Or at least it seems so. Some background first:

TH350 newly rebuilt by me and my Dad, who has only done this once before. (The first one worked no probs.)
It has a leak at the circular piece with the spring inside located on the passenger side of the trans (sorry I'm at work and can't remember this parts' name). The leak was terrible, but then got better on it's own to the point of just now "sweating" on a short drive.

Anyway, when I first start it up, I shift and it does nothing. It runs for a while, like 5 minutes, I check fluid, it's full. Keep shifting and revving, leaving it in gear until it eventually decides to go into gear all of the sudden. Then, I can drive it a short distance, stop, put it in park, sit, shift back into gear fine. Leave it sitting overnight and the problem happens all over again.

I should disclose that the torque converter fit exactly and did not need to be pulled out of the tranny at all when bolting it to the flywheel.

Please help!

Brian

More things I thought of:

Could an improperly-adjusted shifter cable cause this? I installed a new B&M Quicksilver as well.

Air in the system? Vent on the top of the tranny driver's side plugged?

I checked the vacuum hoses, not sure that would have any effect on it or not though.

I'm wracking my brain! Unfortunately I just don't have the experience... and I'm so close to getting it on the road!

Brian

Dunno, sounds like it's sucking air. Did you "forget" to install the filter before buttoning it up? Or put a deep pan on it without adding the extra fluid.

What you've not told us is any noises happening.

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"Atomic Batteries to Power...Turbines to Speed"

(The Minnesota John D)

'64 El Camino
383 - TH-350 - 12bolt - 4wh pwr discs
Bedded down for the Winter.

Try putting the trans in neutral after startup, this engages the pump. If running in N and placed in drive and you have sudden engagement this will help diagnose the problem.

Funny you mention the filter. From taking it apart so many times, I did forget it once, and almost this last time. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

No strange noises from the tranny. It either works properly, or doesn't.

I put it in each gear and rev it a bunch of times for a bit, and each time it went into gear it was sudden, not necessarily right after I tried to move the shift lever. For the most part I was sitting in reverse for a while and it would suddenly engage.

I put the stock pan back on. Initially I thought it was low fluid level but after driving it 3 times (after finally getting it to shift), it still keeps showing full.

I had this wierd dream last night where the vacuum hose to the modulator fell off, and it was soaked in leaking fluid. Heh, I need a break.

Dave - I'll try that. Maybe I can also buy a guage and see what kind of pressure I get when in neutral.

Brian

My full manual TH400 did not have 2nd gear today untill about 5 minutes after driving it around town. I think I am low on fluid. As it heated up, it expanded and good things happened. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/confused.gif

Add half a quart maybe? Did you check the level while on a hill?

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71' 3880# with me. Big Block 402, Merlin oval heads, 10.2:1CR, TH400, 3.73 posi,
1/8th: 8.0 @ 88mph
1/4: 12.5 @109mph w/ 1.89 sixty foot (street tires)
Picture of me roasting the tires and other guy stuff (http://www.auburnextremeracing.com/drivers/mike/)
My other site, picture oriented (http://www.chevelle-ss.com/Member's_Pages/Mike_S.htm)

-Heart of Dixie Chevelle Club www.chevelle-ss.com (http://www.chevelle-ss.com)

Haha, no it wasn't on a hill or jacked up Mike. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Does anyone know if a dipstick for a short tail 350 is different from a long tail one? Didn't think so, but hell...

I think I may just add another quart too and look the other way, if I can get to it this weekend.

Brian