Thank you in advance for all of your help!!! I’m not one for asking for things online, but this one I just can’t figure out. I’ve got a 1979 Ford Eldorado (a rare one — almost like a diamond camper). It is a two stage mini-camper (no cab overhead part, just a fiberglass extension — it’s weird), 8 cylinder 351w with a c6 trans.



When I picked it up from the guys property, it had an atf leak at the shifter rod, the dipstick tube, and some leakage on the front of the inspection plate from the engine-trans mounting area. I added dye and attached photos. I then drove it at highway speeds much underpowered for around 10 minutes home until the trans lost grip on a hill. It started catching again so i drove up the hill, and then slipped full again, with no response. Got it towed.



So, I dropped the trans, drained it (photos attached of the muddy brown color of the fluid), replaced the fluid pump gasket, o-ring, replaced the torque converter (and seated it properly), the oil pan gasket, the shifter rod o-ring and bushing. There were no metal chunks in the pan. And here I am in my parking lot with 12 quarts of new atf, no leaks, no weird sounds, a running engine, and still I cannot get trans to catch. If i rev it hard, it’ll go in 1. But not in 2 or drive. Shifting standstill and it all engages. There is an atf reading on the dipstick. Sometimes it catches with a hard rev, but just enough to nudge it. it doesn’t move drift in D at idle! Reverse always works! What do I do?? Please and thank you!!


The truck!

Shifter linkage previous leak

Bell housing previous leak somewhere…

Pan previous leak

Color of trans fluid when i drained it

Inside of bell housing when i took it off

 

If reverse works OK, and forward does not. there is a good chance the forward clutch is wiped out and the trans will need to be disassembled , inspected and rebuilt with a rebuild kit. If parts are needed that are not in the rebuild kit, they will need to be purchased as needed.