6l80e will engage into R, but not D

[granatl]

I bought a rebuilt PATC 6L80E Phoenix from a fellow board member. He just had the clutch packs freshened before selling it to me.

About two weeks ago, I moved my TCM from my stock transmission into the PATC one (to have the VIN number match). I still need to pull the performance parameters off the PATC TCM and flash it via HP Tuners.

Today, I finally got the new engine/transmission combo running. At the end of my 30 minute cheap oil break-in, I drove it to the gas station, not quite a mile away, gently. 9/10 of the way back home, I stopped at a stop light and the car was acting like a tranny brake had engaged (I have one on my 200R4). I was able to backup the car.

I then realized if I manually shifted into M2, I could move forward gingerly. That got me within 400 yards of home, and then none of the forward gears would engage. I added fluid (Amsoil Sig Series Synth), but that did nothing. I literally drove the car home in reverse.

I pulled the level control plug, and fluid came pouring out. I realized that I needed to start the car before pulling that plug.

Since then, I've re-checked the fluid. It was reasonably close, but still no forward gears, only reverse.

The builder indicated that I didn't properly seat the torque converter. I have my doubts there, because I wouldn't have been able to mate the bell housing to the block if the converter wasn't seated.

Anyone care to provide their input on what might be wrong? If the TQ converter wasn't seated, I wouldn't have line pressure to go into reverse, right?

[JANNETTYRACING]

Originally Posted by granatl

I bought a rebuilt PATC 6L80E Phoenix from a fellow board member. He just had the clutch packs freshened before selling it to me.

About two weeks ago, I moved my TCM from my stock transmission into the PATC one (to have the VIN number match). I still need to pull the performance parameters off the PATC TCM and flash it via HP Tuners.

Today, I finally got the new engine/transmission combo running. At the end of my 30 minute cheap oil break-in, I drove it to the gas station, not quite a mile away, gently. 9/10 of the way back home, I stopped at a stop light and the car was acting like a tranny brake had engaged (I have one on my 200R4). I was able to backup the car.

I then realized if I manually shifted into M2, I could move forward gingerly. That got me within 400 yards of home, and then none of the forward gears would engage. I added fluid (Amsoil Sig Series Synth), but that did nothing. I literally drove the car home in reverse.

I pulled the level control plug, and fluid came pouring out. I realized that I needed to start the car before pulling that plug.

Since then, I've re-checked the fluid. It was reasonably close, but still no forward gears, only reverse.

The builder indicated that I didn't properly seat the torque converter. I have my doubts there, because I wouldn't have been able to mate the bell housing to the block if the converter wasn't seated.

Anyone care to provide their input on what might be wrong? If the TQ converter wasn't seated, I wouldn't have line pressure to go into reverse, right?

It is imperative, that the valve body and separator Plate fall withing the Julian date on the trans case or you could have a mismatch issue, which could in turn damage the trans.

I would have suggested getting the TCM Flashed to match your Vehicle to keep the hard parts match.

If I can be of any assistance let me know.

Ted.

[granatl]

Ted,
Thanks for the info. I have HP Tuners and now know how to pull the performance tune from the other TCM (that came with that transmission).

We're speculating that the line pressure is so high that it knocked out the very expensive forward drum. :(

IDK if the performance program will lower the line pressure or not and am quite frankly afraid to try.

[JANNETTYRACING]

Originally Posted by granatl

Ted,
Thanks for the info. I have HP Tuners and now know how to pull the performance tune from the other TCM (that came with that transmission).

We're speculating that the line pressure is so high that it knocked out the very expensive forward drum. :(

IDK if the performance program will lower the line pressure or not and am quite frankly afraid to try.

Not sure who's trans or program your running.

When we build a trans we only need to raise line pressure about 10-20 % over stock and they hold 1000 Crank HP.

We have seen all the bending line pressure can do years ago.

Ted.

[granatl]

PATC transmission (freshened by 3rd party), stock TCM. I've been working with PATC to xfer the performance parameters from the "performance" TCM, but they haven't had time quite yet.

I had started a thread on HP Tuners and just got a reply yesterday. I was under the mistaken impression that if I tried to read the performance TCM (with a different VIN), that HP Tuners would freak out; but apparently that's exactly what I need to do, and then flash those parameters into my VIN-coded TCM.

I honestly thought that light driving wouldn't have a bad effect with the stock TCM, yet it didn't even last 2 miles. So, it's either the programming, or something is wrong with the latest "freshining" of the transmission.

[Rhino79]

Originally Posted by granatl

Ted,
Thanks for the info. I have HP Tuners and now know how to pull the performance tune from the other TCM (that came with that transmission).

We're speculating that the line pressure is so high that it knocked out the very expensive forward drum. :(

IDK if the performance program will lower the line pressure or not and am quite frankly afraid to try.

I run 300 psi line pressure at wot with my phoenix kit. It takes a lot of line pressure to make a 6l80 live. I have beat up on my phoenix setup with no issues. However if you had severe shift bind that can cause some issues.

I have tuned about 5 or 6 built transmissions with this kit, at light throttle I like about 110 psi line, and progress up to about 275-300 at wot.

Build clearances must be known to have a good starting point, because you WILL have to change the oncoming/offgoing pressures, as well as fill volume presets. Also, you should tune the trans with adapts off, just as you would do fuel trims. Pressure dictates if the trans can execute the shift in the amount of time that is being commanded.

I also leave adapts off for upshift, because we don't have access to several modifier tables, and more times than not, it will learn a random flare.