The Road Devils' BBQ killed my trans! Help me get it fixed before Sins of Steel!

Hey guys, I put a "good" used TH350 with a shift kit in "Plan B" last summer, and it has worked great until yesterday...

I put about 150 miles or so on it yesterday going to the Road Devils' BBQ (It was great! Thanks again for the invite!), and it worked fine all day, with no signs of trouble.

On the way back, about a mile and a half from home, I decided to run it through the gears. Nice holeshot, great one-two shift, and then when I shifted into third... nothing! I actually thought I missed third and hit neutral (with a 5.13 gear there's not a lot of time to think about shifting!), but nope! Now in any forward gear, it acts like the tranny's in neutral. Now that I think about it, I haven't actually checked Reverse or park yet...

When I coasted into a parking lot, it was making a strange squealing sound (with a little bit of a "buzz" to it), but when I started it back up after I got it home, there were no odd noises.

Anyway, the shifter's still hooked up, and still shifting the trans externally; the converter is still bolted to the flexplate (which is still bolted to the crank), and the fluid is full, clean, and smells normal; the driveshaft is still in the right place... so what's the first place to look?

I REALLY want/need to get this back on the road within the next few days so I can make it to Sins of Steel!!!


Thanks in advance!
Steve

 

Steve, pull the pan, the little metal "S" hook, is probably laying there...

 

Thanks Randy! I'll pull the pan later today!

 

Or the torque converter stripped the splines.

 

You beat me to it Randy, that has happened to me 2 times.

Good luck steve hope it is something simple.

 

I had the same thing happen to me, but on a th400, although it would go into 3rd if you got out of it. where does that S hook need to be.

 

Ok guys, got the pan off... and everything looks fine!

Fluid and filter look brand new, nothing in the pan that shouldn't be, magnetic drain plug was reasonably free of crap, "S" hook is in place, etc.

Now where do I look???

 

same thing happened to me on the freeway...the trans had only about 20k miles on it...got a new pump put in it and it was as good as new...cost me a lil bit less than $100...is the governor stripped?..

 

Is there any way to test the pump in the car?

I don't really want to pull the trans unless it's absolutely necessary!

 

Possibly broke the imput shaft out of the forward drum but then you would have no reverse either.

 

it sounds like its the pump, or it could have snaped the band

 

I had a pump go bad before, but it didn't act like this... it was shifting lazy, and slipping, and all of that stuff. This was working perfect one second, and not at all the next. So is there any way to be sure that it's the pump? I definitely can't afford the time or funds to just throw money at it until it's fixed!

Thanks!
Steve

 

Let us know what you find.

 

Well it sounds more ilike YOU killed it to me. lol . I would also say check the governer in the side of it and see if it is stripped / broken or hanging up. Make sure the Vacuum modulator hose is still connected at both ends also.

 

Well, I just pulled the governor, and that's essentially "perfect"; So, I'm thinking the trans has to come out!

 

Anybody have any other quick, easy checks before I yank the trans???

 

jerk it out and check the pump and the drive,

 

Well, I checked the modulator, and that was good; the piston moved freely, etc... So, the transmission is now on the ground!

I'm gonna try to sell some crap in the AM to see how much dough I can scrape together... an old drag racing buddy of my dad's said he'll completely rebuild/hot rod it for $300, and have it done the same day I bring it to him.

If I can have the trans done tomorrow, I can put it in Thursday, test run on Friday, and Sins of Steel Saturday!

Wish me luck!

 

Good Luck. We will be pullin for ya. A prayer to the trans god's for ya. The show wouldn't be the same with out the old Chevy

 

Thats a great deal! I have the same trans and its slipping real bad, they want 600 for regular bench work down here, hoping ya get it fixed and make the show! .... Good luck!

 

Well, I came up with the money to have the trans gone through...

And there was nothing wrong!

The clutches were a little worn, but not an abnormal amount for a trans that gets beat on; Everything else in there looked perfect!

So, the only other option (that I definitely can't afford now!) is that the converter suffered a catastrophic failure.

I had to borrow the money from my dad for a new converter, since I used all of my money to pay for a rebuild that the trans didn't need!

Anyway, she should be back together tomorrow!

 

you mite check the rear end you said you were running 5.13 gears and i dont think you have a cooler or pump on the rear end the noise you said sounds like it is may be getting ready to freeze up

clay >>>>>>

 

Thanks!

I checked that before I pulled the driveshaft... it feels fine turning in either direction, no unusual slop, noises, or catches, etc... and it's full of brand new oil (I just installed new axle seals a little over a week ago).

 

Well, I just took 'er for a test drive with the freshly rebuilt trans and new converter, and everything seems to be working!

So, I will continue my record of having a hot rod at every "first-Saturday-in-June-traditional-hot-rod-show-in-Davisburg" since they started having them there!

I'm gonna drive it like a girl on the way down to make sure I don't break it, but she'll be there anyway!

BTW, it didn't seem like a very common deal to me in the world of hot rodding/drag racing, but the guy that did the trans (Bruce Whittier of "Bruce's Garage") told me that he guarantees I won't kill the trans this season, and if I somehow do, all I have to do is buy parts and he'll fix it for nothing!

 

Congrats on getting it handled. Your dedication will be rewarded with a cold one on me! See you guys on Saturday

 

Thanks!
Make mine a Mt Dew or water please!