Well, i just managed to get my tranny all nice and set up in my 2000 1500 van. i filled it up with about 5-6 quarts of fluid and was so excited to take her for a spin after so long. i get the engine fired up aaannndd. . . loud clunking from bell housing, it wouldent even run without my foot on the gas. I was so upset and began panicking swince it was a new tranny. i drove it down the block and back and noticed it shifted and drove fine, even idled on its on when i pulled back in front of my house. besides the loud clunking from the bell housing i also noticed a small drip of tranny fluid from the bell housing. i am pretty sure that they are my converter bolts since my torque wrench failed when i needed it most and decided to tighten it to what i thought was 55 ft lbs. (probably WAY too loose or not even close.) but what is rattling me is the fluid from the bell housing. did i just royally F*ck up???

please help me out guys

thanks

 

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if i had to compare it it was kinda like rod knock. it was fairly loud. i drove it because i wanted to make sure the tranny was ok and driving fine. i figure it was my converter bolts seeing all signs point to it and seeing as i didn't use a torque wrench to boot. (wrench i had wouldn't work right)

but what i am really concerned about is definitely the the small amount of fluid i saw under the housing when i went to listen.

i put a new oil filter since the old one was basically ready to come out

could it be oil? its it possible?

and if it is tranny fluid from a new rebuilt tranny with loose converter bolts how bad is it?

thanks agian

 

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Did you use the correct bolts with the short head? Regular bolts could be too high and are hitting something. I wouldn't worry about the fluid unless it continues.

 

yes, im pretty sure i tightened all bolts

it has the same bolts from the old tranny converter, they both fit and work.

but what should i do? i don't have a working torque wrench to evenly tighten the bolts so all i am left with its my regular socket wrench
can it be just tightened with that? or should i wait until i buy a new torque wrench?

thanks again all

 

Um, did you check and see if that is all the fluid it wanted? 5 or 6 quarts on a new or rebuilt tranny is very low. That could be the cause of the fluid leakage. Also the vent to the transmission is located above the input shaft of these transmissions, if there was an error in the rebuild it could be throwing fluid out.

 

yeah, i checked the fluid levels pretty closely while it was off, it was basically a bit above max. it had fluid in the converter and i could see some fluid in the tranny from the dipstick hole when the tranny was out. but what is the recommended amount of fluid for the tranny so i can go pick up some more.

Thanks

 

Don't know which tranny you have, but they need 8.5 quarts or more.

Fluid level is checked in neutral, engine running.

 

Metal on metal sounds, you would agree are pretty serious? You do not want to
hear this but dropping your tranny could save you a lot of $$$$ in the long run.
We installed a motor in a 88 B350 some time ago, I like a idiot used a screw driver
to prevent the flexplate from rotating while I tightened the converted bolts.

The flexplate cracked and 1/4 broke off and made a hell of a racket with ridiculous vibration. Just had to drop the tranny replace the flexplate. So I guess I am saying it is probably worth taking a look at all the install bolts, then you also have the choice of bringing the tranny to a shop to be checked out.