High5maxi! Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 So i have this 82 maxima i got for free from a shop in my town. when i got it the engine was pretty much ruined from overheating but it did still start and drive surprisingly. anyhow the automatic transmission was in good working condition. so i bought a L24 out of a 72 240z, modded the oil pick up, put the front sump pan on and dropped it into the maxima. i also switched out flywheels and put on the torque converter (not paying attention to the alignment notch i may add) and bolted up the transmission but now the transmission isnt shifting into any gears. when i put it in park and try to roll the car it does lock up and not move but besides that any other gear its keeps rolling. when i rev in gear like im trying to get it to move it basically acts like its in park or neutral. is this because i didnt correctly align the torque converter? or could it be something else? thanks for any help Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 Where is this alignment notch you speak of??? Did you install the front and rear plates that sandwich the flex plate (auto flywheel) Is it possible that the input shaft (steel rod about an inch wide, 8-10" long with splines at both ends) fell out during the change?? It couples the torque converter to the rest of the transmission. Easy to do and miss seeing it. Without it the internal hydraulic oil pump wouldn't be turning. Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 according to my Haynes it looks like its the flat spot at the end of it where the shaft goes in. it says in my book (that i JUST decided to bust out -__-) that "Installation is a reversal of removal but should the torque converter have been separated from the main assembly, ensure that the notch on the converter is correctly aligned with the corresponding one on the oil pump"..... which i didn't lol Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 and yes i did install both the plates. i missed the back one on my first attempt at putting them together hahah. im also 99.99999% sure the imput shaft is in there cause when i tried putting it on the 2nd time i noticed it almost slipped out so i pushed it back in and made sure the splines were connected Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Did you, perchance, accidentally put the flexplate on backwards? I did that once. It did exactly what you're describing. Wouldn't shift into any gears. Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 i have it where the bowl side or the recessed side is towards the engine. like this engine ] tranny if that makes any sense. first time working with the auto lol. i would say screw it and do a 5 speed swap but i dont have the money or all the resources for that at the moment and im just trynna get this sold lol Quote Link to comment
datsunaholic Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 I don't really know which way the "bowl" side goes- the flexplate is put on so that the torque converter is further away from the engine on mine. I went to the step of writing "REAR" on my flexplate with a sharpie, and still managed to put it on backwards. It's what I get for working on airplane engines as a hobby (well, it's an excuse anyway). But I think it's supposed to be ENGINE [ TRANS. Take the starter off and look on the flexplate ring gear for teeth wear facing the back- there shouldn't be any, and the wear will face forward if it's on the right way. I don't know about the indexing- if this is the L4N71 4-speed automatic with lockup-torque converter I suspect the indexing is a lot more important that the non-lockup 3N71B 3-speed on my '81 510. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 I agree doug. I believe the concave side should match the curve of the torque converter. Yours is an '82 so should only have the locking torque converter. (if at all) This is a flexplate from a locking torque converter automatic. Quote Link to comment
H5WAGON Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Did you not put the bolts in hooking flex-plate to torque converter? Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 I agree doug. I believe the concave side should match the curve of the torque converter. Yours is an '82 so should only have the locking torque converter. (if at all) This is a flexplate from a locking torque converter automatic. Yep i have it on this way. tomorrow i am going to run it and take one of the tranny fluid lines off the radiator to see if the fluid is pumping Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Did you not put the bolts in hooking flex-plate to torque converter? yes i did bolt up the torque converter Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Where is this alignment notch you speak of??? Did you install the front and rear plates that sandwich the flex plate (auto flywheel) Is it possible that the input shaft (steel rod about an inch wide, 8-10" long with splines at both ends) fell out during the change?? It couples the torque converter to the rest of the transmission. Easy to do and miss seeing it. Without it the internal hydraulic oil pump wouldn't be turning. why are there three front plates, extras? mine only had one Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted November 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2011 so i finally got to checking out the car again and there is no fluid pumping through the lines... Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 why are there three front plates, extras? mine only had one There is always one between the crank and flex plate and usually one behind it to sandwich it. This will better support the flexplate and prevent cracks forming around the bolt holes. It would also preven the bolt bottoming out in the hole. so i finally got to checking out the car again and there is no fluid pumping through the lines... There is ATF in it? Full? When the torque converter is installed it has to be turned until it engages the splines. You will feel it 'thunk' into place. Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted December 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Ok so i removed the tranny and torque converter, put it on the tranny till it was all the way back aligned and everything, reinstalled everything and so far still no shifting.... Quote Link to comment
zerow Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Did you prime the torque converter with ATF? Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted December 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I did not, but this whole time i made sure i kept the torque converter upright and didnt let any fluid get out.. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I think the oil pump would fill it up anyway just idling. Seems like the internal oil pump isn't working if no ATF flowing through the lines.. Properly filled? Maybe ignore the dipstick and fill by quantity. Or overfill to maybe get going then pull a hose off and drain the extra out. Is the filter on, plugged? Quote Link to comment
zerow Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 I always thought that the priming of the torque converter "forced" fluid through the pump...I could be dead wrong on this, but it was the reason I was told that the torque converters on the HMMWVs we worked on in Iraq needed the fluid. You could have the trans spin and spin, and eventually wear out the pump without the torque converter using centrifugal force to get the fluid moving in the right direction... Its like priming an aquarium pump - water may be there, but the pump itself needs the extra water to get things equalized and establish vacuum to bring the water up. Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted December 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 So i should add more to whats already in the torque converter? How do i know when its full? Quote Link to comment
I'm BLUE Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Obviously HEAT kills an automatic as we all know ,,, Transmission Shops When doing rebuilds ..., Will HIGHLY recommend a new external cooler or possibly raditior (whichever is cheaper for you) because all of those shavings can go through the cooler ,,, and block them ,,, then someone installs a used/rebuilt tranny with a tranny cooler partially blocked ,,, well ,,, you get the idea Don't disconnect the feed line to see if pumping unless you have a way to return the fluid to the tranny at the same time ! ( IE Tranny Service Machine ) ,,, I have known people to burn up pumps doing so ,,, but I personally don't know enough about auto-matics ,,, were you able to drive the automatic around prior to pulling/switching L24's ? ( I know you said good ,,, but check all 3-spd's ? ) Fluid ,,, Torque Converter Priming ,,, and Flow would be where I would look as well ! ( If I was priming the torque converter ,,, I would just fill ,,, until it spills out the center ,,, then carefully/promptly install ,,, to keep fluid in ) Does your transmission have a vacuum modulater like a Chevy TH350 does on the outside of the transmission housing ,,, that has a vacuum hose ,,, that leads to a vacuum signal up to the engine ? Quote Link to comment
zerow Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 The 4 speed (L4N71B) auto has a modulator, its on the drivers side of the transmission. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 I always thought that the priming of the torque converter "forced" fluid through the pump...I could be dead wrong on this, but it was the reason I was told that the torque converters on the HMMWVs we worked on in Iraq needed the fluid. You could have the trans spin and spin, and eventually wear out the pump without the torque converter using centrifugal force to get the fluid moving in the right direction... Its like priming an aquarium pump - water may be there, but the pump itself needs the extra water to get things equalized and establish vacuum to bring the water up. So i should add more to whats already in the torque converter? How do i know when its full? The torque converter is self filling from the pump by way of the pressure regulator valve. Fluid circulates through the TC and then to the rad cooler and then back to lube the rear of the transmission and through a drain valve back into the pan. The pump is turned directly by the motor by the outer case of the torque converter. This is why it has to be turned until it clunks into place. You can't over fill the torque converter because it has to stand up on it's side and only holds a half liter or so or it spills out. No oil from the coolant lines suggests that the pump isn't working. Are you sure you have it filled properly? Should be just under 6 US quarts. Consult your manual. Quote Link to comment
High5maxi! Posted December 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 So i went ahead and filled the torque converter and still not going into any gears. Yes the tranny is filled. Before taking the first motor out it did shift through all gears and reverse. Quote Link to comment
I'm BLUE Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 Hate saying this as it doesn't help much ... But . .. If it were me ... I would check around for another tranny ... Just as an option ... Is anything on the trans electronically controlled ? Can you take pics of the linkage hookup And other pic angles of the granny by chance ? This sucks ! :( Quote Link to comment
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