Transmission problems after 4.3 swap

[bigd9247]

So I swapped a 1993 CPI (Vortec) 4.3V6 into my Toyota, hooked up to a TH350 transmission and then to a toyota t-case (w/ adapter). Once i got everything hooked up, I started the truck up, let it warm up and then put it into gear to go for a test drive. as soon as I put it in the gear, the truck lurched forward and then the engine died. I tried again and again and everytime it does the same thing. So I replaced teh torque converter thinking that was the problem... well even with the new torque converter it is still doing the same thing.

I jacked the rear tires off the ground and put the truck in gear. The rear tires start spinning (at about 10MPH) and if I slowly start putting the brakes on until the tires stop turning completely... the truck will bog way down (to 500RPM or less) but continue to run. While this is happening, you can deffinately hear some kind of a grinding noise coming from around the tranny (it sounds a lot like the sound that a worn out bearing makes). Anyways, is my tranny toast? Should I start looking for another? Or could the problem be something else?

I just thought of something... could it be that the stall on the torque converter is too low? My truck idles at around 900-1000 RPM and the torque converter is just a stock rebuilt converter...

 

[GaryTJ]

Intuition tells me you did not have the converter all the way in when you installed it and now the pump is shoved backwards into the clutch packs. Time to pull the trans.

 

[Turtle Bite]

Whats the history of the trans? Junkyard or ? Does the motor run perfect in park? 900-1000 is a little high for idle when warm.

 

[bigd9247]

The motor is freshly rebuilt and runs great. the tach could be off because it's a stock toyota tach hooked up to the 4.3... the tach is for a V6 engine though. It reads just under 1,000 RPM at idle... maybe 800-900 RPM. I'll double check.

The tranny is a rebuilt tranny with 1,500 miles on it. It was given to me by a friend's dad. it was originally 2wd so I took it apart and replaced the output shaft. didn't chenge anything internally except for changing the shaft. Only other thing was that I didn't have the seal between the pump and case, so I very carefully put RTV all around (not a huge glob either)... which could have potentially blocked something off. The guy a Snohomish Transmission told me that if I had blocked something off, the truck shouldn't move at all... but it does move, it just doesn't stop moving.

Would the pump being into the clutch packs cause it not to freely idle in gear? It idles fine in neutral, and park... just once you put it into gear it wants to go. It's like the torque converter isn't letting the engine free-spin like it should when you are in gear and come to a stop... torque converter is brand new though... could it be that I blocked off a passage that sends fluid to the torque converter and that is causing the problem? I really don't know much about how auto trannies work...

 

[JPFREAK]

Sounds like one of your clutch packs is bound up. I think it will need to come apart, doesnt sound like a converter issue.

 

[bigd9247]

Sounds like one of your clutch packs is bound up. I think it will need to come apart, doesnt sound like a converter issue.

damn... i guess that will be my project for the weekend. do you think that running it with something bound up probably ruined the tranny? is it an easy fix or not?

maybe i should just try getting a used TH350 and running that for now... that way i can get my junk on the trail and spend time later fixing the other tranny

 

[jeeptech 1]

Does this trans have a lock up torque convertor? If it has replace the TCC solenoid. It can lock up hydraulicly when it hits third gear and stay lockup causing the engine to stall.It will unlock after engine stalls. Or when you had the front pump out you pluged off the one of the holes.

 

[bigd9247]

no lockup converter... but i must have plugged up a hole...

 

[Gaylord]

Sounds like a stuffed pump to me. That sucks! I did that on my 1st tranny swap in my old chev when I was a kid. You do it once you never do it again. :redneck:

 

[sandysfull-sizecarnage]

yeah i was watching on some jesse james show they were putting a tranny in a hummer or somethin like that and they stuffed it, they tried to weld it... no sucess

 

[bigd9247]

do you think i could clean it out and unplug it... or is it plugged for good and i've gotta get a new tranny?.

actually on second thought, i've got another 2wd th350, could i just pull the pump off that and put it on the other one (with the right gasket this time )?