Had a bad motor and replaced with a used one pulled from a wreck. New motor runs fine but the wheels now don't turn. Didn't touch the transmisson except for freeing it from the motor and the bolts on the flywheel. Is it possible that the torque converter isn't now engaged? The motor bolted tight to the transmisson. Any ideas?? 95' camery 2.2l

 

A few items to check:

The trans shift lever on the trans housing is actually moving when the trans shift cable moves (as a result of the gear shift lever being moved). The cable has been known to break.

The axles are fully plugged into the differential. Sometimes these need to be SLAMMED into the diff to get the cir-clip to push through the diff gear hole.

The trans has fluid.

Did you remove the torque converter and possible drain the fluid out of it?

The torque converter engages the trans with a tang and groove system. When the tang and groove engage the converter will move slightly closer to the trans.

If not engaged the converter will extend out slightly from the bell housing. In this case when the engine and trans are bolted up the converter will be pushed against the trans oil pump area damaging it.

How did the trans bolt up? Were you able to easily push the trans and engine together to get the block and bell housing to fully mate. Or was some wrenching required to pull them together.

 

Thanks toyomoho for the ideas. Checked the trans shift cable to the gear lever and everything works proper. Jacking the car up and turning the wheels by hand you can feel the difference from neutral to drive. It feels like the drag of trans gears with no engine attached. Trans does have proper fluid level. I didn't remove or drain torque converter, when the old motor came out the converter moved out maybe 1/2" before motor seperated. When reassembling new motor there was the normal shaking and pushing to aline the motor and trany. Hand started all the bolts on the housing but did use the bolt to finish drawing the two tight together. In all pretty sure that converter isn't lined up properly or crankshaft isn't sitted into converter properly. Later day will start to seperate them and hope fully I can do that with out having to fully remove the whole motor from the compartment. I keep you updated and thanks for ideas.