I recently put in a new engine into my car, and in the process took the
torque converter off. In doing so, some fluid spilled out. Upon
re-assembly, i tried to pour new fluid into the converter, then put the
engine back in. Now the car wont move. I am assuming the the torque
converter is not pumping up and engaging. could this be the cause, or
is it something else? The transmission engaged and shifted fine before
the converter was pulled. the car is a 1968 mustang, and the
transmission is a C-4, bolted to a 302.
P.S.- I'm pretty sure the shaft of the torque converter was inserted
all the way onto the transmission shaft, because the engine bolted to
the bellhousing fairly easily, and there was adequate space for the
flexplate.
MasterBlaster - 15 Aug 2006 14:16 GMT
> I recently put in a new engine into my car, and in the process took the
> torque converter off. In doing so, some fluid spilled out. Upon
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> the bellhousing fairly easily, and there was adequate space for the
> flexplate.
Any chance there's 4 bolts/nuts mysteriously left over, closely resembling
the ones that used to attach the converter to the flexplate?
John Kunkel - 15 Aug 2006 20:11 GMT
>I recently put in a new engine into my car, and in the process took the
> torque converter off. In doing so, some fluid spilled out. Upon
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> the bellhousing fairly easily, and there was adequate space for the
> flexplate.
Have you checked the fluid level with the engine running?
dsimpson@redcircle.net - 15 Aug 2006 22:35 GMT
> >I recently put in a new engine into my car, and in the process took the
> > torque converter off. In doing so, some fluid spilled out. Upon
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Have you checked the fluid level with the engine running?
haha no...no bolts were left over, the converter is bolted to the
flywheel. And the fluid level reads full while idling in park.
Shep - 15 Aug 2006 22:55 GMT
Sounds like the convertor some how is not engaged into the front pump lugs.
BTW, you cannot refill the convertor by pouring fluid into it, but at this
point that is not your problem, the ft pump would fill the tc.
>> >I recently put in a new engine into my car, and in the process took the
>> > torque converter off. In doing so, some fluid spilled out. Upon
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> haha no...no bolts were left over, the converter is bolted to the
> flywheel. And the fluid level reads full while idling in park.
gfulton - 16 Aug 2006 16:09 GMT
> Sounds like the convertor some how is not engaged into the front pump
> lugs. BTW, you cannot refill the convertor by pouring fluid into it, but
> at this point that is not your problem, the ft pump would fill the tc.
Uh oh. Sounds like exactly what I had happen when a friend put a new 350
crate engine in my '79 GMC pickup years ago. He had trouble getting the
trans. to pull up to the engine and forced it on with the bolt threads.
Turned out the converter lugs weren't properly engaged to the trans. pump
and I had the exact same symptoms as you have. Pull off one of your trans.
oil cooler lines and see if you've got flow with the engine idling. If not,
I'll be that's what's happened. Don't know about a Ford, but in my case it
ruined the pump lugs completely and was an expensive repair. Hope this
helps and good luck, bud.
Garrett Fulton
dsimpson@redcircle.net - 17 Aug 2006 01:53 GMT
okay everyone, thanks for the info...i think i'm just gonna have it
towed to a transmission shop and have them deal with it, i dont have a
car lift and i dont want to take the engine out again.
Steve - 18 Aug 2006 22:30 GMT
> I recently put in a new engine into my car, and in the process took the
> torque converter off. In doing so, some fluid spilled out. Upon
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> the bellhousing fairly easily, and there was adequate space for the
> flexplate.
The TC will fill from the pressurized lubrication system- you don't need
to (and CAN'T) fill it full before installing.
This sounds like you missed engaging the convertor in the pump drive
"tangs" to me. The convertor should slide all the way into the front of
the transmission, then the engine should bolt up with the convertor
still slightly rearward from the flexplate, and once the engine and
trans are bolted together you have to stick your fingers in and pull the
convertor FORWARD (out of the transmission) slightly to engage the bolts
to the flexplate. If you tried to align the flexplate and the
bellhousing bolts simultaneously while installing the transmission, you
probably missed and broke the pump drive tangs off inside the transmission.