1981 Malibu Possible bad stall convertor

[blacklt1firebird]

Idk if im allowed to post about this here cuz its a g-body and if not just let me know and ill take it down but i need your opinions... I have an 81 Malibu originally a 6 cylinder car swapped to a 350/350 combo. pulled the motor a few weeks ago to replace head gaskets and after i drove it a few times from putting the motor back in i started hearing a whining noise from the bell housing. Went to back it in my garage the other night and it felt like the trans was slipping in reverse, got up the driveway and halfway in the garage and all of a sudden the trans felt like it was in neutral. Now i have no forward or backward gears, idle doesnt even drop in the engine like it normally would when shifted into gear. But the whining noise is also gone. Any insight??? Thanks in advance!

Wondering if maybe the convertor might not be completely pressed onto the input shaft? just thought id ask for some ideas before messing with it, transmissions are like brain surgery to me... i know nothin about em!

Turbo 350 rebuilt a year ago with maybe 5k miles on it only thing "Built" on it was a b&m shift kit and a 3200 summit stall.

[Nocooler]

sounds like the front pump failed. Are you sure the convertor was seated fully?

[1BADAIR]

Full of fluid? Filter fall off?

[blacklt1firebird]

Fluid is full, not sure if the convertor is set all the way back on the third "click" or whatever u want to call it just lookin for some ideas to check on it tonight. thinkin maybe the convertor moved forward on the input shaft when i removed the engine and reinstalled... but have no way to be positive without pullin the trans unfortunately

[blacklt1firebird]

Full of fluid? Filter fall off?

What would happen if the filter fell off? U mean inside the pan right?

[1BADAIR]

if the filter fell off the car wouldnt move.
normally if the convertor isnt in all the way you cant get the trans on all the way. then when you pull the trans in with the bolts it breaks the pump

[blacklt1firebird]

well i guess ill have to try pulling the pan down and lookin inside to see if the filter fell off. The car ran and drove with no problems and then all of a sudden just stopped moving one night

[78mali350]

The one time another malibu shows up I'm zero help at all. Sorry man transmissions are foreign to me. That's one of the things I let the pros handle on my car. Best of luck and let us know how it turns out.

[blacklt1firebird]

The one time another malibu shows up I'm zero help at all. Sorry man transmissions are foreign to me. That's one of the things I let the pros handle on my car. Best of luck and let us know how it turns out.

Will do. found a convertor on craigslist for 45 bucks. figured id pick it up just to give it a shot and see if that is in fact the problem. that way i dont lose out on too much money if its somethin else. thanks for the help so far guys ill let u know what happens!

[bri2203]

Will do. found a convertor on craigslist for 45 bucks. figured id pick it up just to give it a shot and see if that is in fact the problem. that way i dont lose out on too much money if its somethin else. thanks for the help so far guys ill let u know what happens!

I have a convertor you can have for free. I also have a few working turbo 350s if the problem is more serious and the rebuilder will not warranty it

[blacklt1firebird]

do u know what size the convertor is as far as the diameter and is it a stock convertor? i wont know what diameter mine is until i get it out but im gonna start tearing into it this week

[bri2203]

It is a stock convertor out of a 1976 Corvette. I haven't measured it- likely a 12"

[blacklt1firebird]

It is a stock convertor out of a 1976 Corvette. I haven't measured it- likely a 12"

Ahh well i appreciate the offer but with that cam thats in it a stock convertor probably wouldnt work well