93 Lexus Es 300 - Replaced Engine But Won't Move

[mcracing]

I have been living a nightmare for the last 2 weeks and could use some help. Purchased a 1993 Pearl White 1 owner ES 300, car looks like it just came off showroom floor. Got it for $1350.00 dollars knowing it had not ran for a few months, and sketchy information what the problem could be. At first look found someone did a tune-up and had distributer cap bolted on crooked so rotor was missing 3 trodes. Replaced cap and rotor checked water it was dry so filled it up and found my shoes filling up as fast as the radiator from the waterpump.

Replaced the waterpump and thermostat. Took some work but she fired up but instantly got hot and wouldn't hold water. Did compression check and found # 4 and # 3 down to 25 lbs. Pulled heads had them resurfaced, all new gaskets, put it back together still overheating (went the cheap route and did not have heads checked out just surfaced). Rechecked compression and still way down so called it done.

Pulled motor, purchased used (82K mile, 1 yr warranty) motor for $700.00 dollars and spent the last 4 days stuffing it in. She has fired up and runs ok, well as far as I can tell after pulling upper intake off 2 times for #3 injector leaking fuel like a facet, and pulling waterpump and replacing it (foolishly figured it would be fine even though the rust pattern flowing down the block should have been a clue before I installed this motor).

So anyway now she fires right up idles ok, no check engine lights, did have a OD\OFF flash but nothing now. But the problem I have is when I go to shift into drive RPMs go up and she doesn't want to move, in fact no movement in any gear. I did make a mistake and played with the throttle cable adjustment. Also had some trans fluid leaking while motor was out, (coming from the cross shaft seal that is part of the gear case that mounts to the engine block) or I guess it could be gear oil (red and looks like Dextron to me?) So my goal here is not to pull this motor back out and some knowledgable person on this very informative site can help me out.

Thanks

[gbhrps]

You may have a bad torque converter, or from the git go you may well have a fried transmission. Its far too difficult to know for sure without checking the car firsthand. For sure you need someone with the right experience to help you figure it out.

That aside, one thing from your post is very clear. You need to slow down before you do anything else to this car. There are too many signs that you have missed before you went ahead with trying to fix the problems. Each one that you missed has cost you wasted time and money. Get a knowledgeable person to help you determine the best approach, before you jump in with the wrenches. It'll be much cheaper, and a whole lot less frustrating.

We here all share your excitement with these fine cars, because we all own one and love them dearly, but you have to be a little more judicial. It certainly sounds like you could have a very nice ride when you get the bugs worked out.

Welcome to the forum, and please keep us posted as to how you are making out.

[fergi]

this post is a classic no response from the OP ,i have found on this forum that a lot of people come on here for advice and after everyone trying to help with suggestions the OP doesnt get back with how they fixed the problem, i think its only common courtesy if you ask a question on this forum and take peoples advice the least you can do is to get back to your posted original question and let everyone know how you went, it helps people with the same problem to maybe diagnose their own problems that may be similar and the people that went to the trouble of answering the original post at least feel their advice has been appreciated.

fergi

[dcfish]

this post is a classic no response from the OP ,i have found on this forum that a lot of people come on here for advice and after everyone trying to help with suggestions the OP doesnt get back with how they fixed the problem, i think its only common courtesy if you ask a question on this forum and take peoples advice the least you can do is to get back to your posted original question and let everyone know how you went, it helps people with the same problem to maybe diagnose their own problems that may be similar and the people that went to the trouble of answering the original post at least feel their advice has been appreciated.

fergi

I agree with fergi, I have seen this happen over and over