Fresh transmission rebuild, still no second gear? Help please!

[84towncar]

Is the shim plate between the engine block and the trans in place? Its a big aluminum piece that goes in front of the flexplate. You'd normally need to remove the flexplate to get that out. Sounds like the flexplate is grinding against the starter or something. Missing shim would do that, or a wonky starter thats not pulling back all the way. Could also be a wire wound up in there somehow. The fact that it comes and goes could be the endplay in the crank allowing the flexplate to move around in and out of contact with whatever it is. The motors get sloppy and if the torque converter swelled up in the old trans, it shoves forward hard on the thrust bearing and causes a lot of wear. When that swollen converter is replaced, the crankshaft sort of flops and bops around in there and it does wierd stuff.

Yes both plates are in place, and the starter was checked multiple times when it had to be removed after the trans was pulled because it didn't have good ground, and we made sure it was alright. It doesn't come and go, it actually does it while driving, I just couldn't get a video of that. It only makes the sound then throttle is given to it and it gets louder and less in tone the more you give it. The converter is brand new,and its the same trans just all new parts. Would that make an issue? And cause problems? Because it's very annoying and it seems like it's going to. Obviously I wouldn't have noticed the sound since the governor was put on wrong. But it's shifting, so I know the internals are correct.

[sly]

The only thing I can think of to check is that when you put it back into park that it's actually moving the lever on the trans all the way into the park position. Check for slop in the shift linkage and adjust as needed. Other than that, the flex plate bolts might be overly tight. I've also seen brand new torque converters shit themselves inside 200 miles of driving too.

Have you verified the fluid level is up where it needs to be yet?

[84towncar]

The only thing I can think of to check is that when you put it back into park that it's actually moving the lever on the trans all the way into the park position. Check for slop in the shift linkage and adjust as needed. Other than that, the flex plate bolts might be overly tight. I've also seen brand new torque converters shit themselves inside 200 miles of driving too.

Have you verified the fluid level is up where it needs to be yet?

My thoughts on this is that it may be fore sure the front pump, because it isn't brand new, we just replaced the lip seals and all the other ones and re-used it, because of money issues. Fluid is just right, not burnt or burnt smelling so I know that isn't the issue. There isn't any slop in the linkage,it goes into park and through the other gears just like it always has.

[zoomie]

actually, you could be very well correct,whoever installed the transmission, if the y put it in incorrectly , the could have very well toasted the front pump.

[86VickyLX]

Normally with front pump failures, you would also see a nice amount of fluid leaking from the trans.

[84towncar]

Normally with front pump failures, you would also see a nice amount of fluid leaking from the trans.

Well I have no other idea what it would be other than the pump. Every single other thing is brand new or rebuilt,except the pump. All we did to it was replace the lip seals. When the car is dead cold, it will not shift into second. Also I found out it is actually skipping second gear when It is warmed up. It goes to 25-35mph and it'll shift through second directly into third. It doesn't like to downshift at a dead stop, unless you put it into first manually. And then after taking off after that at a light/stop sign, it slips and shutters, then it's all over again, skipping second and going straight to third gear. The whole time, hearing that whining sound, which sounds like it's from the front pump, since it sounds like it's from the front of the trans.

[84towncar]

Me and my neighbor did the rebuild, installation/instal of the tranny. Tore it down/ put it together 3-4 times to make sure it was assembled correctly. The internals are perfect, we made sure of that. My only suspicion is that front pump. It isn't brand new, it's the original front pump from 1984. We only put new lip seals on it.

[84towncar]

Normally with front pump failures, you would also see a nice amount of fluid leaking from the trans.

I did some looking around,and I found this. Since I don't have any leaks anywhere.

Clogged Tramsmission Filter
A clogged filter is the hope of many...but seldom the case. If it is clogged it's usually clogged with the guts of the transmission. The most common symptom of a clogged filter is a high pitch whine, the sound of the pump straining to pick up the fluid.

It almost seems like this is my case, but I don't know, I replaced the filter not too long ago when I installed the rebuilt valve body..

[86VickyLX]

I did some looking around,and I found this. Since I don't have any leaks anywhere.

Clogged Tramsmission Filter
A clogged filter is the hope of many...but seldom the case. If it is clogged it's usually clogged with the guts of the transmission. The most common symptom of a clogged filter is a high pitch whine, the sound of the pump straining to pick up the fluid.

It almost seems like this is my case, but I don't know, I replaced the filter not too long ago when I installed the rebuilt valve body..

They also tend to do weird things when stuff isn't torqued properly... Something about if the filter is too tight it'll cause problems and such...

[84towncar]

They also tend to do weird things when stuff isn't torqued properly... Something about if the filter is too tight it'll cause problems and such...

That's basically almost what the guy at aamco said. He said that these transmissions are really picky, and aren't exactly the easiest to work on..but I disagree on that, I thought it was fairly easy. And that they are picky on torque specs, but what mechanical part on a car isn't?

[gadget73]

just out of curiosity, did you have all of the special tools to do the overhaul on the AOD? they are indeed very picky about assembly. Honestly, I don't know enough about them but I know a guy who does. He's good at it, so if I need one done, I just drop it off.

[84towncar]

just out of curiosity, did you have all of the special tools to do the overhaul on the AOD? they are indeed very picky about assembly. Honestly, I don't know enough about them but I know a guy who does. He's good at it, so if I need one done, I just drop it off.

It didn't require any special tools for anything really. The only thing "special" Was a lip seal installer,which is a round plastic piece just to instal lip seals without tearing them up. Which we did use. Oddly enough,I started it up just now,and drove it,and the sound is gone.

[84towncar]

just out of curiosity, did you have all of the special tools to do the overhaul on the AOD? they are indeed very picky about assembly. Honestly, I don't know enough about them but I know a guy who does. He's good at it, so if I need one done, I just drop it off.

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not before. But, driving it, it doesn't want to shift for a bit,when it does it seems like it completely skips second gear and goes into 3rd,and getting to 45mph, letting off the gas it goes into overdrive. Coming to a dead stop,it doesn't downshift,so I have to put it into 1st manually to get it to 1st gear, and then when it takes off it feels like it shutters/binds up. It doesn't want to stall coming to a dead stop when it's in 3rd gear though. I have a feeling it may be a valve body issue, maybe not torqued down right?

[86VickyLX]

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not before. But, driving it, it doesn't want to shift for a bit,when it does it seems like it completely skips second gear and goes into 3rd,and getting to 45mph, letting off the gas it goes into overdrive. Coming to a dead stop,it doesn't downshift,so I have to put it into 1st manually to get it to 1st gear, and then when it takes off it feels like it shutters/binds up. It doesn't want to stall coming to a dead stop when it's in 3rd gear though. I have a feeling it may be a valve body issue, maybe not torqued down right?

Or wrong separator plate. Do you have 2nd in manual 2nd? If you hold it in '1' and take it up to about 20mph, then shift up, then back down, are you in 2nd then?

[84towncar]

Or wrong separator plate. Do you have 2nd in manual 2nd? If you hold it in '1' and take it up to about 20mph, then shift up, then back down, are you in 2nd then?

I'm not sure if it goes into second doing that. I just know, driving it in D, it will shift out of 1st,and into second for a split second, then straight into 3rd gear. I have to manually shift it into 1st gear when at a dead stop,or it will stay in 3rd gear.