[DaCajun]

Ok I can use some input from you pros if I may. I bought a SBC and a turbo 400 from a guy a few years ago. Well I ended up trading this motor and trans to a friend after it stayed in storage for a few years. Oh let me get this detail out, when I bought the motor and trans I saw the car run and drive before the guy pulled it out of his drag car. Now the friend that I did the trade with loans it out to some other guys that I don't care for nor do I trust one bit. These guys have a very shaddy past but nevertheless he loaned it to them not me. Anyway they install the trans in a car and nothing. So said when put it any gear it did nothing. This friend of mine takes the trans to another friend of a friend to have it checked out and they guy pulls the pan and the front pump. He said a clip in the linkage within the pan was missing and would not allow the trans to go into any gear. Well I now have the trans here in my garage and I pull the pan and the linkage looks good to me. And I cannot see what this guy was talking about as the linkage looks pretty simple to me with no clip to even go missing. So I look at the front pump which is loose just two bolts kinda holding it in place. I go and give the pressure valve a look at and you can tell someone had been pushing on it as it has some witness marks of metal on metal contact. I'm not too much alarmed about that as I can see that as a way to see it moves freely with no binding. Well I remove the C-clip and take out the pressure valve and there is a bit of scarring on the aluminum valve. I can take some pics of this if needed. My question is, would this be likely the problem? The fluid is very clean, doesn't smell burnt at all. As a matter of fact the fluid looks fresh as new and the inside of the trans looks real good. It is a mildly built th400 with transbrake and a reverse vb. I would appreciate any and all input with this little issue. As I stated in the beginning I do know this was a known good trans as I had the guy run the car and run it down the road in all gears and it all looked good. The guy assured me he took good care of his stuff and it all looked well maintained. Now the guys that borrowed the trans from my friend I don't trust one bit but I'm not the one that loaned it out to them. Anyway I hope this is something simple and can be resolved and appreciate any help.

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[Hutch]

Was it full of oil? Was the oil level changing before and after the car was started? Just trying to verify if the pump was working.


Hutch

 

[DaCajun]

Hutch, first off thanks for the quick reply. I was not there but it was a shop that did mostly LS1 stuff that did the install and it was the owners girlfriends car. I know that doesn't mean shit nor does it answer your questions but I'm going to have to assume they at least made sure there was plenty of fluid. They did say it had some traces of fluid in the lines to and from the trans cooler which was a suppose to be new. What they did when this transmission didn't work? They used a customer's transmission without their permission to take his girlfriend's car to the track that weekend. And from what I understand that customer latter found out and was not happy at all. This particular place is no longer in business, thankfully. So back to the problem at hand, I'm going to assume it had plenty of fluid. Could it be that the pressure regulator was stuck? Like I stated earlier this whole deal sounds kinda fishy to me as the one guy that pulled the pan said it had some internal linkage problem causing it not to be able to go into any gear. I look at it and it looks real simple inside and all the linkage appears to be there and working properly. Like I stated earlier, I bought the motor and trans, saw it working, I was there while the guy pulled the motor and trans. Later I trade it off, it sits in the guys garage for a few months maybe a year tops. He loans it to these guys and they tell him he got fucked. That part don't sit right with me as I know it was working fine when it was pulled. So I guess for a piece of mind I would sure like to know if it could have done this just sitting up for up till a year in storage. Oh yea, and it had the same convertor that came with the trans. My friend latter used that convertor in a th350 and it worked fine. I did ask that if the guy that put the trans in the girl friend's car knew what he was doing and made sure the convertor was all the way seated in the trans pump and of course they said yes. If that could be in question I could pull the front pump appart and check to make sure it is ok. But supposingly the guy that checked the trans said he checked the pump and it's ok.

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[jakeshoe]

If you get into a bind on it, I'm just north of the DFW area, we can take a look at it.

 

[DaCajun]

Jake I really appreciate the offer and if all else fails I'll load it up in the truck and come on over. Was hoping to see what kinda ideas-thoughts I'd get here on the bullet. I'll see what happens here and if I need to I will come on by one day next week.

-Dave

 

[Hutch]

I doubt very much , the trans would take a shit or the regulator would get stuck from sitting. Take it over to Jake and have it checked over. Thats the best bet.


Hutch

 

[jakeshoe]

Post a couple of pics with the pan off and maybe we can help here.

 

[Morris Race Trans]

What kind of filter ?

 

[michaeld]

Wonder if they improperly installed the converter and broke the pump gears and they haven't been properly inspected...