make it--we do more work than that between rounds of racing