trannny wont go in gear

i have a 76 maverick with a 302 and c4 tranny. when started up ill put it in drive and it wont go into gear. it slips in and out. once its warmed up its fine. now it only goes in reverse. linkage? or busted tranny?

 

check the fluid?

 

fluids always been fine

 

it does go down. but its always kept at level. and it has been flushed once

 

Check the fluid level while the engine is idling in Park. That is the only way to be sure it is at the proper level.
After checking the fluid level then it might be that the forward clutch is by-passing. It will likely take an overhaul to fix if that is the problem.

 

My Comet runs fine but when you first start it up after it's been sitting it takes a minute or two to go into drive. After that it drives normally with no problems. Shifts fine and everything.

 

Sounds like the same problem - It's known as "morning sickness". The forward clutch apply piston seals are hard and cracked and the fluid passes right by them until the fluid warms them up. Then they are pliable and expand and work great. It takes a rebuild to fix it.

Note: there are some additives that will hide the symptoms for a while but the problem is made worse by all the residue that has to be cleaned out of the transmission later on. Anything you put in an automatic goes everywhere the fluid does. If you chemically soften seals then they wear - like an eraser - spreading that into the converter, cooler, valve body and every place it can.

 

Thats just great.
How hard is this part to get to if I was able to somehow magically remove my transmission and figure out how to take it apart?

 

That "part" is included with the overhaul kit you will need.

 

It shift fine when warmed up like my old trany so your trans shaft might be broken.

 

The apply piston seals come in the gasket and seal kit.
There are parts you will need that do not come in any rebuild kit:
1. rear servo piston/seal
2. front band
3. modulator
4. bushings
5. thrust washers

some people just reuse the old ones - that is ok but you don't get a tight transmission using warn parts. The rear servo piston gets hard and cracks making no reverse. The front band wears very quickly compared to the rear band - it wears very little.
Bushings and thrust washers wear at various rates and must either be measured (time intensive) or replaced - I just replace them all.