Thm350. Gear shift hard to shift between 1st. and 2nd.
05-20-2013, 05:34 PM
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Thm350. Gear shift hard to shift between 1st. and 2nd.
My gear shifter is really stiff in the automatic. 1st to 2nd takes some real muscling. Shifts into 3rd gear from second pretty easily. Going from park, to reverse to third is easy. The issue only arises when you shift down to 1st., then go to work it back up to 3rd; mind you, this is with the motor off, or at low rpm. No clinking clunking, or other obvious signs of trouble. In third gear, the car shifts nicely between 1,2. I have not driven the car over 25 mph yet, but it does not want to shift easily manually at low revs, have not had the opportunity to try shifting it at higher revs yet. Question is, do I need to look at the linkage? Cable? Or is this simply a function of not being at a high enough rpm to effectively engage smooth shifting. There is an aftermarket stall converter in place, unsure what it is, guessing 2700 based on shifting between 1 and 2 when lever in 3. Any ideas. Worry about it now and try and diagnose while car is still on blocks, or drive it a bit and see first? Has anyone experienced a difficulty shifting their auto when the car is not turned on, or at low rpms???
05-20-2013, 06:01 PM
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Melting Slicks
Probably just the cable. You can disconnect it from the transmission to feel if it moves smoothly, and shift thru the gears with your fingers to see if the transmission feels alright.
I had the same issue and all it needed was a new cable. Smooth as butter now.
05-20-2013, 06:45 PM
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Melting Slicks
I would agree it's probably the cable. The shifters on these old cars can benefit from being pulled apart, cleaned, the spring replaced, greased up and reassembled. When I took mine apart, the old original grease inside was dried up and was more like modeling clay than grease. The spring was about half it's original height too. Simple fix!
05-20-2013, 09:02 PM
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Good diagnostic, I'll give it a shot. Thanks. Also, stupid question, but not really having driven one yet, for normal driving, do you just put it in third and drive? Or do you manually shift 1,2,3 as a rule, or just when riding it hard? I've only driven 3 speed top loader Fords, like in my 1970 Ranchero GT, you put it in drive, but if you want to get on it, you drop it into 1st, and shift it manually. Wondering because this thm350 has 1,2,3 and not D, 1,2, if the procedure is different. Thanks. Craig
05-21-2013, 09:21 AM
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Felt stupid asking, but I'd rather know than guess. It felt like that when I was driving it from the house to the barn, but I never got over about 30 mph, and it only shifted once, or twice. I bought it with the interior completely discombobulated, and was driving on the road whilst using my workshop manual for a seat, and e-brake to assist in stopping (brakes had not even been bled after new calipers).
05-21-2013, 09:45 AM
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As to it working just like the Ranchero... We'll see. I have a 450 HP 1970 351V-4V engine going in, .30 bored over, with 351C Blue Thunder (Shelby design) intake manifold, 725 cfm Holly carb, milled desk, peened rods, hardened valve seats, high comp forged pistons, custom flat tappet cam, ATI harmonic, ported matching intake and exhaust ports, headers and a 2 1/2 inch x-exhaust. Compression is max for standard high octane pump gas with additive just under 11:1. The Corvette is my Son's ride, while his engine is anything but stock (have to Dyno it to see what it produces), I have to make sure there is no-way the vette can beat me on race day. You know what the say... FORD = first on race day!! 
I do't know the internals on the 350, we didn't get those records with the purchase as they were done by the owner before the guy we bought it from. Visually, it has been pulled and powder coated, new water pump, new pullies, sold one piece harmonic balancer, chrome alternator, valve covers and Edelbrock slotted air filter cover, Weiland Stealth dual-plane mid rise aluminum intake, Edelbrok 650 cfm carb, and what sounds like a performance (but not too lopey), flat tappet cam, 2 1/2 straight pipes with Flow Masters, no headers. That's the minimum. Runs really f'ing strong, awesome torque, could tell that even driving it like a baby at 30 mph. I'm guessing it is somewhere around 300 HP. More than enough for a 17 year old!
I do't know the internals on the 350, we didn't get those records with the purchase as they were done by the owner before the guy we bought it from. Visually, it has been pulled and powder coated, new water pump, new pullies, sold one piece harmonic balancer, chrome alternator, valve covers and Edelbrock slotted air filter cover, Weiland Stealth dual-plane mid rise aluminum intake, Edelbrok 650 cfm carb, and what sounds like a performance (but not too lopey), flat tappet cam, 2 1/2 straight pipes with Flow Masters, no headers. That's the minimum. Runs really f'ing strong, awesome torque, could tell that even driving it like a baby at 30 mph. I'm guessing it is somewhere around 300 HP. More than enough for a 17 year old!
Last edited by 1976wanderlust; 05-21-2013 at 09:54 AM.
05-21-2013, 12:01 PM
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Which cable to I need? Is there one single cable from the shifter to the transmission? Searching online I'm coming up with two different cables, not including the lock steering cable. Thanks.