trans won't go into gear

[77 cc lb]

hey guys! i have a little problem. i just got done ptting another flywheel in my 77 292-6. first one from a few months ago already got chewed up. think it was the starter not shimmed enough. got new one hooked up tranny back on, filled with fluid and go to start it up and test ride and does not want to go into any gears. it has the th-400 and it calls for 7.5pts. did that and a little more, reads fill on cold but still nothing. as far as i can tell vacuums are hooked up. anything else that i should be looking for? any help would be appreciated. thanks

[Irish_Alley]

Gear shifter. Does it make any noise when you put it in gear

[jaredts]

Do you mean the shifter won't move or do you mean the truck doesn't move when you put it in any gear?

[77 cc lb]

it's an auto. and goes through gears smooth, no noise. it just doesn't want to move.

[Irish_Alley]

how did you lose fluid? did you pop the converter off if so you sure you put it back in place right?

[VileZambonie]

Did you bolt the torque converter up to the flexplate?

[jaredts]

Also did you fill the torque converter with fluid before installing?  When I was 17 I made that mistake.  Live and learn.

[77 cc lb]

i drained the trans. fluid because the gasket was leaking. t/c is connnected and i didn't remove or put a new one on. does the t/c drain w/ the trans. fluid or is it self contained?

[Grim 82]

It shares the same fluid but when you drain it at the pan the convertor retains a couple quarts in the bottom half. You would have to take it out of the trans and point the back side of it down to pour out the rest, if that makes any sense. What jaredts said about filling the convertor first is so that it doesn't spin dry and burn up before the pump gets the fluid to it.

[ccz145a]

I does not drain with the rest of the fluid because of the way it's shaped. It is all the same system--it shares the same fluid.

Did you open it up and change the trans filter? Make sure there is some fluid on the dipstick, supposed to top it off when warm and running, but there should be some on it when cold.

[jaredts]

So you pulled the tranny back to change the flexplate and did not remove the t/c from the transmission, right?  If so it should still be full fluid.  How are you checking the fluid level?  Should be engine warm, move the selector through everything, pausing for a few seconds in reverse, drive, etc.  Then put it back in park and go check the fluid with engine running.  Your symptom matches low fluid or none in the torque converter.  You did mean 7-1/2 quarts, not pints, right?  I checked a couple places and that seems about right if the torque converter is full.  The t/c can hold several more quarts if you lost any from it.

[77 cc lb]

i didn't remove the t/c when i changed the flexplate. i checked fluid warm and is not showing anything on dipstick. i'm looking at the chiltons and it is saying 7.5 pts, could it be 7.5 qts. also what does the detent switch do, could that also be a factor? thanks

[Grim 82]

Get it full of fluid before anything else.

[jaredts]

I'm pretty sure that is quarts.  I searched the internet a little and that seems about right for just draining the pan--closer to 13 quarts if you start with an empty trans. and torque converter.  It may not take that much since you just drained what's in the pan, so you might want to get a total of 5 or 6 in there and then check the level.  I know this is silly but you say that you checked it warm, but the engine has to be running when you check it, so make sure of that.  The thing about going from park to reverse, pause, then neutral, pause, drive, pause, etc. I think is to get fluid into the empty galleries in the valve body???  Either way if you don't do that you won't be too far off but the level on the dipstick will just tell you that you are more full than you really are by a little bit.

[77 cc lb]

that's what the problem was, not enough fluid added 4 more and good to go. thanks gents