installed shiftkit, now tran won't shift -HELP

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Mar 28, 2004 | 07:36 PM

bigjpushingtin

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installed shiftkit, now tran won't shift -HELP

I have an '89 F150 4X4 xtended cab with a 302(FI) mated to a C6 tranny.
Earlier this week I purchased and installed a shift kit from B&M, the basic kit which only requires slight modification to the valve body. After completing install, replacing the pan, pouring approximately 5qts of fluid back in (i thought it would be enough until I could run it and check the level... I didn't want to overfill), I started it let it run for 5 minutes then attempted to shift into drive... The shifter wouldn't let me shift past N and even at that, Reverse didn't work either...
-I have contacted Jegs, who I bought it from and they don't know..
-B&M is closed on the weekends...
-Did I not put enough fluid in?
-Could I have not hooked the linkage correctly to the valve body when reinstalling it....?
-I have a haynes manual, but it does not show anything about internal parts to the automatic tranny.....

I don't know where to go from here....

Mar 28, 2004 | 09:04 PM

Polkat

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From: CA

If you just drained the pan to install the kit, and didn't drain the convertor, then 4 to 6 quarts ought to do it (A dry C6 takes about 12.5 quarts total). Sounds more like a mis-alingment of the shift arm post into the manual valve. Does the shifter go into all detent positions? If not, I'd pop the pan again and check this. Did this kit involve removing any of the valves in the valve body for cleaning, changing springs, etc.? Check that alingment first and if that isn't it, I'd reinstall the kit.

Mar 29, 2004 | 07:15 AM

bigjpushingtin

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I've dropped the pan and valve body and still the column shifter won't go past (N), there is a bolt,guide, or something on the drivers side top of the valve body.. I thought that I had not aligned the linkage correctly to that, but when the valve body was removed, it still wouldn't work... does the engine have to be running?
With the valve body off, should it be able to shift all the way through without any problems..? I know that everything that had to be upgraded inside the body was done correctly.

Mar 29, 2004 | 07:38 PM

Polkat

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From: CA

As far as I remember, with the valve body out, the shift arm post has nothing to do, so the shifter should move through all positions. Check the shifter by removing the shift rod or cable from the external shift arm on the tranny, and trying the shifter. If it's still stuck, it's a problem with the shifter. If not, some C6's use a detent spring and roller that bolts to the valve body. This may be loose, hanging up, or the internal portion of the kickdown might be jamming something. If it's all good, then lets wait to see what others have to say.

Mar 30, 2004 | 12:01 AM

bigjpushingtin

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Thanks for your help, but I finally figured it out tonight...

Its been sitting for two weeks, and in that time I have done a lot of work to it including new long tube headers and running true duals... and it just so happen that the linkage was hitting the new 2 1/4 " pipe that was now running next to the tranny... so after a little bending and shifting, I finally freed enough space to shift all the way through...

ITS SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DECIDE TO GO WITH LONG TUBE HEADERS AND HAVE TO RUN NEW EXHAUST.....