[unstable]

77 Chevy Truck, 350 motor, TH350 Tranny, NP203 Transfer Case (4WD).

Everything is brand new...

Here's the problem. Fluid level looks good...but it seems like we're getting no gears whatsoever. Not reverse, 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Here's the oddity. We don't have the front driveshaft hooked up to the transfer case for the 4wd, and while we were shifting through the gears...that thing started spinning. So it seems to me that the transmission is actually outputing something.

At one point the main driveshaft actually turned a little, maybe 1/8 of a revolution...but that was it.

I can't vouch for the detent being adjusted correctly...I'm pretty sure we got the convertor engaged correctly when we installed the thing...

Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated.

My dad came from NY to put this thing together and drive home. I guess we both overestimated our skills and underestimated the scope of this project...because today marks WEEK 3 of this project. I seriously need help, need to finish this up and send my dad home. If it's something serious, let me know so we can put him on a bus or call for a tow.

thanks.

I read just about every post I could find on TH-350 and I didn't see anything that seemed to answer my question.

[k-star]

I think you need to put the front driveshaft back in.. I had a friend with a 4 x 4 around that year and he removed the front driveshaft and park no longer worked in it. it would drift away. i think you can run them woth the rear shaft removed but not the front. Someone with more 4 x 4 ( the 203 case) knowledge could probably tell us why???

Keith

[unstable]

ummm....maybe that was the case with your buddy, but I definitely moved this truck before with just the rear driveshaft connected. I drove it around the block and there were trans problems with it...so I yanked the motor and gave the truck to my dad. He bought a new motor, tranny and transfer case for it instead of trying to troubleshoot the problems with the tranny that was in it.


I been calling him every couple of hours to checkup on the progress.

I told him to try disconnecting detent...he did and it did nothing.
I told him to unbolt the converter from the flexplate and try rotating it...if it rotates freely it's engaged on the pump. If it doesn't, it's not...wondering if it might be possible to joggle it up onto the pump without having to unbolt the tranny from the motor...because that would be a real undertaking at this point.


Thanks for the insight...

[M&M CUSTOM]

If it's a 203 without the part time kit installed, just pull the shift lever back into HI-LOC and go.

You are spinning the 203's internal differential assembly, and without the front driveshaft or the t-case differential unit in a locked position you won't go anywhere.

[unstable]

OK latest update.

Checked vacuum at the modulator and I think he said it was between 15 and 25.

Also unbolted torque convertor from flexplate...rotated it so it's engaged. Bolted it back up.

Checked the transmission cooler lines and there is indeed trans fluid flowing through the lines...so that means the pump is working right?

No gears...except like I mentioned before, front driveshaft is not hooked up and that thing spins like a **** on the transfer case...nothing on the back wheels though.

Originally posted by M&M CUSTOM
If it's a 203 without the part time kit installed, just pull the shift lever back into HI-LOC and go.

You are spinning the 203's internal differential assembly, and without the front driveshaft or the t-case differential unit in a locked position you won't go anywhere.

WOOT...I just realized what you said before about the kit being installed...I was researching the 203 for a second and it mentioned the kit and I had an epiphany...the one we removed probably had the kit installed (as per the locking hubs right?) but the new rebuilt one didn't...so K-Star was on the right track.

I just called dear old dad and gave him the info...hopefully it works out. I know it would be one hell of a relief after the past 3 weeks to have it just be a matter of shifting the transfer case...hope it works.

I love you guys.

[M&M CUSTOM]

With everything you were checking, yet still observed output power from the transmission, you were just checking to make sure everything was alright before shifting the transfer case.

It's always best to make sure everything is in running order before a first drive.

That transfer case will work properly in the unlock shifter position once you get the front driveshaft installed.

[unstable]

M&M...THAT DID IT!
and what a fruggin relief man...3 weeks, thousands of dollars...a disgruntled wife and father.

One thing you could tell me that would really help...

the Transfer case shifter was crap, so we don't have it installed...the thing was seized up, plus it didn't have a shift knob on it...do you know what the shift positions are so we could set them manually?

oh also...what should we do about the locking hubs? unlock all of them? since there is no kit installed.

btw--I was looking at your gallary and seen the pic of the falls...I'm originally from there, so it was kind of cool to see a familiar place. small world in a way.

[Crosley]

sorta on/off topic here , but I will post this anyway......


About 12-15 years ago a buddy calls. " that tranny you built 2 months ago will not move the truck"

He explains to me what happened; A sudden stop in traffic , some clown cut my buddy off, he hit the brakes hard..... the tranny quit. He towed the truck home with his brothers help.

I told him to go out and see if the transfer case was in neutral...... it was. His 12 pack of beer had hit the shifter on the way to the floor when the clown cut him off in traffic.



some times the simple stuff gets you.

[M&M CUSTOM]

I have had quite a few of them over the years and the shifters ARE prone to seizing up, mostly from not being used.

If the shifter was installed and working the gear selections from front to rear would be:

Low-lock (internal differential locked)
Low (internal differential open)
Neutral (obvious)
High (internal differential open)
High-lock (internal differential locked)

I happen to have the ATSG Techtran manual right here for this and the 205 transfer cases, so the shifter problem is going to be easy.

If you don't have the shifter installed, the inner shift lever on the side of the transfer case is the differential lock (the one you need to shift without the front driveshaft connected), and the outer shift lever is the range selector for high, neutral, and low range.

If you don't even have the small shift levers on the transfer case, it's still easy, the differential lock is actuated by the larger (more toward the case) outer shaft, the range selector is the outer shaft with the threaded end on it. These can be easily turned with a pair of pliers.

Turning the differential lock shaft COUNTER CLOCKWISE will engage it.
Turning the range selector shaft CCW is high range, middle position is neutral, and CLOCKWISE will be low range.

If the front driveshaft is to be installed, leave the hubs locked.
If no driveshaft, lock the hubs in once in a while to turn the gears in the front axle to keep them lubricated, and the rest of the time you can leave them out.

It was only my second time at the falls, and we plan on going back up with the kids when they get old enough to go through the cave of the winds, and ride the maid of the mist without either getting washed away or complaining about getting wet. Our last trip was in June of 2000, the wife got sick and the kids were only 1 and 3, so I really can't say we had a good time then. This time, the wife and I were there for the Northern Chevelle Gathering on Grand Island, so we both agreed that the falls was a must see.

Yeah Crosley, That would tend to make you mad and then feel silly.
Just imagine going out mudding and having the column mount shifter still hooked up and a little too much body flex.
Who knows what gear you are going in with that next run!

[unstable]

Thanks guys...Pops hit the road this morning and just called to say he's 100 miles down the road and no problems so far. That's great news.

M&M, hopefully you made it to the Canadian side of the falls...the view is better and there is much more things for tourists to do. Heck, when I was a teenager all of the fun stuff to do was on the Canadian side...it's the same way today.

Tons of little attactions, guiness book of world records, ripley's believe it or not, nightmares, house of frankenstein, wax museums...there was once a museum of serial killers...casinos.
Lots of cool stuff.

The US side is pretty worn down, lots of crime...make sure you don't leave anything valuable in your car and lock the doors.


Again, thanks for the help...it's been a long road and it's going to take awhile for me to even start working on my 57 truck...burned out.