A4LD got me scratching my head

[97fordrunner]

So I had my A4LD out and went thru it and did a once over replacing seals and clutches. I did that cause the guy I got the truck from said he blew a tranny line and ran it out of fluid, I checked the lines they were ok so I figured that on of the slide on lines popped off and he re-installed it and then topped it off. Well I put in a new TC and the above items reinstalled it and have nothing. When I was adding fluid I noticed that a small puddle formed underneath and found it to be coming from the breather which has me confused. Then After adding 7 qts(which the book says it the whole system takes 10) I ran it for a little bit putting it thru gears and then shut it down to see if the level had dropped and it hadn't moved at all it was still way up the dipstick. I didn't take the pump houseing apart as from what I read unless you have all the tools and knowledge leave the pump alone so that is what I did. Is that probably where my problem lies? I also did not replace the servos which I know is a no-no but the parts store did not have them on hand.

I am stuck for now, and really contemplating swaping in a M5OD but the reason I bought it was to give my wife something 4wd to drive


This just in I found a 91 exploder near me on the great CL and bad motor but a good M5OD and axles, would the pedal assembly and master cylinder and other suck items bolt up to my '89 BII? Thanks again guys for taking the time to read my post and thank you in advance for any help.

 

[okietheranger]

u mean comming out of the top beather? that would tell me its to full but from what u did and what not it sounds like it should be empty.. as for going though the gears and fluid not going down have u put in TC in correct? i know sometimes they take a lil bit to get primed and what esspically if the TC wasnt filled pier to installing sorry if thats not much help

 

[97fordrunner]

Yeah I had about a 6" puddle under the breather, I cought it while it was still dripping. If the TC wasn't in correct it wouldn't fit in and bolt up to the flexplate would it, please correct me if I am wrong. When I installed the TC I turned it and it dropped in and I figured that was it. Also how long does it take for the TC to prime?

And My lead on a parts Explorer fell thru

 

[Bruce]

Yes it would...because it would tend to bend the flex plate back some what when you tightened the bell bolts thus putting pressure against pump gear which then eats up pump body.

When you got the bell bolts tightened up could you kind of wiggle the converter??

If you drained the converter 7 quarts should not be enough for it leak out the vent tube.

 

[97fordrunner]

I am planning on taking it back out and checking out the TCC and pump. When I ran it a little while ago and shifted it sounded like it was going into gear like before I pulled it but it still doesn't move.

I know that 7qts wouldn't overfill it thats why I am really scratching my head on why it was coming out the breather while I was filling it. I didn't however drain the converter I installed a new one this is where I am hearing conflicting things on that subject. The guy at O'Reillys said the converter was ready to install as is but some other people I have talked to said they always dump in ATF first and then install the TC which way is correct

 

[Bruce]

Most places just put converter in with out filling it. Then they dump in about 4 quarts of fluid in tranny and then start it up and fill trans while idling.

 

[97fordrunner]

Going the better route I found a M5OD in my area for cheap along with all the plumbing, master cylinder and stuff.