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I took my transmission out to replace the rear mainseal and may have ended up doing more harm than good.
I think in the process of removing the transmission, the torque converter slid out a little bit. I didn't notice and attempted to bolt it back to the motor anyways, getting pretty close to flush with the motor (unfortunately). i've since read the sticky on how to properly install the torque converter and in my second attempt, I couldn't get the converter to seat more than a 1/2" into the bell housing (sticky says it should be ~1").
This is wearing me out pretty good, so I'm just looking for advice on a couple things:
-Could I some how check that I didn't break the trans pump during my first attempt? Or would it be so likely, that I should just go ahead and replace it?
-Any idea on what would be preventing the converter from fully seating (coming up 1/2" short)? I spent maybe close to an hour or two spin, rocking it back and fourth, etc. The first two "clicks" are no problem, but I am yet to hear the third or get it to seat a full inch within the housing. I'm doing this all with it underneath the car, which doesn't help. If necessary I can take it out from under, but it's quite a bit of work to get the thing lifted high enough to create clearance for the transmission.
This is 2WD, 2001 4L80E that I've swapped into my 5.3L 1983 El Camino.
Probably broke the front pump gear. The gear is spun by the 2 slots in the snout of the converter. The front pump is the last 3rd click u hear.
If its broken the gear could have moved and is keeping it from doppin in further. I would remove the front pump seal and shine a light inside and inspect it.
Thanks for the advice. I took off the seal and gave it a look... I didn't see anything unusual, but I've also never looked into the front seal.
Decided to take a bunch of pictures that may help. If it seems like I just need to "try harder", I can accept that, just wanted to take a step back from making more assumptions and breaking things Also worth noting that the 2 slots in the pump gear haven't moved at all during these attempts. Maybe they got deformed just enough to prevent the converter from dropping over them? Their size looks comparable to how much it's sticking out.
Hard to see, but that's one of the slots in the pump gear.
Second slot... a little more clear.
Here you can see the gap in the converter. I would assume the polished portion should be fully seated.
1/2" seated here. I managed to get it to 0.7", but I still don't think it was anymore seated necessarily.
I noticed that whoever previously installed it put these big green marks on both sides of the converter. i got this transmission and converter out of a junkyard church van by the way...
Thanks again for the advice. Hoping to get this mystery solved.
80e typically won't break the pump, it will just shove the inner pump gear rearward and chew away the pump housing.
Check for burrs on the pump engagement flats of the converter and look for burrs on the pump bushing.
Next option is to just bite the bullet and tear the pump out
Update on this issue: I took the 4l80e to a local transmission shop. The guy on the phone, said that the torque converters are usually a little difficult to get on, but he has a technique he can show me.
When I got there, he couldn't get it on and said that it's probably the pump/and or gear. He also couldn't see anything clearly wrong with it.
I'm probably just going to order a pump/gear set... they aren't that much and it seems like all signs are pointing to one or both going out.
I also didn't mention that in my effort to bolt it to the motor the 1st time, one of the bolt tabs on the transmission broke off. It would be at the 2 o'clock position if you were looking at the back of the motor. I've read that still having 5 out of 6 bolt mounts is sufficient. The guy at the transmission shop insisted that I replace the whole case and wanted $1000 for all of this. I get where he's coming from, but it seems excessive for a $500 transmission that I pulled out of a church van.
Seems like in general, I'm just dealing with the consequences of being a n00b! Could be worse. Again, appreciate the help.
You don't need to replace the case. 5 out of 6 will be fine.
You can easily pull the pump and check for yourself if you have it out. Just need a 13mm and probably a 10
Carefully take the o ring off the input shaft...you'll want to reuse it.
Pull all the pump bolts. grab the stator tube and pull. If the pump won't come out...you may have to take the pan off and GENTLY pry on the pump body between the case.
Then you can pull the pump apart with the 13mm again. 5 bolts on the back side of the pump
Pulled the pump and found a lip create on both slots of the gear from getting crushed. The pump looks okay, but I don't know exactly what I'd be looking for to see if the pump is broken...
As far as I know, the only reason it looks like this is from pulling the bolts to the engine. I never tried turning the motor over like this, i just dropped the transmission back out after realizing it wasn't fitting right.
The original gear set had the series of dots around the inner gear, this new set has zero dots. In either case, I'm pretty clueless on how to properly align the inner and outer gear. I can't find much online about how to do it either. I did just now order the ATSG, which may have something on it, but if anyone has any immediate tips, I'd greatly appreciate it.
New gear (inner and outer), no markings:
Old gear set, inner gear has 2 dots in 4 different places:
The original gear set had the series of dots around the inner gear, this new set has zero dots. In either case, I'm pretty clueless on how to properly align the inner and outer gear. I can't find much online about how to do it either. I did just now order the ATSG, which may have something on it, but if anyone has any immediate tips, I'd greatly appreciate it.
New gear (inner and outer), no markings:
Old gear set, inner gear has 2 dots in 4 different places:
One thing you have to ask yourself: what am I aligning?
The answer is: Nothing.
Me, I'd file down the edge that was beaten into the old gear and reuse it rather than use that Amazon garbage. That new inner gear looks thin because of the weird looking ID. Wonder how well it fits in the pump. None of this is covered in the ATSG book BTW.
I've had this transmission for about 2-3 years and have had it installed in the car, running for 2 years. Upon getting it, I first put a TransGo kit in it. No problems, so far, other than a slight slip from 2nd to 3rd gear. I originally got it out of an Express Van in a junkyard.
I took it out this time to replace the rear main seal in my 5.3l.
After having it out, I figured maybe I should see if I have all the checkballs in it because that could potentially be my 2nd gear issue. I added one checkball where one seemed to be missing. My point in mentioning this is just acknowledging that I did remove and reinstall the valve body
Also, during the whole Torque Converter fiasco, when I removed the pump, the clutch basket came out with it unintentionally. I dropped it back in and didn't notice any issues at the time.
Now to the fun stuff... I filled it with about 5 quarts of ATF the first time I started it. I ran it through the gears and nothing was engaging. Checked the fluid level and it was pretty low, I added more and ran through the gears again. This time it, every gear was drive. Reverse was drive, neutral was drive and 'Park' seems to be off and on Drive as well.
From everything I've read, the clutches are probably smoked. Seems like theres a number of reasons this could have happened, ranging from I didn't put the clutch basket back in correctly or maybe the pump is out and it burnt the clutches while the fluid wasn't able to flow through the transmission.
I had to disconnect the driveshaft to push it back out to the middle of my garage (no neutral). I put it up on jackstands and reinstalld the driveshaft. Turned it on one more time to make this video, just for evidence. Definitely not doing this again... as it sounds like I'm causing hell on the transmission.
The first time the wheels spin, it's the transmission going into 'Reverse' (tires is moving in drive direction).
I step on the brake to stop it spinning (I wasn't giving it gas at all).
2nd time it spins, is when I lift my foot off the brake again (still in reverse).
From there I try to put it back in 'Park' and you'll hear it sounds awful until I just shut the car off.
Almost considered not even posting this video lol.
I've pretty much accepted that it's going to need to be rebuilt or replaced. Just figured I'd post it here incase someone has any information that may save me some time or money.
As always, I greatly appreciate this community's help.
Maybe somethings wrong with the manual linkage since you had the valve body off.
The park mechanism might still move but the manual valve won't if it's not engaged with the linkage. Like this it can be trying to go into park while stuck in drive.
I owe you! Dropped the pan tonight and looked at the linkage, it's definitely not connected. Also, the weird "howling" in the beginning of the video is actually the driveshaft contacting the edge of one of my mufflers. I'd noticed it had previously contacted due to a soft line in the DS, but for some reason it's contacting a little more now... easy fix..
I'll get the linkage hooked up correctly when I've got time later this week and see if that solves my problems.
Related.... I haven't removed the transmission from the car this time around and now it looks like I need to remove the valve body.
Hoping I can get this done without removing it again. I saw a guy use transmission assembly goo to install the check *****, hoping that might stick enough to keep them from falling out.
you can loosen the nut on the selector shaft "rooster comb" and it will wobble enough to allow you to engage the manual valve. Once it's engaged, just hold it and snug up the nut...then go ahead and tighten her down once you're sure everything is where it needs to be.
Shouldn't have to drop the vb if you're careful
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4L80E Torque Converter Issues 
Also worth noting that the 2 slots in the pump gear haven't moved at all during these attempts. Maybe they got deformed just enough to prevent the converter from dropping over them? Their size looks comparable to how much it's sticking out. 
