th350 help ASAP

[mainermikeyd]

Well the last couple days have noticed that 1-2 shift does not fully engage like it use to in my th350, seems to just roll through 2nd gear. No flare up or quick spike in RPM's, an 2-3 is same as usual, an its not getting worse. Installed a new vacuum modulator, with very minimal difference, this is my DD during the winter, I need help FAST, any experiences good bad or ugly would help, thanks guys

[79gmcc15]

I assume you checked the fluids when it was hot??

[mainermikeyd]

checked all fluids, added Lucas tranny treatment all seem fine, no burnt smell, nice red color to fluid, whats next??

[79gmcc15]

how does it shift manually?

[old Rusty C10]

how old is the filter in it?

[mainermikeyd]

shifts manually the same, an filter has never been changed since I bought it last year

[79gmcc15]

I could be worth it to change the filter, though, no guarantee that it will fix the problem. Double check your vacuum lines. other then that, my "GUESS" is that the trans could be on the way out. maybe try having this moved to the E&D section....

[Chlsnk]

Sounds like the tranny is ready to become a single speed tranny lol.Mine did these 2-3 months ago and I finnly just replace the tranny. Its not that bad of a project I did it by myself out in my street.(couldn't get my own driveway dirty)

[mainermikeyd]

I got no problem doing it, got a shop got air, got lifts, but i dont wanna replace it if something can be fixed. guess the days of mechanics are long gone all anyone does anymore is just change parts or say rebuild it, this post is just a further extension of that, not everyone can afford $650 for a professionally rebuilt performance tranny!!!!!!

[3r!c84]

hows reverse and park?

[cableguy0]

its doubtful theres anything that can be "fixed" you dont just crack open an auto trans and replace one thing. its stupid to not rebuild it if you have to open it up. theres almost nothing that is serviceable on a th350. modulator governor and valve body is it. but the symptoms you describe sound internal and sound like a trans thats going out. rolling into second gear could be the band starting the burn up. repacing 1 thing inside an auto trans without just getting a kit and rebuilding would be like replacing rings on 1 piston in an engine and ignoring everything else. its just not smart.

[Chlsnk]

Originally Posted by mainermikeyd

I got no problem doing it, got a shop got air, got lifts, but i dont wanna replace it if something can be fixed. guess the days of mechanics are long gone all anyone does anymore is just change parts or say rebuild it, this post is just a further extension of that, not everyone can afford $650 for a professionally rebuilt performance tranny!!!!!!

Drop your pan chances are it will be full of metal chips. OR mabey you will find a filter full of gunk and it will be a quick fix. Mabey your losing vacume I would suggest tracing down every vacume line and replacing the one that runs from the modulator to the intake. Even if this is not the problem it could help stop future problems.

If you want to invest a couple dollars on a boost/vacume gague I would go for it plumb it in and its a good addition to help tune the truck. I don't reget it at all.

Sorry but a bad tranny is usually fixed by a rebuild because you might as well when your in there or just a total tranny swap.

I feel ya on the tight budget I'm a young kid with a low wage job spending 100$ on a tranny at a salvage yard really tore into my pockets. And chances are you don't need a $1,000 hi-po tranny you just needa oem replacement for your needs.

[mainermikeyd]

thanks cableguy, first post that gives me a little direction!! guess it sounds like it is terminal just gonna try an blow the **** out of it on the way to work tomorrow morning, i got no problem blowing the ****in POS up or rebuilding it just hate putting money into this tranny now, couldnt have happened in the middle of the summer when i didnt need it.

[cableguy0]

Things never happen at a good time. the only non terminal possibility is trash in the valve body. the odd part is the fluid being really clean. i would still suspect a slipping band the bad part is you cant tell till you open it up. theres no external band adjustment. a bad lip seal will cause the same thing because it will bleed off fluid pressure and take a tad longer to fill the drum and basically that would be call for a rebuild because if one seal is bad the rest arent far behind and theres no sense in tearing it apart without rebuilding it. a rebuild kit for a th350 is too cheap

[cableguy0]

also the one other thing to check before condemning the tranny. make sure the kick down cable isnt broken or detatched.

[mainermikeyd]

Thanks for the help guys short of rippin everything apart, tried pretty much everything already mentioned seems like she is a gonner, 1st is startin to have issues now too so during some local looking found same tranny TC combo rebuilt less 2 years out of truck that got T-boned this fall. Question is the guy emptied not all but most of the tranny fluid out of the tranny during storage, been in a heated garage for less than 4 months, do I have anything to worry bout with this??

[cableguy0]

should be fine. I doubt there will be an issue. The only thing i dont like is buying a trans without being able to see the fluid because the fluid will usually tell the story.there should still be fluid in the TC so pull it off and pour a little out to see if its bright red check for metal etc. also unbolt the pan and look for a excessive trash. theres always going to be a little bit of material from normal wear but you will know if theres a ton in there.

[old Rusty C10]

like cableguy said drop the pan thats worth a million words