I had no idea where to post this, so heres where I put it. Ok so I got my 1970 deville, and it's been sitting for a few years. Well, I put it into drive and it desided it didn't want to go anywhere. We were trying to get it going for a while and it just didn't want to move, but it still went in reverse. Anyone have any suggestions? The ATF is full.

Jeremy,
If the car was sitting and not driven for that period of time i would suggest removing the tranny pan and draining the old fluid out of it and replacing the transmission screen and filter with a new one, along with a new pan gasket and the right type of tranny fluid > while you have the pan off you will need to inspect the valve body in the transmission > make sure nothing is gummed up or dirty> smell your tranny fluid to see if it smells burnt> and after you drain the fluid into a pan> look for metal shavings in the fluid. You might want to change the modulator valve on the transmission also, they aren't very expensive. The main thing with working on transmissions is to keep everything as clean as possible so no dirt gets inside the transmission. It would be a good idea to get a Chiltons book or some kind of repair manual for that 1970 Cadillac to help you do repairs on your ride :spin:

Thank you for the help! The only thing I do know out of everything you just said was that the ATF doesn't smell like it's burning, we checked that out yesterday. We were thinking it might be the filter, so I'll change all that out that you said. Thank you again!

I would also get a machine flush...... They hook a machine and run ATF through the tranny while it is running..... it really can get a lot of the crap out of there!!

How much does something like that cost, where do I take it to get that done, does the tranny have off the car?

Well, most independent shops would have a machine to do it...... Try and see if you can find a shop that uses the BG flush system, they run a special solvent through the system to loosen and get rid of all the crud.....

Along with doing that, I would drop the pan and clean the pan/magnet, and change the filter...... You should have a great running tranny after that.....

And the cost varies anywhere from 30-80....... Some places will let you bring in your own ATF, so you just have to pay for the machine useage...... And if you look at it this way; 80 is better than a 1500 tranny rebuild!!!

Actually, I found a $335 tranny rebuild kit for it, with higher performance stuff, so if worse comes to worse, rebuild time. I'm planning on changing the filter soon. I don't know when though. Probably in a few weeks. I have to get it registered first. there aren't any plates on it and my neighborhood hates when people work on cars, so if i don't have registration and i'm working on it, they'll try to tow it, but if i have registration, it'll be better.

Ok, tranny is worse than i thought. Now It doesn't even stop the car when it's in park, i let off the brake and it keeps rolling... It also doesn't go into reverse anymore or drive. Nothing works, it's like ever gear i try to put it in, it's neutral. please help with any suggestions.

Jeremy,
Start calling around and getting some estimates on rebuilding your transmission > also check prices on already rebuilt transmissions for your 70' > Lets face it man your tranny is 33 years old > it needs a rebuild, but you can usually save alot of money by finding one already rebuilt and installing it yourself, or a friend that has mechanical experience do it for you! Try and buy a Repair manual for your car, you really need one. :spin:

kk. I'll buy a rebuild kit for it. I can do it myself, I'm into that stuff. I've never worked on trannys before, but I guess there's a first for everything.

Found a High Performance rebuild kit for it on ebay for $69. Hopefully I can find $69 and buy it!!!!

I wouldnt trust that...... 69 to rebuild a tranny, I dont think so......

Post a link and Ill check it out!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=46104&item=2423063085

Personally, i wouldnt waste my money on that...... I would take it somewhere and have them rebuild it...... Chances are its going to need more than just clutches...... The valve body will need going over, accumulators, etc........ you mught as well do it right the first time!!!

it's the actual rebuild kit. That's what comes in a normal, non high performance kit also. I don't have any money to get a transmission rebuild, therefore I'm going to do it myself.

Besides, if I need help or need to ask anyone what's wrong with it, i can take it to my school and ask my auto teacher. My auto class got 7th in the nation out of 300+ schools, so I think he knows what he's talking about.

Well, I do respect you because you will try and tackle this job.... I assume this tranny isnt too complex, so you may get a rebuild for $70..... Which is a great value, even if it only lasts for 20kmiles........ But, i would suggest while you are in there to clean everything out real good.......

Caddy is so sweet. Today I was working on it and desided to roll it down to the hose (about 10 yards away). I flushed out the system and radiator and i hosed it down. then i tryed to push it back up to where it was and she was way too heavy. I desided to climb in and start it just to run it for a while. I got curious and popped it into reverse. IT WORKED!!! I drove around my neighborhood for like a half hour driving in reverse. It was soooo pimpin'! hahaha. So what I'm thinking is maybe the drive band just snapped or something because the tranny seems to go into reverse. I'll be checkiing that out probably tomorrow.

usually when a tranny goes, reverse is the first to go, so maybe it is not wrecked....

....if rebuilding it, maybe see if you can find a tranny with over drive, as that does not have it.....

That would be good too..... or maybe you could see if you could drop in a 5speed???

I'm thinking it just either really ****ing dirty in there or i need to replace the band.

It wouldnt surprise me if the tranny fluid looks like shoe polish!!!

Hmm I'm debating on draining it right now. too bad I don't have my new nifty bottle of automatic trans fluid. tear :crying:

Ok, so I changed my tranny filter yesterday. It wasn't too bad, but the fluid was smelling like it was burning. I found a little bit for thick grease at the bottom of the pan, but the fluid was fine. There were no chunks of metal or anything of that sort.

On another note, I was driving her around and I noticed that when you give it a very very very slight bit of gas you can feel her accelerate, but if you give anymore you don't feel anything. It'll start moving from idle speed too. Reverse still works.

Anyone know what I should do next?

CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!!!!

Get all that old crap out of there, and dont stop until its squeaky clean!!! Also, you may want to change the fluid a few times to get all the old sludge out of there....

There wasn't any sludge. It was fine, but smelt like it was burning. There isn't a problem with the fluid. It's something else.

Ok, she's been sitting for a few days and now has a huge puddle of ATF under her... Checked the fluid level and it actually rose up...??? what the hell is going on? I put the pan bolts on GOOD and i caked on some RTV just for extra sealing.

Ok, she's been sitting for a few days and now has a huge puddle of ATF under her... Checked the fluid level and it actually rose up...??? what the hell is going on? I put the pan bolts on GOOD and i caked on some RTV just for extra sealing.

Would you just stop screwing around and wasting money and pull the damn thing out already. You either need to rebuild it or replace it with a good used one. Caddy T400's are a dime a dozen. Sorry I didn't see this post earlier I could have saved you some money. What the hell are these guys thinking. Just replace the filter and fluid and everything will be ok again? Ever try to fix a blown up engine with an oil change? :rofl:

He said the just reverse was missing...... If you were to clear up enough crap it may bring it back..... Maybe not, but it couldnt hurt (and ATF is cheap)

But, if the T400s are cheap, then yes, rebuild or replace...... Im used to referring to much more expensive trannys......

No, it doesn't go into any other gears other than Reverse. so it only goes into reverse. None of the other gears ingauge, it's like all nuetral. I've got a rebuild kit sitting on top of my tv, but no way to pull the tranny out until 2 or 3 more months.

Would you just stop screwing around and wasting money and pull the damn thing out already. You either need to rebuild it or replace it with a good used one. Caddy T400's are a dime a dozen. Sorry I didn't see this post earlier I could have saved you some money. What the hell are these guys thinking. Just replace the filter and fluid and everything will be ok again? Ever try to fix a blown up engine with an oil change? :rofl:
TH-400's are easy to find but, finding one with the BOP bolt pattern and the right tailshaft might prove to be a little more difficult.
Make sure (if your gunna buy another tranny) that it will work in your car. Not all TH-400's are the same.

yes i know that they're not the same. such as the jeep ones wont fit the caddys and such. stuff like that. but i want to try to fix mine before i have to buy a new one.

There's 3 to 10 of them everyweek in the local pick and pull.

Jeremy,
Have you ever checked the shift linkage on the tranny to see if it is moving to different positions when you shift the column? BLOCK THE TIRES> and have someone shift the column into each gear and watch the linkage on the side of the tranny just to make sure it's not a simple linkage problem. :) If you end up rebuilding it i would take it to your school and do it there as a class project> you are taking Auto Shop at school right? you will also need New front and rear "Seals" for it as well. It should be a fun project> Have you found a Chiltons Repair manual for her yet? :spin:

Jeremy,
Have you ever checked the shift linkage on the tranny to see if it is moving to different positions when you shift the column? BLOCK THE TIRES> and have someone shift the column into each gear and watch the linkage on the side of the tranny just to make sure it's not a simple linkage problem. :) If you end up rebuilding it i would take it to your school and do it there as a class project> you are taking Auto Shop at school right? you will also need New front and rear "Seals" for it as well. It should be a fun project> Have you found a Chiltons Repair manual for her yet? :spin:

yep, I'm going to drop out the tranny and rebuild it as soon as i can to get her back on the road. I had to settle for a haynes manual for the entire car, but a th400 tranny manual is coming in the mail for me. It shifts into park and reverse good, and even drive, just doesn't work in drive.

I had to settle for a haynes manual for the entire car, but a th400 tranny manual is coming in the mail for me.
Oh quit your griping. Don't believe all these punks who say that Chiltons is the way to go. IMHO Haynes is better than Chiltons - Haynes tend to be more model specific.

Oh quit your griping. Don't believe all these punks who say that Chiltons is the way to go. IMHO Haynes is better than Chiltons - Haynes tend to be more model specific.

Nobody is saying that Chiltons is they way to go Punk> I was making sure he had a Manual for his car> Eh

Nobody is saying that Chiltons is they way to go Punk> I was making sure he had a Manual for his car> Eh
Yeah but he sounded disappointed when he said that he "had to settle" for a haynes manual.

I do actually perfer clitons over haynes, but the haynes was $4 on ebay, so i went for it.

I do actually perfer clitons...

OMG MAN do you realize what you're saying???

LOL clit-ons

Knowing him, he probably meant to say that!!! :D

[QUOTE=MMNineInchNails]I do actually perfer clitons over haynes, but the haynes was $4 on ebay, so i went for it.[/QUOTE

Well it's all good, As long as you have a Manual to go by> that will be a Big Help. I have one for every car i own. You will need an "inch pound" Torque wrench to re-torque your Valve body bolts on the tranny> your manual should give you the specs. When i installed a B&M shift kit in my C-6 tranny i didn't torque the valve body bolt's to specs and it wouldn't shift untill i dropped the pan back off and torqued them properly> it was a learning experience. :spin:

yep, got my snap on clicker torque wrench. I'm all set.