[grumpyoldman]

Finished up my Powerglide to Turbo 350 swap today...a fairly drama free swap.

The transmission was used, but has been rebuilt a few years ago. It came with a 10" torque converter, and I'm guessing a 3000 or so stall speed.

Also, it has been sitting for roughly 2 years since the previous owner did a 5 speed swap on his 78 Z28.

I drained the transmission and converter the best I could and changed front and rear seals. I did not change the filter or gasket since the fluid "looked" good and the pan was dry.

After swap I refilled the transmission (just shy of 6 quarts), and the car went into gear nicely. Warmed it up and went for a test drive of about 4-5 miles.

Came back home and shut it down, checked for leaks and then took the wife for a quick drive. It ran great, shifted firmly and all was good.

Parked in the driveway so I could finish clean-up and decided to move the car a few more feet forward and when I went to put it in drive, the car wouldn't engage into drive...like stayed in neutral. Had no reverse either?

If I revved it higher, it moved...barely. I put it in neutral and then back into Drive and after about 5 seconds it went into Drive and felt fine

I'm not sure if it (trans.) was overheated from beating on it? Or if the filter might be semi-clogged? Or if it was a fluke of some sort? Fluid level was right on full mark. No smells or weird coloring either.

Any ideas, suggestions, thoughts????

If tomorrow all is good when it's cold, then I'll have to assume it's temperature related, I guess. In hindsight, I should have changed the dang filter anyway....

[Melrose RS]

Not enough fluid.

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by Melrose RS

Not enough fluid.

That's what I had thought/hoped, but it is right on Full mark.

I guess it's possible that dipstick is wrong, but it is the one that came with it, so I don't know for sure???

[Melrose RS]

Sorry, I missed the part where you said it was full. Was that after the drive or before? My powerglide used to do this also after long periods of storage. adding fluid and driving it it corrected itself.

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by Melrose RS

Sorry, I missed the part where you said it was full. Was that after the drive or before? My powerglide used to do this also after long periods of storage. adding fluid and driving it it corrected itself.

No problem.
It was full before drive, and when it acted weird afterwards, that was the first thing I did was re-check it...still showing full.

Like you said, maybe it needs to be driven a bit since it's been sitting.

btw, Beautiful car you have. Is that Nantucket Blue?

[Melrose RS]

Originally Posted by grumpyoldman

No problem.
It was full before drive, and when it acted weird afterwards, that was the first thing I did was re-check it...still showing full.

Like you said, maybe it needs to be driven a bit since it's been sitting.

btw, Beautiful car you have. Is that Nantucket Blue?

Thanks! No, it's emerald turquoise. ARe you checking the level with the car running?

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by Melrose RS

Thanks! No, it's emerald turquoise. ARe you checking the level with the car running?

Sorry, I am on my old POS laptop and color clarity isn't it's strong point, lol.

as for the fluid...Yessir. Checked Running, fully warmed up, in Park.

[Melrose RS]

Well, that's the extent of my knowledge when it comes to automatics so hopefully others have more insight.

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by Melrose RS

Well, that's the extent of my knowledge when it comes to automatics so hopefully others have more insight.

Hey, I appreciate the replies. Thanks for the ideas.

I was just thinking what was different between when I took it out of the driveway, and when I put it back into the driveway...It was backed in for the swap, and nose in to be parked afterwards...maybe that fluid level thing is right after all....Now I am thinking it may have the wrong dipstick....and Full might not be Full after all...

[srode]

Slide something down the dip stick tube till you hit bottom and measure the fluid dept on it. Do it with the engine running and fluid hot - the level should be about the depth of the pan or a tad more. A small diameter hose works well.

[Everett#2390]

Congrats for the swapout and things are working. Not much drama swapping a TH350 for a PG, you can use everything originally equipped and make it work. The only mod I had to do was remove the detent plate from the shifter and modify it to engage manual 1st gear. Since I was racing the car, I also added a neutral stop from Drive, another notch.

As suggested, checking level when warm and level is the key.
If you believe you will need a new stick & tube, I suggest a Hughes unit from a parts distributor, ie, Summit or Jeg's. Nice product.
With a smaller convertor, you have an external cooler also?

[grumpyoldman]

Originally Posted by srode

Slide something down the dip stick tube till you hit bottom and measure the fluid dept on it. Do it with the engine running and fluid hot - the level should be about the depth of the pan or a tad more. A small diameter hose works well.

That's worth a try, as long as the hose doesn't try curling up at the end and giving me a bogus reading. Thanks for the tip!

Originally Posted by Everett#2390

Congrats for the swapout and things are working. Not much drama swapping a TH350 for a PG, you can use everything originally equipped and make it work. The only mod I had to do was remove the detent plate from the shifter and modify it to engage manual 1st gear. Since I was racing the car, I also added a neutral stop from Drive, another notch.

As suggested, checking level when warm and level is the key.
If you believe you will need a new stick & tube, I suggest a Hughes unit from a parts distributor, ie, Summit or Jeg's. Nice product.
With a smaller convertor, you have an external cooler also?

I would love to use the stock column shifter instead of the previously installed floor shifter. Just something about them. I've had a 68 and a 69 long ago, and both had column shifters. Thanks for the advice on the Hughes stick and tube. As for the external cooler, that's why I was thinking "maybe" an overheating issue yesterday. I definitely was hammering on it more than I would have normally, because it was a new change. I do not have one on the car yet, but definitely will regardless of the outcome of this issue I had yesterday.

I've been "out of this game", so to speak, for several years. A lot is coming back to me though. For instance, I am not 20 years old anymore and found it quite a bit harder to lift the transmission up onto the jack while laying under the car AND keeping the jack from rolling out from under it, lol. Used to be easy...

anyway...Thanks for the replies everyone. It is appreciated.

[tegtrans]

What did you use 4 a shifter? Did u recheck fluid level?

[grumpyoldman]

I was able to make the hurst indymatic work with a little bending here and there... i added about a quart this morning and it was fine all day... guy who i got tranny from has a b&m megashifter but has to find it

[Everett#2390]

With a loose conv, I would suggest adding an external cooler after the rad cooler. I find GM fills the cooler from the bottom and return is the top fitting this way there are no bubbles int he fluid being pumped through, full 100% contact between cooler and oil.

I plumbed the add-on cooler the same way, fill from the bottom and return to trans from the top of cooler. A loose conv has alot of fluid shear - heat generator - oil should be cooled before returning.

Finding out the stall rpm, if the engine makes enough torque, you can ste hard on the brake and press the go pedal and look at tach. If not, sitting at a complete stop in gear, nail the throttle. Tach should go to a high rpm when car starts to move - stall rpm.

Yes, we are not as pliable as we were when we were younger. I can relate.