Help me fix my Kidnapper Van!

There's a chance, albeit small but, never the less a chance. I'll cross my fingers for you.

 

The suspense is killing me.

I took it apart and got it all back together tonight after work. Still too dumb and impatient to get myself a transmission jack, I came up with a plan that I thought was genius at the time, but looking back I'm pretty sure it's just one of those standard little time savers that everybody else already knew about. I went and got a couple of six inch bolts and replaced two of the bellhousing bolts with them, so once everything else was out of the way I could slide the transmission back, keeping it aligned while I re-seat the converter.

So I did that, then started it up. It sounded... Perfectly normal! I had already I added four quarts of transmission fluid before starting it last time, so I added four more. The dipstick said that was enough, although I had my doubts. I was pretty sure once it pumped through the whole system and got the air out it would need more, but after warming it up and going through all the positions on the shifter, it still registered full so I decided to try and drive it.

It slipped. Barely moved. I had to get it back into the garage and the angle is such that I can't push it by myself, so with the trans in reverse I gave it some gas until it caught.

And who should walk out the door but my dear sweet wife, just in time to see me doing a reverse burnout in the garage and stopping inches from the wall.

I think I handled that very well, thank you, but she was not impressed! I agreed to leave it alone for the night.

But now I don't know and it's killing me! Is the transmission slipping because it's bad, or because it doesn't have enough fluid?

Argh! Lunch time tomorrow. I'll get more fluid on the way home, then I'll road test this sucker.

 

I'd say transmission fluid - those hold more than 8 quarts.

 

I think so too, really. I've read everything from 10 to 13, even 15. And even though the dipstick said it was full, I'll bet it has to pump through quite a few little passages, fill up the converter, the cooler lines, etc... I did leave it running for a while though. That makes me worry a little bit, but not much. I think it's going to be ok. Will find out soon enough...

 

It works.

 

Woohoo!!

 

Now I just need to see if I can fix the shifter cable. Think it's broken somewhere...