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Old Mar 21, 2026 | 08:01 PM
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Default Trans inop

I installed a 5.3 with a 4l60e trans and had issues with the wiring harness incorrectly wired. I ran the engine several short times while figuring out the problems as it was on stands never tried putting it in gear till I got engine straightened out. Then I put it in gear and nothing at that point I realized the trans was 5 quarts low. I filled it and it went in forward and reverse. I had to work out other issues and finally took it off stands and now trans doesn’t work at all I took a line off of the radiator and started the truck and it didn’t pump a single drop of fluid. Ive checked the wiring to trans and I’m pretty sure it’s wired correctly so what should I check now I’m assuming if I burnt the trans up it would still pump fluid out. Any ideas would be appreciated
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Old Mar 22, 2026 | 09:55 AM
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The transmission does not need any electrical power to pump fluid and have reverse and at least one forward gear.

Did you check the torque converter to flex plate clearance? It sounds as if you have too much clearance and the torque converter drive hub pulled out of the pump rotor, or you don't have enough clearance and broke the pump rotor.

Unbolt the torque converter from the flex plate and push it as far back into the transmission as you can. Then measure from the converter mounting pad to the flex plate. The measurement should be between 1/8 and 3/16 of an inch. If there is too much clearance you can add flat washers to reduce the clearance. All of the washers need to be close to the same size so not to upset the balance. It's okay if more than one washer is needed to get the clearance in the correct range.
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Old Mar 23, 2026 | 06:25 AM
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Thanks I’m gonna recheck converter this weekend sure hope that’s it
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Old Mar 23, 2026 | 07:07 AM
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Most likely the rotor is broke by this point I would assume
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Old Mar 23, 2026 | 11:33 AM
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You could have broken the pump but something new I ran into. Built trans for luckily local. Got reman pump. Customer installed and had only like 30 PSI at idle in park and went to ZERO in reverse. I was baffled to hear . They brought trans back I inspected pump . Looked perfect except you could see where the converter was scraping the top of the pump rotor. I ask about spacing they said they noted a little high and had added a 1/16 spacer but not checked further. This lead me to some measuring and I realized with the machine of the face and back total was near 1/8 down from an unmolested stock pump I had. What was happening was the converter even with the 1/6 washer was just touchiing the gear you could even feel on the gear where this was the case. Reality another washer or two and it would have worked, I think also moving fwd as we are gonna see more and more machined/remaned more than once this is something to be considered more than in the past, So I am revising my old 1/8 to 3/16 guildline to as close to 1/8 clearance as possible without going under .
Just a recent experience.
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Old Mar 23, 2026 | 12:21 PM
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Originally Posted by FranksCustomTrans
You could have broken the pump but something new I ran into. Built trans for luckily local. Got reman pump. Customer installed and had only like 30 PSI at idle in park and went to ZERO in reverse. I was baffled to hear . They brought trans back I inspected pump . Looked perfect except you could see where the converter was scraping the top of the pump rotor. I ask about spacing they said they noted a little high and had added a 1/16 spacer but not checked further. This lead me to some measuring and I realized with the machine of the face and back total was near 1/8 down from an unmolested stock pump I had. What was happening was the converter even with the 1/6 washer was just touchiing the gear you could even feel on the gear where this was the case. Reality another washer or two and it would have worked, I think also moving fwd as we are gonna see more and more machined/remaned more than once this is something to be considered more than in the past, So I am revising my old 1/8 to 3/16 guildline to as close to 1/8 clearance as possible without going under .
Just a recent experience.
Just a question, but checking this on the bench with a straight edge and feeler gauges would let one know if you need to change pump gear/slide thickness to make up for the machining?
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Old Mar 23, 2026 | 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by 2BFAST
Just a question, but checking this on the bench with a straight edge and feeler gauges would let one know if you need to change pump gear/slide thickness to make up for the machining?
Trouble is you have still changed the total depth of the pump body effectivly moving the hole assembly from the engine / converters perspective away from the pump .(made the pump itself shorter particulary with the machining of the back pump face )
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Old Mar 24, 2026 | 07:10 AM
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Originally Posted by FranksCustomTrans
Trouble is you have still changed the total depth of the pump body effectivly moving the hole assembly from the engine / converters perspective away from the pump .(made the pump itself shorter particulary with the machining of the back pump face )
Im with ya now.......
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