i just installed a new engien and trans, i put the car in gear and it acted into neturel.
do you have to have to install a tc in a certan way...i just bolted mine on.

if the wiers are not hooked up to the trans will it still shift into gear?

ps:the airbag lite is on

 

dude i was there once too, the tq converter will go alllll the way on i was confused once thinkin i had it as far as it gos but i didnt, there will be veryyy little room lookin from the bottom between the tq conveter and the tmission, also you need all your wires pluged in and make sure your 2 tranny lines are on tight and in properly!

 

when installing the tc should it be installed to the trans or the flyweel first?
the trand botled onto the moter fine with no gap could the tc still be installed wroung?

 

Waittt did you put any t.mission fluid in the tq converter and if so when you started the car did you go through all the gears p,r,d,od,n,1,2 for 5 seconds while idling? It has to build up pressure.

 

I installed my torque converter on the transmission first. There are 3 steps of it going in. You keep turning it until it goes in once, then it goes in the second time and finally, it goes in all the way on the 3rd time.
Before installing it, I filled it up with fresh fluid.

I would connect the wires to the transmission and see what happens.

As for the air bag light on, you most likely damaged the SIR coil in the steering wheel by turning the wheel without the steering shaft connected.

 

If you didnt put in AT LEAST a 1/2 qt of trans fluid, DO NOT RUN THAT CAR!!!!! pull it apart and add some trans fuid in the converter, id put in a full qt personally. You WILL DESTROY your converter running it totally dry. Havnt seen it happen personally but ive heard of a few people doing it. The company you bought the converter from should have had a paper in teh box that warned you about that. They probably wont cover it under warrenty if thats what happened and you damaged it.

Also you hsould always install teh converter on the transmission then lift it up to the motor together. Its possible to get it to seat right if you bolt it to the flywheel first, but... would you rather wiggle a torque converter around or your whole trransmission, trying to get it to seat?

 

There are a couple of way to check if the torque converter is on the input shaft the whole way. If you have the tranny out of the car you can do it this way:

Use a straight edge, laying it across the face of the bell housing. (Engine side) Then with the converter installed in transmission, take a ruler and measure the distance from the straight edge down to the mounting pad of the converter. The measurement should be as follows:

GM Turbo-Hydramatic 4L60 1 1/8" from Bell housing to Pads
GM Turbo-Hydramatic 4L60E 1 1/8" from Bell housing to Pads
GM Turbo-Hydramatic 4L80E 1 1/8" from Bell housing to Pads
GM Turbo-Hydramatic 350 1 1/8" from Bell housing to Pads
GM Turbo-Hydramatic 400 1 3/16" from Bell housing to Pads
GM Powerglide 1 1/8" from Bell housing to Pads

Or if the tranny is already installed:

You should have 1/8" (.125") to 3/16" (.1875") between the torque converter and flexplate before pulling the converter forward and bolting it to flexplate.