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Technical Switch pitch 400 help

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by oldsroller, Jul 9, 2021.

  1. oldsroller
    Joined: Jan 3, 2007
    Posts: 125

    oldsroller
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from PA

    Have a switch pitch 400 in one of my off topic hot rods, been in since I got it. Car been sitting about 3 yrs. got it out to take to a show, left it idle quite awhile, ran it thru the gears sitting still, brought everything up to temp to checked all fluids. Car runs and shifts great but has a indescribable noise when placed in reverse or drive gears. It is kind of a low whistle/growl. Stators in the converter stuck? The dual stall works off a switch and the noise is in either mode, Thanks, sorry for being long.
     
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    does the stall speed change when you move the switch?
     
  3. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,029

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    The stator blades don't move while just normally driving down the road.
    ONLY when the switch is moved to one side (pole) or the other. It's a solenoid that moves fluid into the stator to move the blades. Once they are moved, they stay in that position, until the switch is moved back into its other position.

    Back when I had a switch pitch trans., I had a momentary switch wired into my trans. Push down for high stall, let it up for normal stall.

    As to your noise, it could be most anything in there. Lotsa places for growling to happen... If you were on the West Coast, I could send you to a T-400 expert (including the Switch Pitch), but you're a bit too far away.

    Good luck.

    Mike
     
  4. oldsroller
    Joined: Jan 3, 2007
    Posts: 125

    oldsroller
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from PA

    Yes, the stall changes. The noise is only apparent at idle, but the car has loud exhaust behind a built big block Olds. It is wired to a switch to work only when wanted/needed. Trans shifts great and hooks hard, no slippage. Found 1 guy in my area that knows anything about them and as soon as he heard it was modified behind a modified motor wanted nothing to do with it.
     

  5. VOETOM
    Joined: Aug 6, 2006
    Posts: 330

    VOETOM
    Member
    from MO

    There are some needle roller bearings in the geartrain that could growl in gear if bad. Does it do it in high gear also? Hopefully you can find a pal there to listen and tear it apart if need be.
     
  6. mohr hp
    Joined: Nov 18, 2009
    Posts: 929

    mohr hp
    Member
    from Georgia

    Dirty/clogged filter?
     
  7. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    The noise when stationary is not due to the geartrain...that is all locked up solid when the car is not moving, and it's in drive or reverse.

    I'd look at the filter first, if that doesn't fix it, might be the pump is cavitating due to some other reason, like a worn pump. Or it could be the converter lost a thrust washer or something.
     
    oldsroller likes this.
  8. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I would like to know of this expert.

    I have a SP TH425, which is 98% a T-400.
     
  9. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,417

    jaracer
    Member

    The stator doesn't cause any noise whether it is in the low or high position. I'm guessing what you describe is a pump noise. It may be due for a filter change.

    Does it go away if you raise the rpm a little? I've got a Powerglide in my truck and it makes a growling noise at idle, but that was common on Glides. Raising the idle rpm a bit helped.
     
  10. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,029

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    Check your PM.

    Mike
     
  11. Have a 400 super bJ that I am missing the dipstick tube and dipstick . Will a turbo 400 dipstick work in its place?? 20210709_121117.jpg
     
  12. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    should work fine, but you'll probably have to modify the mounting bracket since I think all the other ones are made for a different case bolt pattern.
     
  13. Hamtown Al
    Joined: Jan 17, 2007
    Posts: 2,899

    Hamtown Al
    Member Emeritus
    1. Virginia HAMB(ers)

    I'm just cheap but I'd just drive it for awhile and see if the noise sorts itself out. I don't know the cause but could be that something that's not supposed to have air in it has some since it set for awhile or some clutches might me sticking a bit due to oil gumming up some.
    I have a 48 Chrylser with OT hemi, etc. that set most of a year and drove weirdly at first and dang trans wasn't shifting quite right and I'm thinking this might get expensive. I kept on driving it as it seemed to not be getting worse nor slipping. After stopping to examine an old Thunderbird that was for sale and horsing around with that we got back in the Chrysler for the ride home and it seemed to be running great by the time we got back home some 45 minutes away.
    I'm hoping you might have the same good fortune.
    Good luck but don't assume anything at first... you know about assume!!
     

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