While you were at the meet greet I was in tranny fluid hell...

[meissen]

Sounds like all sorts of fun, Grant. Sorry to hear you had to go to the lengths of removing the whole engine harness...

[MeenZ28]

Probably wasn't entirely necissary but I refuse to resort to taking the car somewhere and throwing my hands up and saying "i don't know wtf is wrong". I still have faith that I'm talented enough to fix this shit myself. If that means checking every single wire on this LT4 then so be it.

[OIF1VET]

Good luck man.. I know how much fun wiring gremlins can be...

[MeenZ28]

Good luck man.. I know how much fun wiring gremlins can be...

I remember yours... did praying help any?

[MeenZ28]

The wiring harness is all back together. Took a while and had to re-route some of the wires that go down past the passenger side header down threw the wheel well to prevent this from ever happening again. Reconnected the battery and turned the key to on - the fuse held. So what ever was grounding out - I fixed. I tried to turn the car over but didn't have enough life left in the ol' Optima to fire. So the batter goes on the charger and I will try again later tonight.

[M_Juntti]

Sounds like youre getting there good luck lol

[meissen]

As usual, one step forward and another step back. Sounds especially all too common of a story with those damn optima Red Tops. I swear those batteries have been a thorn in my side since 2002.

[MeenZ28]

Yah but it's the only battery I got so I have to live with it for now.

Speaking of another step back... battery charged and went to start the car - nothing. Not even a click. The starter isn't doing anything. All my conections are nice and tight, all fuses are good, dash lights and everything comes on but when I turn the key - nothing. Maybe the battery not being charged wasn't the issue - something else? So.... what now?

[meissen]

Well unfortunately you had the whole wiring harness off so I'd be thinking it has to do with that...

[MeenZ28]

Thank you Mr. Obvious... LOL

I know its wiring... but which one(s)?

[MeenZ28]

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I got the damn thing to start. Crossed a wire, no biggy. Put the car on the charger just for good mesure and it started right up. Did it a few times and no problems. No CES light, no blown fuses. I'm in the clear now..... or so I thought.
Figured it'd be a good idea to test drive the ***** before tomorrow morning so I roll it down the driveway and noticed that when I tap the gas it's not responding the way it should - so I put it in park and lissen. Everything sounds good. Figure lets take it back up the driveway and pop the hood for a look, put it in drive.... no forward movement. Just reves like its in neutral. I put it in reverse... same thing... just reves like neutral. *sighs* So I have park and neutral. No forward or reverse gears at all. Damn it.

[meissen]

Damnit Grant! Wish you were here in MI so I could come over and help

[MeenZ28]

The thing that's perplexing about this is that the tranny itself wasn't my issue when this all started. The flex plate loosing teeth was. The tranny itself was fine. So why is it like this now? First thing I thought is the shifter linkage wasn't on but I can get it to shift in and out of park fine so that can't be it. Since I was screwing with the wireing harness I thought maybe the harness wasn't pluged in tight... but if thats the case the thing should go into "Limp-home" mode - would still give me 2nd gear at least. I have nothing at all. After researching common 4l60e issues with these symptoms the closest thing I found that maybe the cause is that the pump failed... could all the moving around of the tranny from removal and re-install cause the pump to break?

[MeenZ28]

Ok... I'm lost. The woring harness is fine. All wires check out. I checked the shifter linkage... got under the car as my wife shifted threw the gear selector. Did just what it was suposed to do. I just don't know. I'm really dreading the possibility that I may actually have to drop the fricken tranny AGAIN! If it is infact the pump it's not hard to replace, not horibily expensive... but the fact I'd have to drop the thing again... I'll cut my wrists before I have to do that again. *sighs*

I think I'm going to drop the pan and have a look at the valves first... maybe I'll see something. Who knows.

[meissen]

Did you take off the torque converter when you pulled the trans? Are you positive it mated correctly to the shaft inside the trans when the trans was bolted back together?