66 coupe 289 cruise-o-matic. After a year or so of work I got to the point where I could move the car to the garage away from the weather. There are no brakes currently at all, they need replacing. While on a long flat I started in neutral and selected drive. Pressing the gas did not move her in any gear at all. This is the first time in 13 years it has turned a wheel. I do have a receipt for a new torque converter in 2000. The last time it was in the road.
Any ideas where to start looking for issues? Any help greatfully accepted. Thanks.
I have a blog if you want to see the car at onemanandhismustang.com

 

The gear selector may have been installed the wrong way after the torque converter was changed out. There are many ways to reinstall the shifter selector shaft, but only one will allow the transmission to operate properly. When we were putting our C4 back together, we must have had to take the oil pan off four times because we had it in the wrong starting position for neutral. That would be my suggestion as to where to start looking.

Ben Garland

 

Thanks for the response, it's a good point. The last time it was on the road was 2000. I have a receipt dated mid 2000 for a new torque converter that was fitted from a small garage. Perhaps they didn't know whst they were doing when they put it back together again. A good place to start.

 

This might be too basic, but how is the trans fluid level? Did you try it long enough to let the pump prime? If it started in neutral, at least you know the neutral safety switch is adjusted right. I've had the selector problem once before after an ill-fated valve body removal experiment! But going thru the gear selections should have taken care of that.

 

As I have no brakes I have to be careful about moving it in the drive. Like what was suggested I ran her fir a while and checked the fluid. Hardly touched the dipstick, topped her right up plus a little for luck n let her run. The engine note changed a little as a result. Got in a selected reverse, she lurched backwards with a tiny tap of the gas. Knocked into neutral and stopped. Could be she leaked more thsn I expected, or the fluid didn't prime fully after standing all that time. Looks like I could be ok after all.
Thanks for the advice.

 

That's great to hear! Glad my pessimistic assumption was not true!

 

I'm glad that I get opinions, its so difficult to diagnose problems when you cant see the car as irs on the othrr side of the world, and then you have to rely on somebody's description at that. Please continue to pass thoughts. Who knows, I could of been that at least I had an idea where as before I had none. So thank you all.

 

Update, I went to check under the car and noticed the my drip tray had a desert spoon of ATF fluid in it. A couple of weeks ago I thought I tightened everything up.i nipped the bolts but not over done it. Any ideas on where to look. I will have to get her up on axle stands to get a good look though when the weather is better.

 

there are about 8 or 10 places that can drip a bit fluid .. starting at the front of the trans you could have a little seeping from the front seal though this usually occurs as you are driving .. yet this can puddle and seep out when you park .. next in line would be the filler stick tube .. it most often leaks when you are parked and the fluid level rises as fluid drains back to the trans body . one of your cooler lines is in that same area yet they most often leak while the car is running ..the other cooler line is nearer the rear of the trans .. on the same side at the rear of the trans is the shift modulator .. it has a seal that can leak as well as it can have an internal leak allowing the engine to suck fluid and burn it ..at the rear of the trans is the rear seal .. it can leak either running or sitting .. coming around to the drivers side of the trans you have the speedo gear .. it has an oring that can leak .. then the shift linkage has two different seals that can leak and they most often leak from sitting ..of course the trans pan can leak ..and as you just added some fluid recently some may have spit itself out of the overflow / vent tube located on top of your trans ..if your trans is in good working order you may find someone who will reseal it or perhaps you yourself can but most competant trans mechanics will not fix a leak ....your drip pan is a good idea to help indicate the area the leak is occuring .. front / middle / rear ....