Auto tranny re-installed after engine rebuild and does nothing - Need helps!

[rosphill]

We just rebuilt the M20 engine in my Dad's car. Bolted the 4 HP 22 automatic tranny to it and installed it all back in the car. Got everything running today and when you move the shifter through the various gears nothing happens, the driveshaft never turns. Have had it on every click of the selector rod. We filled the tranny with about 3.2 quarts of Dextron III like the Bentley manual said and checked that all of the hard lines are hooked up correctly. The strange thing is we have the correct amount of ATF in it but it doesn't register at all on the tranny dipstick.
Would really appreciate some advice on what diagnostics/troubleshooting I can try to get a better idea of what is going on here. The tranny worked perfect before the engine rebuild and now there is nothing.
Bummed out about it and really hoping we don't have to pull the tranny, but
just not sure what is the problem?
Thanks much,
--Scott

[whodwho]

Fill it until it registers on the bottom of the stick but below the full mark until it is hot.

When you were mating the trans and engine were they flush or did you have to pull them together?

[rosphill]

When we bolted the engine and tranny together there was a 1/4 inch gap so had to use the larger bolts on both sides of bellhousing to pull them together.

[whodwho]

It should not have to be pulled together, sounds like the TC was not fully seated and you busted the tabs off the pump gears. It will need to come back out and pull the front pump to replace the gears.

[rosphill]

Ok,
What's the best way to get those replacement pump gears?
Is it the entire pump that has to be replaced or just the broken gear with tabs?
We do have another spare automatic tranny but it is from an 87 and is somewhat different. The tranny in this 89 car is a ZF 4 hp 22.
Thanks for the help,
--Scott

[whodwho]

The pump gears are not available separate so it would be the whole pump and I remember it being excessively expensive. I would just go with a used one, I believe the pumps to be the same but would have to look it up to confirm.

When seating the TC it will settle in multiple steps and it can be moved so a gap between the TC and flex plate mounting points and the TC should be able to turn without turning the flex plate with the tranny bolted up.

[rudaluda]

I've been thinking of getting Rebuilt Engines For Sale but has been reluctant due to the price.

[328ijunkie]

I always put trans up with tc in the bellhousing already.