So it finally got warm in NY, FINALLY...so after putting the 52 Merc away last winter after we got it to start and run (kind of), I put a new carb on it this weekend and it fired RIGHT up first try and ran so damn amazing. It's a 52 4 door with a nice 350 Chevy in it that has been sitting about 6 years and hasn't moved since. So after I get it to idle beautifully, the moment of truth comes and I throw it in D andddd NOTHING. So we check the linkage on the side of the trans, tighten some of the linkage and cross our fingers annddddd nothing again. Car doesn't do a THING when you put it in gear, neutral, reverse, 1 or 2. Full of nice, clean fluid, has a cooler on it, and apparently worked perfect when parked. Any ideas on what to do? Or should I just start looking for another tranny? p.s. Trans is a Turbo 400 (at least I THINK it is, I've never messed with a 400, just TH350's and a 700R or two. pic attached for verification) thanks in advance guys
Yeah, that was my next guess, haha. Pan looks super close to a TH400 with the "texas" shape and all, so it had me a bit confused. I wasn't sure if GM put "Hydramatic" on all of their older tranny's as in "turbo-hydramatic", but now I know. From what I hear, these tranny's BLOW. Yes? No? I'll start looking for a turbo350 and converter. I don't know how in the living hell the dude who built this car planned to ever do a trans without pulling the motor out also. Hopefully there's enough room to kind of slide it back and drop the bellhousing side first and drop it out, cause the crossmember doesn't come out on this car, haha.
Sounds like the shift valves are gummed up. They tend to do that if the fluid is old and its been sitting for a while. Sometimes a can of Seafoam can take care of it if you can get it moving somehow.
It should be a Turbo 400. There is info on the net to find out exactly what it was originally in if the tag is still on it. When you say it had been sitting for six years. Six years before you got it? or six years since you drove it in the garage and parked it and did other things for a while? Here is a list of things that you can check http://www.tpub.com/content/construction/14050/css/14050_188.htm First I would check the modulator and the line going to it. If I'm not mistaken the 400 won't pull in any gear if it isn't working. If you were to swap transmissions for a 350 you would have to build a new trans mount and a new driveshaft so that is something to think about.
It's been sitting 6 years since family members stopped driving it and parked it and we (my gf and I) started to get it going again. I can get another turbo 400 for under 300 bucks, but I'd reallllllly rather not swap trannys on this car because it is going to be such a bitch. I'll check out that link. Thanks man.
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