Powerglide problems

[ask0329]

Put the car in reverse hit the throttle and nothing. Put it in first, hit the throttle, nothing. put it in 2nd, throttle, nothing. So back up on the stands it went. With the rear in the air and the tranny in any gear the wheels moved around 4K. So thats not good, got a problem. Pulled one of the tranny cooler lines off the cooler with the car running and no fluid moving. When I put the car in park it does its job. When I put it in neutral it rolls fine and I see the linkage all moveing properly. So I know its shifting as it should.

I have a couple thoughts here.

1. simply not enough fluid. its only moving the tires with the little bit thats in the converter. not enough fluid so not enough pressure to engage at a lower rpm? Upon doing some research holy cow these things take up to 10.5 quarts of fluid? I know theres not that much in there right now.
2. I installed it correctly with the clicks and all that but then had to slide it out to meet up with the flex plate. I'm now thinking that the pump isnt fully engaged. So I ponder how this could be? Duh theres a motor plate between the tranny and the block so theres a 1/4" gap that isnt there on "street/normal vehicles."
3. Could the band just be set way off and I need to adjust the screw and hex nut by the shifter?

Any help or suggestions? I'm going to take it all apart, fill the converter, reinstall and check my spacing and may need to add spacers on the converter pads due to the motorplate. (i have all the correct measurements from different sites) I thank everyone for their time.

[ss86b]

sounds like your torque converter is not engaged with your pump. put some spacers between the TC and flexplate. also my powerglied holds a lil more than 9 quarts. keep your rear end off the ground and work the trans through its gears and you will know if the pump was your problem.

just sounds as if your motor plate is the problem.

[stock car driver]

you might have already broke the 2 tabs that stick out on the front pump. check that when you pull the converter if not fully engaged they break off easily...

[usafracer]

Do you run a mid plate? If you do you need to shim the thickness of the plate.

[Graff Spee]

The fluid level should be 3/4" above the pan rail when the unit is warm and in park. Check pressure from pump. If this is a stock glide it should have 60 to 70 psi at idle in park. You may want to check your pressure regulator valve. It could be stuck open. Screen could be clogged. The glide can take 7 1/2 to 10 quarts stock. It sounds to me that you are not engaging the pump drive. The 1/4 inch motor plate you speak of is approximately the same depth as the pump drive detents. If this is a racing glide, post more info and I can help. Powerglides and turbo 400's are what I mostly build.

[balljoint_]

Have valvebody out?

Sounds to me like the pull sleeve duehickie (sp?) on the valvebody isnt hooked up.

[ask0329]

todays work

yes there is a 1/4" midplate. I took the tranny out today and the TC was not engaging with the pump. So I put it all back together, making sure the TC was engaged with the pump. I then shimmed between the TX and the flexplate to make up that 1/4". I also filled the TC before installing. The tires moved a bit but still at hight rpm. I dumped the rest of the fluid in, it now has 4.5 quarts and it actually worked and launched the car out of the garage. I got it in reverse and back into the garage and then the tranny wouldnt drive the car again. Going to pick up more fluid in the morning and top it right off at 7-8 quarts as I think theres just not enough fluid in it to engage everything consistantly at this time. I'll post how i make out tomorrow.

[ask0329]

Added spacers between the flexplate and TC, added 7.5 quarts of fluid and it was good to rock n roll. Didnt seem to want to drve that well in 2nd gear though so i'm thinking it needs another quart or two of fluid. Ran awesome until the water pump belt jumped the pully and overheated. Hurt something in the engine as now it has a knock/rattle. So back to the drawing board and begin tearing it down this week to find the problem. I'll have to start building up the spare 358 in the mean time. Out for a few weeks. But wow IMCA mods are crazy fun.

[dave41]

powerglide

if you run a glide low on fluid, they will down shift to low gear.