OK, I finally got around to pulling the pan off of my transmission. It's a TH-400 that worked fine until it sat for about 4 months, and now it goes forward in any gear but park. I jacked the car up and messed with the linkage yesterday, that's not the problem. So I drained the fluid and pulled the pan off. There is no signs of metal or clutch material, and there is a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan, most likely from when I gunked the motor and trans.

I have a tranny rebuild book and the trouble shooting guide indicates that I may have a "stuck forward clutch" and says I need to rebuild the thing to alleviate the problem. The transmission is extremely clean inside, there are no signs of sludge or varnish, so I am sure there is nothing terminally wrong, something may have just gotten stuck from sitting. Do they make a transmission flush that I can pour in, unstick everything inside, and then drain out? Is there anything I can do to try and fix this before I yank the trans out and rebuild it? I am going to attempt the rebuild myself, and if it still doesn't work, then it's Muncie time.

Thanks...



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Ian McDermott
1970 Chevelle SS 396
Gold Member #101
E-mail: havoc@chevelles.com
Web page: chevelle.dhs.org (http://chevelle.dhs.org)
ICQ UIN: 3923441

Go to the parts store and get some trans seal and conditioner. The brand I prefer is called Trans-X and its made by K-W. I think you will find it at a NAPA store. Put a quart in when you refill and drive it around for about a half hour or so. Then stop and with the moter running, shift from nuteral to drive a bunch of times and see if it will free it up.

Try finding a product called Lubeguard. This is what the professional shops use to help lossen stuck valves and other problems in transmissions. I would also suggest calling a local independent trans shop and see if you can find someone that will take a look at it for you. Better to fix something small now than something big later...

J.J. Fig

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MCC member #256
http://www.clark.net/pub/chevelle/mcc.htm

Go ahead and try a chemical fix. You've got little to lose. If that doesn't work, the TH 400 is a simple automatic to rebuild.

It requires a minimum of special tools. The best overhaul guide I've ever seen for it is the instruction sheet that comes with the B&M overhaul kit. (not the shift kits.) If you're gonna beat on this tranny anyway, the B&M kit is very highly recommended!

If you wanna research the 400, get a copy of "How to Work With and Modify the Turbo Hydramatic 400 Transmission" by Ron Sessions.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FIXED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were gonna pull out the transmission to rebuild it, but we decided to pull off the valvebody and check it out first. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

So, after we had the valvebody on the workbench, we realized that the MANUAL VALVE was stuck. This valve controls the flow of fluid in the valvebody and selects what gear the car is in. Apparrently, it got stuck in low and somehow the linkage that connects to it got dislodged, so the car was always in low, even when it was set to park, because the parking pawl would lock it in place. VERY STRANGE.

BUT IT WORKS AND I'M HAPPY AS HELL. IT GOES FORWARDS, BACKWARDS, AND HAS NUETRAL!!!!!! AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO PULL THE TRANNY OUT. I am one happy mofo.

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Ian McDermott
1970 Chevelle SS 396
Gold Member #101
E-mail: havoc@chevelles.com
Web page: chevelle.dhs.org (http://chevelle.dhs.org)
ICQ UIN: 3923441

Aw geez Ian, it's like seeing your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new car. It cuts two ways. Happy it was an easy fix for you, but alas you won't know the rapture of rowin' your own! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

When I blow the tranny all over the street, I'll swap in a 4-speed. But for now, I'll just take dad's 70 Convertible for a ride whenever I have the urge to drive stick. We're putting a 396 in it soon. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif