[1966impala]

Hi guys,

I finally got my new 350 sbc to work. I took out a 283 sbc and replaced it w/ a 350sbc. I left the transmission which was working before the engine was replaced (powerglide trans)

after installing the new engine, i checked the linkage from teh steering columm to the transmission and it was hooked up correctly ..HOWEVER, when i shift P-R-N-D-L nothing happens

it's like the car is in NEUTRAL.

all i did to the transmission was replaced the pan w/a chromed pan

any ideas why this is happening??

please help me

[johnsongrass1]

Fluid full? convertor in it? Did you tighten the convertor bolts? Did you start the car and put into drive?LOL

You gotta tell us what you have already checked.

[1966impala]

A) Oil full
B) conv bolted on to flywheel (BUT i never bolt conv to tranny first)
C) on Drive acts like is neutral

this is what i was told..which i'm sort of piss off about it

I was told my torq cov needs to be hook up correctly w/ the transmission pump..it needs to snap in there somhow..so i have to unbolt the torq conv from teh flywheel and move it so it snaps to the tranny.. fuk this sucks


i would like to know how can i unbolt the torq conv from flywheel and snap it back to the pump thingny and do all this w/o A) taking engine out B) taking tranny out

[Robinson Robin]

well I believe you are correct in thinging its the converter being not in mesh with the pump my question is how did it get pulled out. Did you remove the converter while the engine was out? The reason I'm asking this is that there should be about 1/3" clearance between the flex plate and the t/c when it is slid as far back as possible to much more than this will cause it to pull out of the pump when it gets bolted to the flex plate. Now if the clearance isn't to great all you need to do it unbolt it from the flexplate and take the weight off it and push it back it might take a bit of patients and be gental you should head an good thud when it seats on the pump.

[adtkart]

If you can turn the convertor by hand when the bolts are removed, it is in the pump, or you have broken something. Taking it loose to push it into the pump is a waste of time. If you have to push it in, bolting it up would be pulling it back out. If the convertor was taken out of the trans and not installed in the pump before connecting the trans to the engine, you likely have broken something when you forced them together.

Check your shifter linkage and make sure it is moving on the bottom when you move it inside.

[1966impala]

Originally posted by adtkart
If you can turn the convertor by hand when the bolts are removed, it is in the pump, or you have broken something. Taking it loose to push it into the pump is a waste of time. If you have to push it in, bolting it up would be pulling it back out. If the convertor was taken out of the trans and not installed in the pump before connecting the trans to the engine, you likely have broken something when you forced them together.

Check your shifter linkage and make sure it is moving on the bottom when you move it inside.

I took the bolts off yesterday and YES i can move the convertor. I thought about what you say and it is right..it makes sense that it will be a waste of time, but i did anyway since i know NOTHING about transmissions. Convertor was bolted to the flywheel and then installed into the transmission. So if the only answer is that i have broken something...what could have I broken?

i dont understand what you mean about the linkage? move it inside?


btw, this really sucks now

[Crosley]

Originally posted by 1966impala
I took the bolts off yesterday and YES i can move the convertor. I thought about what you say and it is right..it makes sense that it will be a waste of time, but i did anyway since i know NOTHING about transmissions. Convertor was bolted to the flywheel and then installed into the transmission. So if the only answer is that i have broken something...what could have I broken?

i dont understand what you mean about the linkage? move it inside?


btw, this really sucks now

IF as you say you bolted the converter to the flywheel first, then installed the tranny... the pump is broke.

Never do the install this way!

Pull the tranny out and have it repaired.

This proves the point often discussed here about folks working on something they NO CLUE about. Now you will spend more money than needed.

good luck, ask more questions if needed.

[1966impala]

Originally posted by Crosley
IF as you say you bolted the converter to the flywheel first, then installed the tranny... the pump is broke.

Never do the install this way!

Pull the tranny out and have it repaired.

This proves the point often discussed here about folks working on something they NO CLUE about. Now you will spend more money than needed.

good luck, ask more questions if needed.

you are right. this is my first time doing this and i've done it all myself. however, i asked someone if i could install the engine w/ the converter and they told me it was ok. i was simply following steps told by someone else and now i have learned my lesson.

my question now is what do you mean by fix the pump? i might sound really dumb but that is why i'm here

take the tranny out and fix it? or the coverter?

thanks again

[1966impala]

if i broke something here?

would it be the coverter? or the actually tranny??

please help me

[1966impala]

Originally posted by Crosley
IF as you say you bolted the converter to the flywheel first, then installed the tranny... the pump is broke.

Never do the install this way!

Pull the tranny out and have it repaired.

This proves the point often discussed here about folks working on something they NO CLUE about. Now you will spend more money than needed.

good luck, ask more questions if needed.

the tranny was never taken out but i did have the converter bolted on the flywheel when i installed the engine.

[lust4speed]

Just to clarify what went wrong: The correct method is to place the converter on the trans and spin it until the notches in the converter align and slip over the corresponding lugs on the pump inside. There is a very definite movement of the converter farther into the trans when things go correctly. Then after bolting the engine and trans together, the converter should be sitting about 1/8" away from the flywheel. If it is pressed up against it, the pump lugs were not correctly engaged to begin with. Another problem that isn't so frequent is there is too much distance to the flywheel and pulling the converter forward more than about 1/4" to 3/8" could pull the converter away from the pump. When you bolted the converter to the flywheel first and installed the trans, you probably broke the pump when you pushed it back in to the trans case. You probably had about a 15% chance of the lugs accidently fitting correctly when things went together, but most of us are not that lucky. As said before, time to take the trans back out and have the pump assembly checked.

[adtkart]

When installing a convertor in a trans, you have 2 sets of splines and the pump gears to match up for it to go in. The chances are extremely high that they are not all lined up at the time the convertor is stuck in place. You most likely had to force the trans bell housing to the engine block with the bolts, when it was going together. That broke something, mostlikely atleast the pump gears. It has now, verylikely wiped out atleast the front pump. The trans now has to come out to be repaired.

[poncho62]

I would suggest losing the powerglide anyways and go with a turbo 350. With a heavy car, you will be much better off.

[1966impala]

Originally posted by adtkart
When installing a convertor in a trans, you have 2 sets of splines and the pump gears to match up for it to go in. The chances are extremely high that they are not all lined up at the time the convertor is stuck in place. You most likely had to force the trans bell housing to the engine block with the bolts, when it was going together. That broke something, mostlikely atleast the pump gears. It has now, verylikely wiped out atleast the front pump. The trans now has to come out to be repaired.

Guys ...thank you so much for all the help. all the replies were great and i think what was said on this one is 110% correct.

I had to force the trans bell housing to the engine block. that sucks... this is my first time doing the engine and the engine i'm proud of....it came out really nice w/ no much problems but LONG LONG hours of work (days) since i'm new at this kind of stuff.. a guy at work who has worked w/ manual trans all his life and engines was the person who pretty much told me everything but nobody really helped me. i'm very happy with all the work that i have done and i take this as a learning step. i will take the trans out and either buy a used th350 or have it repair..i really hope it won't cost me a lot of money.

do you think i have to replace the torq converter????? or is that fine?

thanks again for all your help

[black66]

Hey 1966 I would also recomend getting a Turbo 350. I have a 66 Impala with a 530 HP Small Block. I am running a built T350 with a 3200 stall converter. The 350 trans is great for our heavy cars. ........ Good luck.....