C4 giving me a headache! HELP!

ok heres the deal. car is 289 4bbl holley with stock c4. yesterday my bro tried for 20 minutes to get the car to go into reverse. nothing. usually give it a little gas and it'll catch. no this time. later, while driving, he gave it some gas to merge, and it stalled on him. the car runs strong and i've never had this happen before. its a relatively new carb, got it in may/june maybe. had my mechanic friend tune it up for me and it ran great. any insights guys?

First off check to see if trans linkage is adjusted correct. Then you need to figure out if maybe the trans itself or the valve body is the problem. Start with the linkage.

ok, where do i start with linkage? most books i have basically say "don't touch the automatic transmission". . not verbatim of course, but u get my drift.

First get the rear end up off the ground on jack stands. Then check your linkage for free movement. But watch how far it travels from one end to the other. Then you might have to disconnect it and check again for travel. You should be ablr to lock it into park and not turn the driveshaft. Then move the trans lever from one notch to the next and count the times you feel it. should be 5 after park. Put the lever in park and shifter in park then tighten it up.

Just jack the car up in the rearend with some jackstands. Then disconnect the linkage at the trans lever. Put the trans lever in park and make sure the driveshaft is locked. Then put the shifter in park. Now slowly shift the lever thru each gear and make sure you have all 5 after park. Then back to park and reattach the shift linkage. Then check to see if the linkage is putting the lever into each position it's suppose to.

In EACH gear - PRND12 - make sure you can FREELY slide the linkage apart. If the shifter is in D and the trans is "almost" in D you will tell because there will be a bit of pressure on the linkage at the trans.
[addsig]