Dropped my car off running perfectly. Stock converter. Dropped off my brand new fti3800 stall. Picked it up and it won't drive. My friend (who is good with Lsx stuff) installed it. He said my shifter cable accidentally broke coming out, so he fixed it. I go to pick up the car. Back it out of the driveway, and it seems to slip a lot. But I've never had a stalled vehicle. Then I realized its not shifting, then it starts slipping like its in neutral. Then I had no reverse. All within a block or two. So I checked the fluid level, which was fine, and limped it back. So now I wait. Anyone have any clue what happened? It went into park and drive.

 

First and foremost it needs tuned. The problem with having a friend do work no matter how much experience they have is the work isn't warranted and people are sometimes more focused doing work if it's their car, he could have overlooked something. I'm not sure what mechanically could cause the symptoms you're describing but a tune definitely wouldn't hurt and it may diagnose other issues as well.

 

Well I know that, but I should have been able to go over 10 miles an hour with out it slipping in to neutral right? I recently got a tune and it's going to get another for the stall. I just had to get it home...

 

The tune has nothing to do with your problem....
Did you friend filled the converter with trans. fluid before installing it?
Also if he wasnt carful he could of broke the the oil pump from you transmission t heir very delicate.

 

Agree that its more than just the tune. I can only think of two things:
1. The converter was not fully clicked into the trans at first and thereby damaged the oil pump, giving you very low pressure.
This could be tested with a pressure gauge.
2. The converter itself is very defective.

 

did he even test drive it? have him fix it or pay someone else to get it right at his expense.

 

Check the fluid level with the car off, then recheck with it running in park and see if the level drops indicating the pump is working...

Any odd noises etc?

 

He said when he drove it it was fine. The converter was custom built from Greg at Fti, I bought it off a member on here. I really hope its not that. I had reverse when I left his house. It was weird.

 

Was it a used unit? If so
did you flush it prior to installing it?

 

Not used. Brand new in box.

 

I'm hoping the pump went. It seemed to work more when I had just started it, and got worse when I drove for a minute or so.

 

Sounds like you need to pull it all apart the pump is probably shot. If that's the problem he should pay to have everything fixed and you might end up losing a friend cuz this could get ugly.

 

Yea, he's a good dude, he'll do right by me.

 

Keep us posted

 

I would check several things, I noticed you said he fixed the cable. Did he raplace it? I have broke a many of the cables when we installed trannies and have never been able to just fix. look here first. Then put a line pressure gauge on it and check line pressure. Also check to make sure the plug on the unit is all the way in. I have seen them push into the unit when plugging them in and not get a solid connection.

Greg

 

Sounds to me like the cable that was "fixed" is not adjusted right. Had a similar problem with a th400 i had I'm my car. Shifter was impossible to adjust and did what you described...basically hung in between gears and slipped like crazy. Caused the forward clutch pack to get thrashed within a mile. I would check the fluid and see if its burnt to **** and full of clutch material.

 

He just called and said the tranny is blown. Said it had some play between the converter and flywheel and the new converter is the straw that broke the camels back. That ***** me cause I just spent my last grand buying the converter and putting it in.

 

While that could be what happened he should have measured the clearance between the flexplate and the converter. Its very common on aftermarket stalls to shim them because they have to large of a gap usually 1/8" is preferred. Its even mentioned in the sticky. Sorry to hear about it man but this is why I rarely let anyone touch my car, they simply dont take the steps I would to do the job correctly.

 

^^^ I agree with Redbird. My first install I was very cautious and double...even triple checked the gap between the converter and flywheel. Also made sure the converter was fully seated. I used loctite on the converter bolts to.

 

Yeah I had a friend offer to do mine for me but I was too nervous about the possible consequences so I had a warranted shop do it.

Sucks to hear man