2 potentially disastrous problems - need advice! Tranny and engine block

[Bruce88[81D150]]

first off... I'm no mechanic... but i have read a few "how stuff works" articles, watched mechanics do what they do, trail and error (the little things...) and asking lots of questions with some common sense thrown it.

Ok the problem thats most likely to cause the truck to stop running sooner... the tranny is making noise. first i'd like to say my theory as to how this started... It didn't start until after I got the exhaust manifold replaced. the driveway leading up to the spot we were working at was really steep, the truck was parked on a hill pretty much... with the front of the truck facing uphill. I'm thinking this put a lot of stress on the tranny somehow, esp. when we were on top of the engine trying to reach those nuts and bolts keeping the manifolds on. Now here's what happens... any time i stomp the gas you hear a kinda metallic grinding noise. It also does it going uphill sometimes, or when i have my foot on the break while its in drive and giving it gas at the same time (to keep the engine from stalling sometimes) it will make the sound. If I accelerate slowly theres no sound. on some turns it makes the sound too, usually turns that are on a hill slope or something like that. It still shifts good though. i've added more ATF fluid and no difference.. also sometimes it does "quick shifts" if that makes any sense. but, it does drive well still so maybe there's still hope for the tranny? I'm unimployed and starting college.. so yea there goes my budget lol. oh one other thing... it jerks pretty hard when i put it in reverse sometimes. sometimes if i put it in drive first, let it move forward (it can do 5mph on its own w/o me touching the gas) then put it in reverse it doesn't jerk so hard.

Now for the other problem... while changing exhaust manifolds i noticed that instead of a stud, there was a standard bolt in one of the holes instead... well we had to take it out to get the manifolds off... a little while later i decided to check the level of my coolant in the radiator... as soon as i took the cap off all the fluid came out that little hole!!! we even sprayed water in the radiator to make sure and it came right out that hole (all this fluid happened to run across the front section of my trans too, and there's a part of the front plate or w/e it it thats opened, think some fluid got in the trans?) and all of it collected in a pan i sat under the truck. well later we got a new stud to replace it with and it sealed the hole fine and the fluid stays in the radiator... (i still have to add some from time to time) either i've still got a leak, a hose or what not, or is there a chance fluid it getting inside one of the cylinders?

and i still have carb trouble. the truck still has its moments when it gets an attitude and won't stay on. i think i had to start it up 5 tims while in the drive through. it ran pretty rough the whole time... it doesn't like going slow at all... runs fine at 40mph+. Idles pretty good most of the time, as soon as u put it in drive the rpm goes down quite a bit.

I'm gonna add a video soon of how it sounds(engine and exhaust.. not trans)... I'm going to apologize in advance for the quality... its on a cellphone but the audio quality is usually pretty good. I'll add some pics of the old intake manifold too... sorry for so much text too! and thanks for reading and responding!

ok here's the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLGFVlLKoEQ

[coastermeister]

1. The few hundred pounds of extra weight you could have put on the truck while changing the manifold would be meaningless compared to the weight of the truck itself.
2. Hard to say on the grinding noise without being able to actualy hear it. Grinding noises from a transmission are not good. I would drop the pan and check for metal in the pan. You say you added more fluid but was it low or is it now over-filled? Never overfill the transmission!
3. Are you sure the kickdown linkage to the transmission is adjusted correctly or wasn't bent or damaged when you replaced the manifold? The kickdown linkage adjustment is critical and fairly touchy.
4. The bolt that went into the water jacket should have had a good quality thread sealer applied to it to keep it from leaking and to keep it from seizing from corrosion. Were you having to add coolant prior to changing the manifold? If not the bolt may be leaking a little under pressure and the heat at the manifold would evaporate it if it were a small leak. The coolant getting onto the transmission would not cause a problem.
5. You didn't mention anything about the carb you are using with the manifold or why you replaced the manifold to begin with.
6. The audio bandwidth from a cell phone is poor and makes any sort of diagnostic impossible.

[Bruce88[81D150]]

Here's why i replaced the manifold

http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=252927&stc=1&d=1249883059

The carb i have is a Holley 1945.

Sorry about the audio quality... I don't have money for a good camcorder right now. I've been unemployed and starting college in Sept.

The fluid was a little low when I added more ATF. As far as the linkage, we were very careful with all the parts that attached to the manifold and carb, so I don't think any were bent. Whether or not the guy that was helping me with this adjusted it right I don't know. Sorry to ask, but exactly which part it the linkage for the trans?

Thank you for the response

[coastermeister]

There should be a metal rod that attaches to the carb throttle linkage that runs down to the tranny. That rod will have a slot in it at the carb end and attach to throttle lever on the tranny. The adjustment is made at the tranny side. I assume an '81 slant six is similar to an '86. With the engine off, make sure the carb is not set on fast idle, at the tranny throttle lever where the rod attaches at the tranny loosen the screw on the swivel that holds the rod in place. With the screw loose and the rod able to move freely in the swivel push the throttle lever on the transmission all the way forward toward the engine. While holding the lever forward give the rod a little wiggle to make sure it is moving freely and not in a bind. While holding the throttle lever full forward tighten the lock screw but hands off on the rod while doing so. Release the lever and give everything a wiggle to make sure it's loose and not binding. You're done and perfectly adjusted.

[Bruce88[81D150]]

sweet thanks for the tip... would it not being adjusted impact fuel economy? And i think it is set to fast idle... because the engine sounds like its running pretty quick when i have it in neutral, but when i put it in gear it slows down.. or is this normal. I'll record it real quick with my phone... i know its poor quality but it should be just enough for you to hear the difference. btw, there's no rpm gauge anywhere so i have no idea what the rpms are.

[coastermeister]

When the engine is cold and you press the accelerator to set the choke it also engages the fast idle cam on the throttle linkage which holds the idle speed up until the engine warms. If the linkage is binding or the fast idle setting is incorrect it could cause idle speed problems. The engine will normally idle a little slower when the tranny is in gear than when it is in park or neutral. Once the engine is at operating temp the idle shouldn't be high enough for the vehicle to move faster than a crawl when it's in gear. A cheap tach could help you set the idle speed and the fast idle to spec. Normal idle RPMs when the engine is completely warmed, in park or neutral, should be around 850.

[thejudges69]

the engine will idle lower when it is gear cause you are putting a load on the engine by working the transmission. Kinda like when you a/c pump kicks on when you sitting still in a vehicle you will notice a slight difference in rpm cause it puts a load on the engine.


COASTERMEISTER............is this linkage adjustments the same for a torqueflite with a 318 in front of it. cause mines not hooked up at all and its to short i have to get the proper rod for it or lengthen the one i have.