stroked383ta

i finally got the time to drive my car for the first time. i checked the transmission fluid before i drove it. it was very low. i added 2 quarts. when i put the ar in reverse, i heard a screeching sound. i thought it was the flexplate hitting the bellhousing because i have a 168 tooth flexplate and the clearance from the sides of the flexplate and the bellhousing is about a centimeter. i didnt want to drive it but my bro told me i would have to do it sooner or later so i did. i backed it up into the street and put it in drive. i give it gas and it went 5-10 MPH! i didnt give it a lot of gas.it revved to 2500 and still 5-10 mph. i dont know whats going on. i was thinking it was either the tranny or the flexplate. does anyone have an idea of whats going on? please help.

94m5

Sounds like something just went. Did you make sure to tighten the TC to flexplate bolts? With the tranny being low, you may have just fried something. Someone else will be able to help you out better than I can, but this will keep it at the top.

CCCCCYA

A few questions...

Did the trans have any problems at all before the motor install? You said it was low on fluid...How did it get 2 full quarts low (thats huge in trans terms, usually measured in pints when it's low)? Any visible leaks at teh tailshaft or the input shaft that would account for it?

Until you reply, I would just venture a guess that the flexplate is ok, but it could indeed be cracked and rubbing something. Is it hitting the starter snout (I ask because I had that trouble with a replacement flexplate a while ago, and had to clearence the starter snout a bit). The fact that the cars moves at all makes me think the flexplate is good though. Did you (I have to ask) replace the converter and not fill it up before bolting it on?

Some more info please

Dave C.

stroked383ta

before the install, it was running fine. i had it rebuilt twice a couple months before. when i was installing the engine, the tranny dipstick fell out and leaked fluid everywhere. i did change the converter. i put 3 quarts in there and 3 quarts in the tranny after engine install. i then turned it on a couple times before actually driving it. right before driving it, i checked the dipstick and none of the holes had fluid. i added 2 quarts. the starter is a high torque starter and does not have a snout. all it has is the wheel. the clearance on that from the flywheel is very very small. the screeching sound is continuous until the car starts moving. if you need any further info. just ask and i will provide. thanks.

CCCCCYA

If you get under there and don't see any obvious signs of contact with the flywheel, then there are a couple things that come to mind that could cause the screeching sound. one, is if the converter wasn't bottomed out all the way when it was installed, and isn't engaging the pump drive all the way. the other is the splines on the sun shell going into the planetary gears. Both will cause that sort of racket.

When you installed the converter, did you put it on there, and rotate it until it "clicked" in a couple of times? You should have felt a couple distinct thunks as it seated. If it's the sun shell, then the only way to find it (unfortunately) is to pull out the trans, and start gutting it. Thats pretty extreme, and I would check EVERYTHING else before pulling the trans. Rebuilding and automatic isn't TOO difficult, but it's not all THAT hard either if you have to..

Dave C.

stroked383ta

i did not rotate the converter. i just slipped it in. the screeching sound is there. im sure of it. but i dont know exactly when it starts or stops because i have hooker lt's and no y pipe or exhaust yet. so its real loud. what about the gaps between the flexplate and the starter or bellhousing? you think that would do anything?

stroked383ta

i did tighten up all three bolts real tight. what about the flexplate to rear main? i tightened them up too, but if they got loose or something, would it cause that?

CCCCCYA

If you slipped the converter over the input shaft, and bottomed it out, but did NOT rotate it to fully seat it, and do so and I can almost guarentee it'll fix your trouble. Whats more than likely happening is your binding the converter snout against the trans pump, causing the noise, and not pumping any fluid (and not moving the car much either).

Get that puppy up on some stands, pull the inspection cover, unbolt the converter, and rotate the converter while pushing it back into the pump. when it "thunks" and moves back in a little, it's right. Your going to kil it in short order if you move it anymore like it is...

Dave C.

stroked383ta

you think the flexplate is fine. i was thinking i would have to change it to a 153 tooth? ill try that converter thing tomorrow. thanks.

InjectedSS

What Im trippin on is your SUBJECT

383 PROBLEMS??? Sounds like TRANNY PROBLEMS to me

stroked383ta

sorry. i didnt really know what it was and since it is a 383 i thought maybe it had something to do with my setup.

InjectedSS

WERD There is something wrong, it's your 4L60E though

WS Sick

I do beleive its your converter not splined in as well, you should have 2 good clunks while turning and pressing it in. your hand should not be able to fit behind the converter either (between the converter and trranny) it should only be like a half inch between there, rotate it and push til it fully seats and you are satisfied with the seating. If you dont have it fully splined you can easily burn up the tranny in minutes!!!

stroked383ta

i drove the car again today and it went up to 25-30 mph. it only screeches when i take it out of park and into reverse. i unbolted the flexplate from the converter and spun it while pushing it in. no click or anything. i think its all the way in. i do have a 3000 stall converter and when i drove it, i never revved more than 3000. should i try going more than that?

WS Sick

You'll only see that full stall with a transbrake and see about 80 percent of it holding the brake and pressing the gas at the same time.
Sounds to me like your pump is bad or your filter dropped (tranny filter).