Outting a Tranny: Lost the Turbo350 in my T-bucket last night.

[DJ_Critterus]

Dammit :banghead:

I was driving the T-bucket last night to the place where I was going to watch the FL/AR game with my date and all seemed to be going fine. Nope. My luck has run out again. I start braking for a stop light and hear a loud squeal (kinda like when Knooger gets into the sheep pen). Actually it was a metal on metal squeal like something had seized up.

It's not the brakes because they still have a lot of pad left. The sound went away as I came to a complete stop. So now the light turns green and I step on the expensive pedal. The car shakes, makes a lot of noise per usual, but goes nowhere? WTF...over?

Out of desperation, I drop it into first and it takes off. Move it to second and it's fine and then the same when I push the lever into the D position. Same thing happens at another stop light. I have no fluid leaks and my levels are fine.

I'm wondering if I burned out some bands inside the tranny or if I lost some kind of linkage. Either way, I have to take the body off the car to get it unbolted from the motor. Fortunately, I have a new one, freshly rebuilt with some extra "nasty", and never used mated up to the engine in the other T-bucket I'm building.

If it's not one thing it's another. First my truck gets hit then this. What's next? :rolleyes: What does you all be thinking about the transmission. What could be the problem? I can build a mean motor but have never worked on transmissions.

[m and t's77]

What does the fluid look like,smell and feel like?
Smell burnt,fluid black and does it feel gritty?

[78SA]

Next will be your gun misfiring? :leaving:

[Thunder22]

What's a t-bucket?

[DJ_Critterus]

What does the fluid look like,smell and feel like?
Smell burnt,fluid black and does it feel gritty?

Fluid is red like it jsut came out of the bottle. I stuck a small hose down the tube to pull some out this morning and it doesn't feel gritty, but that story might change when I take it out and drop the pan. As far as smell goes I wouldn't know. My sniffer hasn't worked since I was a kid.

[DJ_Critterus]

What's a t-bucket?

Dis :

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/DJ_Critterus/1334074814332_zps09b76e96.jpg

[m and t's77]

Check your shifter linkage,but please put it up on jack stands and have someone shift it while you look underneth.

[Fasglas]

Nice car. Always liked 'buckets ever since Grabowski's TV car, a l-o-n-g
time ago... Unfortunately, I've never been able to comfortably fit in one.

After reading the OP, my first suspect was the torque converter, but after thinking about it, I'm not so sure.

Found a site that may help:

Transmission Noise Help (http://transmissioncenter.net/Transmission_Noise_Help.htm)

As with other diagnoses, finding the cause of a noise is a process of elimination. Knowing which component is not causing the malfunction is as important as knowing which component is causing the malfunction. Rule out as many sources as possible by using clear testing methods, and see which components are left.

:cert:

[DJ_Critterus]

Check your shifter linkage,but please put it up on jack stands and have someone shift it while you look underneth.

I'm going to put it up on a friends drive-on rack and swap the tranny. I had suspicions it was slipping beginning not long after I put the new motor in. I usually put in a beefed up trans with a new motor when I don't know the condition of the trans or if it will hold up, but didn't have the time or $$$ back then.

[DJ_Critterus]

Nice car. Always liked 'buckets ever since Grabowski's TV car, a l-o-n-g
time ago... Unfortunately, I've never been able to comfortably fit in one.

After reading the OP, my first suspect was the torque converter, but after thinking about it, I'm not so sure.

Found a site that may help:

Transmission Noise Help (http://transmissioncenter.net/Transmission_Noise_Help.htm)



:cert:
I think it's not the converter because it still wants to hook up in 1st and 2nd. The car never sounded like it shifted to 3rd when i put it in D, though. I have a 3200rpm converter in it and usually it runs about 1500rpm when I'm doing 40mph. It was up to 2100rpm last night. Plus, if the converter went bad I think it would either always be engaged or not engage at all if it went out. based on what I read.

[mrvette]

Check all the above, and then drop the pan, should be simple enough to do.....and see who is home, you maybe dropped a metal part or two, and if so, you see steel in the pan....:issues:

I have rebuilt 3 transmissions, not tons of experience, but scuttlebutt says the thm350 is the easiest of all......will need a ATSG, but we get that at Mitchell trans on Liberty street....northside......

:kimblair:

[MEANZ06]

Outting a tranny...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p275/meanz06/pricelessgirl.jpg


:D

[DJ_Critterus]

Check all the above, and then drop the pan, should be simple enough to do.....and see who is home, you maybe dropped a metal part or two, and if so, you see steel in the pan....:issues:

I have rebuilt 3 transmissions, not tons of experience, but scuttlebutt says the thm350 is the easiest of all......will need a ATSG, but we get that at Mitchell trans on Liberty street....northside......

:kimblair:

I have another one ready to go and will spend the $300 to have it rebuilt just south of me in blanding. I forget the name of the shop, but they do good work.

[DJ_Critterus]

Outting a tranny...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p275/meanz06/pricelessgirl.jpg


:D

I figured that would show up :funny:

[Sneaks]

Sounds to me like you have a bad modulator valve or broken accumulator spring. Also, another place to check is to make sure you have the right amount of vacuum. Pull the hose, and see if you're getting a minimum of 16lbs of vacuum, I believe.

[OddBall]

Karma has taken a sadistic little interest in you hasn't she?

[DJ_Critterus]

Sounds to me like you have a bad modulator valve or broken accumulator spring. Also, another place to check is to make sure you have the right amount of vacuum. Pull the hose, and see if you're getting a minimum of 16lbs of vacuum, I believe.

I'll check that, but I did think the trans was slipping a bit not long after I dropped the 396ci power plant in. I'd put it in D and sometimes it would take a minute for it to grab and go. It probably needed to be rebuilt anyway.

How hard is it to make one of these into a manual valve body so I can shift through the gears without hurting it?

[69camfrk]

How the hell did you lose your Tranny? I mean it's not like a tv remote or something.:leaving:

[78SA]

How the hell did you lose your Tranny? I mean it's not like a tv remote or something.:leaving:

:lol:

[Sneaks]

I'll check that, but I did think the trans was slipping a bit not long after I dropped the 396ci power plant in. I'd put it in D and sometimes it would take a minute for it to grab and go. It probably needed to be rebuilt anyway.

How hard is it to make one of these into a manual valve body so I can shift through the gears without hurting it?

If I'm not mistaken, its a simple valve body swap.

[RED-85-Z51]

Turbo350....worse than any Dodge automatic, worst trans ever.

Turbo 400/4L80E

Or why not do a 4 speed swap?

[m and t's77]

Turbo350....worse than any Dodge automatic, worst trans ever. wong!

Turbo 400/4L80E

Or why not do a 4 speed swap?

Had plenty of turbo 350's and they have held up just fine.I even did a rebuild on one back in school with B&M shift kit and it outlasted 3 cars that I swapped it in.The first to second upshift with the Holeshot torque convertor would pin you right back into your seat.

:Sexy:

[Jeff '79]

Had plenty of turbo 350's and they have held up just fine.I even did a rebuild on one back in school with B&M shift kit and it outlasted 3 cars that I swapped it in.The first to second upshift with the Holeshot torque convertor would pin you right back into your seat.

:Sexy:

:iagree: Same here... Those thing are bullet proof.
I'm curious to see what DJ finds the problem is..

[DJ_Critterus]

Turbo350....worse than any Dodge automatic, worst trans ever.

Turbo 400/4L80E

Or why not do a 4 speed swap?

Unlike you, I don't want to drop down to a 4" long drive shaft.

T350 is about the shortest trans I can put in that car and not have to make a new DS or go without one. T400 is too long and I don't want a Power Glide even though I have a couple readily available if I want to pick them up.

[RED-85-Z51]

There is a '23 locally for sale with a TH400....works for some people i guess?

[DJ_Critterus]

There is a '23 locally for sale with a TH400....works for some people i guess?

Is it original frame or replica? Was is custom built? I have a 23' and it won't work.

[Madmikeee]

Damn and those TH350's are UBER rare too.

[Madmikeee]

Turbo350....worse than any Dodge automatic, worst trans ever.

Turbo 400/4L80E

Or why not do a 4 speed swap?

:skep:


I have had MANY TH350's and they were all ROCK SOLID past 100k miles with 300+ HP running through them. The other two are probably way too long for a bucket without major mods. I agree with the 4 speed swap though , nothing like rowing through the gears.

EDIT, just read that the OP states it is in fact too long

[mrvette]

Unlike you, I don't want to drop down to a 4" long drive shaft.

T350 is about the shortest trans I can put in that car and not have to make a new DS or go without one. T400 is too long and I don't want a Power Glide even though I have a couple readily available if I want to pick them up.

thm350/400 each came in 3 possible tail shaft lengths.....obviously you would want the short shaft, so you wouldn't want to be embarrassed......:rofl::slap:

[mrvette]

Is it original frame or replica? Was is custom built? I have a 23' and it won't work.

The short shaft 400 is a bolt in if a short shaft 350 is in place....done that swap a bunch of times....

:seasix:

the output yoke is larger, but that's common item, and the kickdown is vacuum controlled, put in a TRANS GO shift kit and hold on to your ass.....the converters have same 3 bolt symetrical pattern.....

[DJ_Critterus]

The short shaft 400 is a bolt in if a short shaft 350 is in place....done that swap a bunch of times....

:seasix:

the output yoke is larger, but that's common item, and the kickdown is vacuum controlled, put in a TRANS GO shift kit and hold on to your ass.....the converters have same 3 bolt symetrical pattern.....

I'm just going to use the new one I have ready to go and do the swap either this weekend or next.