Help! Trans acting up.

[BigCars4Ever]

It's not the MM but it is a Grand Marquis. The car is an '00 and was having some torque converter shudder. I got a rebuilt TC but when I put it in it didn't engage the pump which was subsequently destroyed. Since the pump never pumped all the debris was only in the pump. A rebuilt pump was installed, new filter, pan was cleaned and new fluid. The car felt great for 25 miles then I stopped to put in some gas. When I restarted the car drive would not engage. I gave it a little more gas and then it slammed into gear. I got back home and checked the fluid level. It was down about 3/4 of a quart so I toped it off but it still won't engage. Any ideas??

[fastblackmerc]

Maybe some debris did get into the rest of the trans?

[ckadiddle]

If it's dead, I can recommend a good honest shop here in Orlando.

[BigCars4Ever]

I'm not ready to give upon it just yet. Could just be a bad pump.

[fastblackmerc]

I'd get a new pump, not a rebuilt.

[RoyLPita]

Just so you know, Ford is offering 3/75 warranty on their rebuilt units.

[BigCars4Ever]

I overfilled the tranny a quart and drove around for 30 miles. It's working good now except when I punch it from a stop uphill. The tranny slips for a second then slams into gear. On a level surface this doesn't happen. This pretty much confirms that the filter is not seated completely. Will drain the pan with my vacuum pump through the dipstick and drop the pan and see what's up with the filter. Cheap crap from Advanced. You get what you pay for.

[Darrin]

Are you sure that you don't have the filter double ringed?

A lot of times guys pull out the old filter and miss the orange sealing ring that was supposed to come out with it. They then put the new filter in and it will not snap into place and eventually either get loose enough to not pull fluid or just fall out.

Check that first.

Darrin

[BigCars4Ever]

The tranny is now back together avter bieng cmpletely disassembled. Turns out there is a basket after the pump outlet under the valve body. A ton of metal was trapped there. Eventually the metal worked it's way through the valve body and clogged a bunch of the ports. I cleaned everything up and inspected everything. The front clutch plates were a little blue from heat but the friction disks were good. There was some scoring on the bronze converter bushing and input shaft and some light scoring on the pump. I didn't rebuild because I just want to get it back together and trade it in. I'll know tomorrow if I was successful cause I need to heli-coil one of the pan bolts and haven't found a kit yet. Wish me luck.

[BigCars4Ever]

I guess there is more to re-assembling a transmission than I thought. It goes foward but reverse feels like it's in two gears at once. I'm throwing in the towel and having a rebuilt put in tomorrow. Lesson here.... make sure the torque converter is fully engaged in the pump. When it is you should be able to move the converter back and forth about 1/8th inch from the flex plate. This was a costly lesson. Can you imagine the go fast parts $1500 can buy!

[ckadiddle]

Yikes. I applaud the size of your manhood for attempting to do your own transmission work. Two things I hope I never see with my own eyes during my lifetime are my own guts and the guts of my transmission!

[BigCars4Ever]

Apparently I put the trans back together correctly. Too much debris got into the EPC solenoid and two shift solenoids and rendered them useless. $2k later and I have a rebuilt warrentied trans. Ugh.