6 bolt swap into 96, car wont shift into any gear (auto)

[eclipsalon]

So the 6bolt (90) swap is finished and it purs great. Getting it out of the garage it didnt move until in higher rpm around 3 1/2. Now parked outside, the car wont shift into any gear. Its almost as if the axles arent in all the way or something because of the kiggly spacer but I doubt that could be it. I noticed that the right front axle has a little slack. I can move it up and down and side to side even a little in and out play. Ima take a pic in a second to if maybe someone can tell me it needs to go in a lil more?

 

[miloolim]

Did you pour atf fluid in the torque converter before installing it?

 

[eclipsalon]

Sure did. About 1/2 a quart plus what was already in there.

 

[bryanwheat]

The transmission not engaging until you rev it shows that you either have lower pressure in the transmission, very low fluid, or a burnt clutch pack. I would be willing to bet that you damaged the pump when you installed the engine to the transmission. The trans is full of fluid and you used an atf+4 compatible fluid right?

 

[eclipsalon]

Fluid is full, checked it before i turned it on and i used mitsu atf. Next ill be buying some oil pressure gauge and hooking it up to see where that may be at. Then ill get back to u guys.

"spyderinak" just pointed something out to me and indeed i did not install the spacer that goes on after the flexplate. (7 bolt spacer) could that be messing with the converter somehow?

Been doing some more search and it seems like "m1nd64m3" never installed the spacer and has reported no issues since. So ill be trying to jam the axle in more and if nothing works ill pick up the gauge tomorrow to see if i murdered the pump.

 

[m1nd64m3]

It's been so long that I'm not sure about the spacer situation, but if I said I didn't in a previous post then I'd believe it. I never had any problems with the trans, so it worked out.

Did the trans work before the swap or is it new/used? Is the fluid level good? I know these transmissions take a good amount of fluid to fill up and the fluid level should be checked when the trans is hot. Did you do the swap without the adapter plate and then go back and install it? Because if you did this you probably damaged your pump. Maybe a blocked cooler hose? Did you install a new trans filter? The fluid smell burnt?

I remember my axles being pretty snug in there once the snap ring is in the groove. It's a pain to get the axle in but I usually unbolt the upper balljoint and the tie rod and then use the knuckle to push the axle in all the way.

 

[rbwtrans]

A quick check on the pump is to start the car and put it in neutral. Pull a cooler line off and see if any fluid comes out. It's messy, but cheaper than buying a gauge, and gives you instant results. Another pump killer that's often overlooked is the torque convertor bushing that's supposed to be pressed into the back of the crankshaft. If it's left out it allows the convertor to spin off center and will destroy the pump and convertor in no time at all.

 

[eclipsalon]

Ill try the oil test and see if it passes. As far as the "bushing", if your referring to the pilot bearing, then yes its on there. Tested the converter on there before i married the tranny and it fit pretty snug.

The tranny was in good working order before the bearings went out on the 7 bolt and the filter was changed out a 2 or 3,000 miles ago along with the rear n center dif.

Confirmed i guess, oil pump is no longer any good. Removed a cooler line from up top and not even a drop came out. $300 for the darn spacer and still managed to take out the pump. Time to go 5sp i guess.

 

[bryanwheat]

Ill try the oil test and see if it passes. As far as the "bushing", if your referring to the pilot bearing, then yes its on there. Tested the converter on there before i married the tranny and it fit pretty snug.

The tranny was in good working order before the bearings went out on the 7 bolt and the filter was changed out a 2 or 3,000 miles ago along with the rear n center dif.

Confirmed i guess, oil pump is no longer any good. Removed a cooler line from up top and not even a drop came out. $300 for the darn spacer and still managed to take out the pump. Time to go 5sp i guess.

When you put the converter back into the transmission did you make sure that it slid into the transmission 3 clicks. You have to line up the input shaft, the stator shaft, and the pump drive. If you didn't do that correctly than tightening the engine to the trans will destroy the pump.

 

[eclipsalon]

The tc was in about a whole past the edge of the tranny but, idk. In order to replace the pump im guessing i have take it all off again?

 

[eclipsalon]

I took apart the transmission to check the clutches, they looked fine to me. The oil pump didnt have so much as a scratch on it and when i reinstalled it, the oil started coming out one of the cooler lines (cooler line off). I tried switching out the TCU and i could have swore it moved a little, but probably my imagination.
Could the g-sensor not being hooked up have anything to do with it? I took off the ABS.

I want to eliminate the possiblity of an elctrical problem causing the tranny to not engage first. I have confirmed that the kickdown servo switch, pulse generators a&b, park/nuetral switch, and the 2 other connections up front by the kickdown. Could i be forgetting one?

 

[Firsts tuner]

Might be a shot in the dark but what about the shift solenoids? I read that there are some differences in the resistance. The early ones being low resistance compared to the 2g's. If they aren't the right ones you can fry the tcu. I currently fighting a similar issue. The first time I drove the car it was great, after that not so much. Now I'm getting dtc's for solenoids. Just thought I would put it out there. Good luck

 

[eclipsalon]

Might be a shot in the dark but what about the shift solenoids? I read that there are some differences in the resistance. The early ones being low resistance compared to the 2g's. If they aren't the right ones you can fry the tcu. I currently fighting a similar issue. The first time I drove the car it was great, after that not so much. Now I'm getting dtc's for solenoids. Just thought I would put it out there. Good luck

Funny u mention that ### today I noticed that the car moves but only in limp mode. Tried a different TCU and same thing.

 

[eclipsalon]

I'm thinking it might be the front clutches, if that's what controls the 1st and 2nd gear