Trasimission problem please help

[Cain8]

Hey guys new to the forum I have an 89 k5 I just bought, it has the 700r transmission and when I try to put it in gear it does nothing I put fresh fluid in it because it was dry still got nothing!!! I guess it needs to be rebuilt is this something I could prolly take on myself with some information off the net to rebuild it? If so where do you recommend getting parts and what do I need? Thanks for any help and yes I'm new to these so be easy.
Thanks

 

[Irishman999]

Welcome! hotrodpc is our GM automatic transmission guru, he will tell you everything you need to know.

 

[89Suburban]

Yes, HR is the T-MAN. He'll help ya bro!!

 

[HotRodPC]

Welcome aboard Cain. Glad to have you here. Congrats on the new purchase. Hopefully you'll be a paticipant and hang out with us.
First things first. So if its the OEM transmission, it should be a 700r4 K case and being it falls in the year range of 88-92, its one of the better units, so don't give up for an exhange unless you're getting a like transmisison. 88-92 K case 700r4. Next, did you buy the K5 in this condition with trans not working??? I'd ask how the fluid looked but mentioned it was dry??? Did the dipstick smell burnt?? Was a dark color as if the fluid had gotten very hot at some point??? If you bought it this way, did the previous owner say anything about how the transmission acted or how it went out??? Is it possible the previous owner took the pan off it in hopes of repairing the transmission and realized it was toast??? If you bought it this way, the transmission had to be dry for a reason. Fluid does not evaporate of just go away. Can you tell if the TV cable to the Throttle Body is connected??? Lets hope so, or that is your problem and it being disconnected has toasted the tranmission.
If you bought it running and this problem just happened, how did it go down? Just started acting like it went inot netural or was running fine, then afte being parked it wouldn't go anywhere? It would be nice to know as much as possible, and then were to steer you as to what to do or try next.

 

[Cain8]

Thanks for the warm welcomes! I bought the blazer exactly like it is now. The guy I bought if from said the transmission slipped really bad, but when I got there is wouldn't move at all. So after I got it home checked the fluid level and there was barely anything in it almost completly dry, didn't smell Burt or look dark on the dipstick, so I put about 3 1/2 quarts total and let it idle cycled threw the gears and still nothing! Also I was kinda curious about the shifter so go in 4x4 the inside was gutted so not sure what the gears are but it looks like a small lighting bolt and seems to only have two gears and a neutral, shouldn't it have a 4 low and high then 2 high, I want to completely restore this thing I've always wanted one!

 

[Irishman999]

I think even with those circumstances it should move in reverse, first or second. Is it possible that the torque converter can be destroyed? or that big belt in the transfer case broke?

 

[Cain8]

I'm not sure on those, is there a way I can check? I was thinking about just bringing it to a transmission shop and seeing what they say is wrong with it! If it's something I can do myself and save some bucks though I'm all for it, just tell me how lol

 

[Irishman999]

If its got fluid in the transmission it should still move in reverse or low gear. Go start the blazer, hold your foot on the brake, pull your shift lever all the way down to low and move the transfer case lever to all the positions, it should grind. Report back with results.

 

[83K5guy]

You could do like I did as mine did the same but it's an 83 anyhow I took one of the trans lines off of the radiator and had my brother in law start it and put it in gear, I held my finger over the line and it built up pressure and right before blowing my finger off its like a relief valve opened and then No pressure. I could tell before that the trans was most likely bad as the fluid was burnt with lots of metallic particles. So I was guessing the pump was trashed since no pressure would build n

 

[Cain8]

Ok just went out started it up, droped it in low and it moved very little, then tried shifting transfer cas no grinding then when I pit it in park it started making a funny noise underneath sounded like a spinning metal or a rattling noise, but it actually moved this time then after triying a few time stopes moving at all. It would make the noise everytime i put it in park but would stop as soon as I put it in gear. So what does any of that mean?

 

[crazy4offroad]

Sounds like you have an NP203 transfer case. It's a full-time 4wd t-case with only 4-Hi and 4-Lo and neutral in between. I would try starting it up, put it in neutral (make SURE it's in neutral) and try to move the t-case shifter into 4-Hi (I think it's all the way towards the seat) then drop it in gear and see if it will move. If no joy shift it into neutral again and try putting it in 4-Lo and try it again. If it moves in one range and not the other it sounds like you need a t-case. Trying to shift the t-case while the trans is in gear (drive or reverse, etc) can kill the t-case.

BTW welcome to the forum!

 

[Cain8]

Is this transfer case a good one? I think your right it seems to only have 2 gears and a neutral should I put in one that has a 2wd?

 

[Cain8]

It only tried to move in 4lo all the way towards the seat, the guy I got it from did say it slipped really bad before it went out, so I may need a rebuild and t case?

 

[crazy4offroad]

An NP205 t-case is the best to get, since it doesn't use a chain, it uses gear-to-gear drive. However you will have to try to find one that came out of a truck that had an automatic transmission in it. The splines are different between standard and auto. It also sounds like you might need to do a transmission rebuild too, I think HRPC has several different rebuild threads around here.

 

[Cain8]

I only paid $450 for this thing, it also needs a power steering pump, but that's a cheap fix, can the transfer case be rebuilt or do I just buy a new one?