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transmission won't engage

B

Barker

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[FONT=&quot]Hey Guys, this is my first post, just signed up on the site.
I recently bought a 1980 blazer from a buddy on the cheap who was having some money trouble. I like the package; dana44/14B, new 35s, allegedly rebuild 350, edelbrock headers, detroit locker front and rear, 5" lift (in the leafs and blocks), custom bumper, lights, a little bit of cancer and it runs strong. But, i knew it probably needed some transmission work. I'm handy but, no mechanic and haven't done a ton of offroading but, what better way to learn right....

Here's what's happening; when I start it cold and shift it into any gear D/R/1/2, it doesn't matter, it won't move. But, if i put it back into Neutral, get out, roll the truck a few feet and get back in, it'll find a gear and run good. The transmission feels pretty sturdy, shifts pretty well and no crazy noises. Once i've been driving it, park for a little while and then restart it'll find a gear fine.

I checked the fluid and topped it off, it smelled okay. The transmission it's self is a little crazy. It looks like a TH350 but, it doesn't match the bell housing there's literally bolts missing between the unit and the bell housing because it doesn't match and i assume it gets water in the housing the guy before drilled a hole in the bottom of the bell housing for letting water drain out.

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No idea what your issue is, but it sounds like a good time to swap in a 4 speed.
 
I don't understand "doesn't match the bellhousing" the lower part of the bellhousing is removable, and I think they all have a hole for drainage

Which tcase do u have now? Does the truck act the same in low as it does in 2 high? What about 4 high?
If u have a 203, wonder if this is more of an issue there than the trans
 
Any chance the T-case is finding it's way into nuetral? When it "doesn't find a gear" and you shift back to P, do you get a ratcheting noise? If it won't move and you mess with the T-case shifter does that do anything? Having to roll the vehicle to make it work suggests a stripped ring/pinion or stripped teeth in the T-case, but either one should cause driveability problems. Not finding gear suggest that either the T-case is going into nuetral or the transmission is not building pressure. I guess the shift linkage could be messed up, but it's hard to picture how it would work right sometimes.

Another possibilit is that the weird bellhousing issue doesn't have the torque converter snout engaged far enough into the transmission pump. So it catches sometimes (like when the coverter is a little swollen) but not other times. No pump pressure = no engagement. Any strange noises?
 
No noises when it's driving. I think you're right about not building up pressure in the transmission. I'll check the shifter the the T-case i think it a 203. I'll put up a picture of the bell housing to show you what i mean about it not matching.

So if i'm not getting enough fluid pressure when it's cold but, the truck runs and shifts fine when it's warm what do y'all think?
 
"Leaks like crazy" usually means it was run too low on fluid,mayhe several times,that can ruin clutches and seals and cause a long delay before it will engauge any gears...a lip seal on the forward clutch can tear or leak and do that in forward gears---..sometimes just a tranny filter being clogged will do it too,but usually the pump whines like a siren when that happens..a pressure regulator valve might be sticking in the valve body too...sometimes the case cracks internally and lets pressure bleed off into other passages and causes a loss of pressure,as can a valve body gasket leaking,I had one tranny I found several loose bolts holding the valve body on and tightening them "fixed" it...(I usually never get that lucky either!)..

I had a 72 K5 with a TH350 that made me late for work every morning ,it wouldn't go into any forward gears ,just reverse,until the engine warmed up,then it would suddenly engauge like normal,until then, you'd sit there in drive like it was in neutral...drove it that way a long time till my boss threatened to fire me...I put a SM465 4 speed in it instead of another automatic,which I sort of regretted later,with 3:08 gears a 4 speed isnt the greatest ,and I had bad luck with 2 borg warner 3 fingered pressure plates failing within 3 months,and putting the clutch pedals in sucked too...
 
herkdriver007 said:
I don't understand "doesn't match the bellhousing" the lower part of the bellhousing is removable, and I think they all have a hole for drainage
Click to expand...

He might have a BOP transmission, or a combination case

herkdriver007 said:
Which tcase do u have now? Does the truck act the same in low as it does in 2 high? What about 4 high?
If u have a 203, wonder if this is more of an issue there than the trans
Click to expand...

All 1980's should have an NP205.

Martin
 
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