TH350 Stuck

[spedigo]

need some ideas on what to check.

Last Saturday did the first start on a new engine. Afterwards went to drop it in neutral and push it back out of the shop (engine not running.) and the transmission was stuck in park or in gear. Had not shifted anything since we rolled it into the shop in neutral earlier in the day.

I can move the column through all the gears no problem. But couldn’t get it into neutral to roll. Eventually, just dropped the driveshaft to mov it out of the shop.

what should I begin looking at and troubleshooting? I saw some suggestions about the governor, but that’s about it.

 

[Ricko1966]

Have you verified the linkage is attached to the frame and the transmission,and that it actually is moving at the transmission if the pinch bolt is not tight on the rod that drops from the column,the rod will slide in and out on the pinch bolt.

 

[spedigo]

Have you verified the linkage is attached to the frame and the transmission,and that it actually is moving at the transmission if the pinch bolt is not tight on the rod that drops from the column,the rod will slide in and out on the pinch bolt.

I know it’s connected on the lower end at the frame. I just assumed it was connected well on the column because it is moving the linkage on the transmission.

i’m still learning about transmission stuff so I’m just not really sure what could cause something to get locked in place. Likely, mechanical, hydraulic, lack of hydraulic?

 

[Ricko1966]

I know it’s connected on the lower end at the frame. I just assumed it was connected well on the column because it is moving the linkage on the transmission.

i’m still learning about transmission stuff so I’m just not really sure what could cause something to get locked in place. Likely, mechanical, hydraulic, lack of hydraulic?

If it goes through the motions in the transmission linkage. Verify it take the linkage off and manually go through the first 3 positions,you'll feel them. Park,reverse neutral. If you can manually take it out of park at the side of the transmission,it is a linkage problem. If it won't come out of park when shifting at the transmission then you need to look at the selector lever on the side of the transmission and the selector shaft that goes into the transmission. If they are tight together,you'll need to drop the transmission pan for further investigation.

 

[spedigo]

If it goes through the motions in the transmission linkage. Verify it take the linkage off and manually go through the first 3 positions,you'll feel them. Park,reverse neutral. If you can manually take it out of park at the side of the transmission,it is a linkage problem. If it won't come out of park when shifting at the transmission then you need to look at the selector lever on the side of the transmission and the selector shaft that goes into the transmission. If they are tight together,you'll need to drop the transmission pan for further investigation.

thanks. I’ll check that first thing on Saturday.

 

[spedigo]

One thing I’m wondering, is if the S clip that connects the rooster comb to the valve came loose, or if for any other reason that shift shaft is having a problem and that valve is down in a gear location, even with the truck not running, would that actually keep it in gear?

 

[spedigo]

If it goes through the motions in the transmission linkage. Verify it take the linkage off and manually go through the first 3 positions,you'll feel them. Park,reverse neutral. If you can manually take it out of park at the side of the transmission,it is a linkage problem. If it won't come out of park when shifting at the transmission then you need to look at the selector lever on the side of the transmission and the selector shaft that goes into the transmission. If they are tight together,you'll need to drop the transmission pan for further investigation.

dropped the pan today and it was just filled with fine shiny sludge. And I had just put in a new trans filter and fresh ATF. The ATF is now clear to Brown. Need to figure out what caused it before I replace it or does anyone think there’s even a chance of running it again at this point?


I would post the video of it, but I’m not sure how to do that

 

[Ricko1966]

Did you run the transmission selector lever through it's range of motion? Slime in the pan is not keeping the parking pawl engaged.

 

[Edelbrock]

With the engine off, the vehicle should roll in all gears except park.

How about starting the engine, and seeing if the transmission works. If the trans doesn't work, then all of this is trivial. Doesn't matter why it wont roll, its coming out anyway.

 

[Ricko1966]

With the engine off, the vehicle should roll in all gears except park.

How about starting the engine, and seeing if the transmission works. If the trans doesn't work, then all of this is trivial. Doesn't matter why it wont roll, its coming out anyway.

It's stuck in park with the pan off. How do you suggest seeing if the transmission works?

 

[Edelbrock]

Chock all 4 wheels front and rear. Install pan, add fluid, start engine, cycle through gears by hand (no shift linkage). If it wont come out of park, pull the trans and then watch a video on "how to rebuild a XXXXX type of transmission.

 

[Ricko1966]

Chock all 4 wheels front and rear. Install pan, add fluid, start engine, cycle through gears by hand (no shift linkage). If it wont come out of park, pull the trans and then watch a video on "how to rebuild a XXXXX type of transmission.

How bout we find out why it's not coming out of park,which is what this was all aboutin the first place,he got side tracked by what he found in the pan. He needs to go back to seeing if the rooster comb and the linkage on the side of the transmission move in unison and without slop. Inspect the parking pawl rod,parking pawl and spring. I'd start there,not with an R+R and rebuild. Still a very good chance the rooster comb and external linkage are not tight. It's a 3 minute fix. It's back to that diagnose things,first idea.

 

[spedigo]

How bout we find out why it's not coming out of park,which is what this was all aboutin the first place,he got side tracked by what he found in the pan. He needs to go back to seeing if the rooster comb and the linkage on the side of the transmission move in unison and without slop. Inspect the parking pawl rod,parking pawl and spring. I'd start there,not with an R+R and rebuild. Still a very good chance the rooster comb and external linkage are not tight. It's a 3 minute fix. It's back to that diagnose things,first idea.

the pawl was engaging when i cycled the rod. little spring on pawl was intact and everything on the shift shaft seemed to be tight and as it should be.

there was one bolt in the valve body loose and sticking up. that’s all i noticed.

we had just changed fluid and pan gasket and now it as you see it in photo above. there had been nothing bad in pan prior to this first start.

found this short piece of cooler line on the input side that had collapsed inside. trans got really hot during 20 minute break in of engine. i’m guessing the fluid was just circulating, or barely circulating.

also had a brand new converter on it.

1. with all that metal sludge is it salvageable? should i at least try refilling and running?

2. want to understand what happened so it doesn’t happen again to a new trans if i have to go that route.

 

[Edelbrock]

From my experience with automatics, all you can do is fill it up with fluid and see if it works. If it doesn't work - pull it out. Replacing the fluid and filter never fixes any problems. On some newer transmissions, you can pull the pan and replacing some small electrical parts to fix shifting issues, but not on the older ones. Also, the amount of metal in the pan generally doesn't have anything to do with the transmission working or not. Some work great with a ton of metal in the pan, some don't work at all with no metal in the pan. When it comes to transmissions - I have replaced many of them, fixed some, burned some up, etc. but I am no transmission expert by any means.

 

[Ricko1966]

the pawl was engaging when i cycled the rod. little spring on pawl was intact and everything on the shift shaft seemed to be tight and as it should be.

there was one bolt in the valve body loose and sticking up. that’s all i noticed.

we had just changed fluid and pan gasket and now it as you see it in photo above. there had been nothing bad in pan prior to this first start.

found this short piece of cooler line on the input side that had collapsed inside. trans got really hot during 20 minute break in of engine. i’m guessing the fluid was just circulating, or barely circulating.

also had a brand new converter on it.

1. with all that metal sludge is it salvageable? should i at least try refilling and running?

2. want to understand what happened so it doesn’t happen again to a new trans if i have to go that route.

Are you sure the parking pawl is disengaging.Put the drive shaft back in the transmission and try to rock it clockwise counter clockwise,see if it rocks if it rocks I'd assume the parking pawl is not disengaging. If it doesn't rock, I'd assume the heat caused it to sieze something. I'd tag Nick @NickTransmissions