New trans: Truck won't move and now won't start

[JD3020]

Got my some-what built trans this week, and spent the day installing it. We checked everything, checked it again, then checked our re-checks. Everything is hooked up correctly, nice and tight, and the way it should be. We put somewhere around 15 qts of fluid in, was gonna put all 18 in but didn't wanna risk overfilling it, and decided to fire it up.

Cranked slow at first, but it hasn't ran in 2 months so i figured it would, and it fired up. Idled for a bit, then died and barely cranked. Threw the charger on it, and it fired up and idled fine from then on. Put in high idle, put the rest of the fluid in, and let it set for a while at 1100 RPM's. Decided to go ahead and try to move it. Put it in each gear for a couple seconds and never got any movement. Put in park and idled for a minute or two. This time it sorta moved in 1st, 2nd, and reverse, but not drive. Put it in 1st again and gave it some throttle. It slowly crept forward but acted like something was holding it back. Went about 30ft and stopped. Put it in reverse and it lurched back and died. Now it won't even attempt to crank, and the CEL just flips on for a split second when i turn the key.

So, any ideas? I'm flat wore out and to pissed off right now to think straight, so i'm just trying to figure out some things to check in the morning.

 

[Bustedknuckles]

All the speed sensors hooked up? Who built it? It sounds like a line pressure issue but the no start is odd. Do you have a way to read codes?

 

[JD3020]

All the speed sensors hooked up? Who built it? It sounds like a line pressure issue but the no start is odd. Do you have a way to read codes?

Everything is hooked up, and we cleaned up all the connections before we hooked em up. The trans was built by Nate at Unlimited Diesel, and as of right now we don't have a way of reading codes. Trying to track down an Edge or a good scanner but not having any luck at the moment.

And i can't figure out the no start either. I mean it was running really really bad, but thats how its always been. Put it in reverse, it jumped back, died, and now nothing. Gonna check all the fuses in the morning and see if i can find anything.

 

[JD3020]

Got to thinking, if the filter is missing or dropped out of the trans completely could it cause these problems?

 

[Hotrodtractor]

Does the motor turn over? Or does it act like something is "locked up" ?

When you installed the trans did you prefill the converter with ATF?

 

[JD3020]

Does the motor turn over? Or does it act like something is "locked up" ?

When you installed the trans did you prefill the converter with ATF?

Motor won't turn over. I think its an electrical problem though because the starter and relay don't even click or anything, i'd think that if its locked up it would at least make a noise. Also the CEL is basically flashing on once which is making me wonder if its electrical.

We did not pre-fill the converter as i had been told by somebody that i didn't need to because the trans would fill it up, starting to wonder if i should've not listened to em and filled it.:shrug:

 

[TheSmokinStroke2002]

Motor won't turn over. I think its an electrical problem though because the starter and relay don't even click or anything, i'd think that if its locked up it would at least make a noise. Also the CEL is basically flashing on once which is making me wonder if its electrical.

We did not pre-fill the converter as i had been told by somebody that i didn't need to because the trans would fill it up, starting to wonder if i should've not listened to em and filled it.:shrug:

from what ive always been told you always pre fill the convertor.

 

[JD3020]

from what ive always been told you always pre fill the convertor.

Hmm, guess i shoulda gone with my gut feeling. This summer when my first converter went out i bought another re-man converter, which is currently still in the box in my room, as i was planning from a local trans shop and the guy told me i didn't have to fill the converter on these transmissions. Was going to ask Nate when i picked it up, which i forgot to so i ran with what this guy told me.

 

[TheSmokinStroke2002]

Hmm, guess i shoulda gone with my gut feeling. This summer when my first converter went out i bought another re-man converter, which is currently still in the box in my room, as i was planning from a local trans shop and the guy told me i didn't have to fill the converter on these transmissions. Was going to ask Nate when i picked it up, which i forgot to so i ran with what this guy told me.

dont hold me to that, but that is what i have heard.

 

[UNLIMITED_DIESEL]

Just talked to jimmy. The PRNDL switch is bad. Hoping that is the root cause of all this madness. The truck starts and runs by bypassing the solenoid on the fender.

 

[JD3020]

Not sure why i didn't think about it since i've grown up around OBS Fords and have jumped the solenoids numerous times, but Nate said to jump it and she fired! So now i'm attributing the no start to the trans range selector. Now we gotta see why it doesn't wanna move.

Edit: Nate beat me. LOL

 

[TheSmokinStroke2002]

Just talked to jimmy. The PRNDL switch is bad. Hoping that is the root cause of all this madness. The truck starts and runs by bypassing the solenoid on the fender.

good to hear!

 

[JD3020]

Wiggled the sensor and it fired with the key, so i let it run for a bit again and i got reminded just how crappy this thing really runs. :cursing:

Anyways it will go forward in 1st and 2nd, but not in drive. Reverse seems fairly strong though, but i don't have any reverse lights. Just seems like something is holding it back, yet if i put it in neutral it will roll downhill on our driveway which has a slight slope to it. So hopefully we can get it figured out in the morning.

 

[Mark Kovalsky]

from what ive always been told you always pre fill the convertor.

There is no need to prefill the converter. Ford doesn't prefill the converter in the factory. They build millions of them a year and don't prefill any of them.

 

[FrankTheTank]

ive experanced this same problem with the no go in D but its fine in 1 and 2. kinda odd on a new trans but it was due to clutch plates melted and fused together..... so the trans shop said. so not really first hand experance

 

[onebad7.3]

Huh Nate builds trans now? Never knew that, how long has he been doing this?

 

[JD3020]

Huh Nate builds trans now? Never knew that, how long has he been doing this?

IDK how long he's been doing it, but he built mine.

Made some minor progress today. Got to looking and the front of the connector on the sensor broke off, which is the part with the clip. So it kept vibrating loose and had a poor connectoin It got broke when installing the trans. Got a new one today and now its much tighter and better. I have reverse lights and its starting fine. Still not moving any better.

We filled it with 18qts of fluid, but for ****s and giggles i went out and added another quart just now. I have an external cooler and a PI converter so i'm not sure how much extra it needs. Still nothing in drive or 2nd, but in 1st its now rolling on its own and its going into reverse quicker. But when going into drive it doesn't sound like its putting a load on the motor at all. Think i might have access to a Snap-on scanner, so i'm gonna try to get it and read the trans. If i can't figure anything out it'll be going to Nate to see what he can find.

 

[TheSmokinStroke2002]

There is no need to prefill the converter. Ford doesn't prefill the converter in the factory. They build millions of them a year and don't prefill any of them.

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

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