Powerglide Help Again..

I had a 69 powerglide rebuilt and bought a new converter.
Manual shift valve body, that was in the old trans ( bad clutches) that worked fine.

Get it all together and the car labors to move in reverse and feels like there is no first gear.

I had overfilled the ****** but did not run it for more than a few minutes.
Drained the fluid out and it is right where it is supposed to be.
I also re checked the band adjustment 72 inch pounds and 3.5 turns out.

Better in reverse but still feels loose and no first gear.
I am going to call the shop on Monday but was wondering if there was anything else I could check before.
I have to pull the motor to remove the trans so...

 

I double checked the linkage, it is OK and as it goes down the road there is no change from low to drive, it is almost as if there is no first gear..

 

Other than the first gear, gear ratios, and the number of drive/driven plates in the high gear clutch pack, there is really only one signifigant difference in aluminum Powerglides. Are you certain it is 1969 model? Does it have a REAR PUMP? IF it has a rear pump, and you put a GASKET in before the rear pump gears wear plate went in, you BLOCKED off a fluid p***age or two. You would still have reverse, and because you said you have a MANUAL VALVE BODY, you have high gear. That's what I'm thinking anyway. Rear pump models were used through 1965 1/2 (although some say 1967). Same "gasket" situation would apply to the valve body separator plate gaskets if the wrong ones get used. Does the valve body have two "valves" with an attached spring on one side of the separator plate? When you get a NEW overhaul gasket set it has gaskets for BOTH rear pump and non-rear pump models; if you get them mixed up things won't work the way they're supposed to. If this is your problem at least it can be corrected WITHOUT removing the trans.

 

By what you said about the trans laboring in reverse and having no low gear, it sounds like the high clutches may be too tight and applying high gear all the time. That would also account for sluggish acceleration from a stop.

 

Update, I jacked the rear end up and ran it forward and back, reverse for a while then low/drive.

With the shifter in low it is in drive, move to drive and no change no feel like I shifted, nothing.

Drove it again, and reverse is good, and with the shifter in low it is in drive, shifting up and dwon from drive to low produces no change, and it is in drive cause once I'm up to speed it feels normal.

 

I agree with some p***age being blocked off, or perhaps the direct drive clutch is always applied. Check the gasket applications and the possibility of the rear pump.