Calling the A4LD pro's-Reverse but no drive

[greasemonkey6886]

Ok a little background...89 Bronco II 2.9,A4ld w/dummy transfer case. Bought this thing about two months ago and trailered it home. it would move when I got her but the fluid was low. Previous owner stated that he had just put a new flywheel and starter on it due to the wrong starter being installed previously and tearing it all up. While apart he also installed a new torque converter.
After getting it home I only moved it around the yard twice. It would move as stated before untill the last time I went to put it in drive. It still had reverse but no drive. Figured it was the fluid being low so I went ahead and topped it off. Still no drive. No noises or smells. Vacuum is hooked up as well as linkage. Linkage is correctly adjusted now but wasn't at first.
I noticed that for some reason they didn't put the thin plate back between the engine and tranny when they put it back together, it's in the back floor.
I'm thinking that (1) He didn't fill torque converter up before installing it or (2) not having that plate installed has driven the torque converter too deep into the front pump and destroyed it or (3) combination of both.
Any ideas? I DO NOT want to replace it with a 5 speed! I have two of them already and am getting very sick of shifting constantly as most of my driving is in the city. My knees can't handle it.
Sorry for being long winded but wanted to give a good description of what was happening. Thanks in advance guys and gals...You rock!!!

 

[adsm08]

No dude. Your transmission broke backwards. You have broken the laws of the Universe. Can't help, you are on your own with this one.


Seriously though, I will refute your first idea outright. It has moved on it's own at some point since the trans was put back in last, converter has enough fluid in it. New converters get shipped with enough fluid to get the pump moving anyway.

2 is possible, but not highly likely. The block plate is mostly for starter location. I can't see the 1/32 of an inch doing that much damage.

3 I refute because we have already disproven 1.

I would guess you have lost something internal to the trans, either the low/one way clutch or a valve in the valve body is stuck.

 

[greasemonkey6886]

Crap, i forgot to mention that when you put it in low it tries ever so slightly to back-up. Going off of what you just stated about the one-way clutch I'm guessing that is the problem huh? It's broke and allowing reverse rotation instead of forward.

 

[adsm08]

No, the low/one way has nothing to do with reverse. The reverse clutch handles reverse, if that makes sense.

The low/one way is mostly active in low and when the trans is in 1st gear in the drive or overdrive ranges. If it is not working it won't engage properly. Best case scenario if you sit and rev the piss out of it in might shift into second and start moving.

 

[87Jeffrey]

won't the forward one way cluch cause this to.

 

[greasemonkey6886]

I am hoping that nothing really major is wrong with this thing. I won't really have the funds to do much repair to it untill the taxes get back. If I wind up having to rebuild this thing does anyone know what the changes were to the A4LD to bring it up to 4.0 specs? Even though it only has a 2.9 I want the tranny to withstand the 4.0 as it will probably wind up in one of my 4.0 swapped Bronco II's at some point in the future.

 

[87Jeffrey]

you could go to a junkyard and get a 4.0 A4LD they have the same bellhousing bolt patterns

 

[greasemonkey6886]

Yeah true but then I still am possibly getting a junk tranny that needs rebuilt. Also I run the chance of putting it in and only lasting a month or so then have to pull it back out. Rather work with one I at least know a little bit about. Then again if I have to rebuild this one I might as well just rebuild an original 4.0 tranny. So yeah I guess it makes sense. Just wish I could pinpoint what is wrong with this one. I wen't and brought the bronco to my house this morning so know I don't have to drive an hour just to work on it so maybe I can fiddle with it better now and figure it out.

 

[pcollins]

Does it go anwhere in "2" instead of drive?

 

[greasemonkey6886]

It won't move forward at all in any of the forward ranges. Reverse is working. As stated before, for some reason when you put it in low it tries to creap backwards like reverse is trying to engage. It doesn't really move backwards in low but you can feel it try. With the rear wheels off the ground and in OD,drive,and second you get no movement of the tires but when you put it in low they turn backwards.

 

[greasemonkey6886]

Haven't tried revving the crap out of it yet but I have revved it pretty good with no results.