I helped a friend swap out the motor in his 2000 ford ranger. Motor seems to run fine ,but now the transmission seems to not be working.It worked fine before the swap of the motor. Fluid level seems fine. any sugestions?

 

release the emergency brakes.

 

Thats not the problem. I put tts on the fly wheel.he moter in with the touqe convertor attached. Is there another way. I have read thats the wrong way to do it. But I didnt see any other way.No way to get to the nuts on the flly wheel

 

When mating an engine and an automatic transmission, the torque converter needs to be carefully seated properly and fully into the transmission FIRST, and only THEN bring engine and trans together while lining up the torque converter studs through the flexplate holes. While being careful that the torque converter does not slide forward and unseat itself.

Surely there is an inspection plate, or a plug or plate on the engine that when removed will expose one nut/stud at a time, as the engine crankshaft is rotated.

The torque converter has to be seated carefully by hand to avoid stator support damage, and then rocked CW-CCW while pushing in gently to have the torque converter's drive lugs engage the flats on the inner diameter of the transmission's oil pump inner gerotor.

Installing an engine with the torque converter already bolted onto the flexplate will result in only a very small chance of the torque converter seating properly, without damage. Small as in, near zero. Most likely the torque converter's lugs were jammed against the non-flat part of the inner gerotor, probably breaking the gerotor, as something has to give when a keyed part that was supposed to slide inside another keyed part misses and jams against it.
Tightening the trans case to engine block bolts with the lugs sitting on the front face of the inner gerotor creates a lot of compression force.

If that is what was done, then the trans needs to be pulled, the oil pump body removed, the stator support/control body assembly removed from the pump body, inspected, cleaned, broken parts and seals/gaskets replaced, etc. Need trans book for that, and careful work. Transmission work is not for everyone.

 

Rhymes with: Oopsie.

Remove the transmission, and inspect the pump gears for damage. If you are lucky, you will be able to repair the pump and put it back together. When you go to install the torque converter, support the front {engine side} with one hand, rotating the converter as you feed the hub into the seal and front pump bushing. As you rotate, the flats on the hub will engage the pump gear. You will feel the pump gears start to turn adding a bit of load to turning the converter once they engage.
I generally use a small {7/16"} box/open end wrench to retain the converter. Install a bolt through the box end, and plop the open end so it will block the converter from falling out while on the jack. Once in position, or when you feel safe, remove the wrench.
You may have to replace the pump, bushing, seal and some of the stuff Torky mentioned or you might luck out and only have to repair the pump.
tom