So it goes like this... I am part way through the rebuild of my C3 and I take the TH350 transmission to a shop to have them service it and install a shift kit. The guy rings me after a couple of days to say that the transmission pan was full of gunk so he decided to pull it apart and basically it is toasted. He has quoted me $1400 AUD to recondition it.

I am at a bit of a crossroads. Do I:

a) have the TH350 rebuilt
b) install a T400
c) install a T700
d) install something else

Money is a definite consideration as I am already deeper into this car than I would like. Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

Cheers, Colin

 

Th350 pan full of junk is pretty common, they do shed some material but $1400 for a rebuild is pretty high end. $1000-1200 is the going rate for a quality rebuild. My advice is 100% make sure a heavy duty sprag is installed on that rebuild or you will be back to the start. Where are you exactly?

If its just a play car and you dont hit the hiway too often just rebuild the th350 and be done with it.Once rebuilt it should last you a long time,they are pretty strong.

 

Wow, those prices are pretty high, but here in the states, guess things are bit different on older American cars. Things can't be to different on large V8 car parts new, as you've got Holdens. Maybe check into some newer 700R4's. Put one in my car, and pretty sweet.

 

Just for the hell of it I looked at Jegs. They have a th350 for $625 or so and up. B&M street strip for $900 I think. Probably some shipping and a core charge.

 

for that kind of money lose the 350 and fit up a 200-4R
Bit better gears plus overdrive

 

Find another transmission shop or rebuild it yourself.

 

Installing an overdrive transmission will improve the car dramatically. Your diff gear will dictate whether a 700r4 or a 2004r is the way to go.


Scott

 

Last year I bought a street and strip B&M TH350 from B&M for $850. It's a brand new tranny with reinforced sprag gears and a shift kit. No core charge no returning your old tranny and Free shipping. I looked into getting my old one rebuilt and was taken aback a bit by how much they wanted around here. $1200 to $1400 with new stronger sprags.

You can't beat that deal for price and reliability. While your at it you can put in a higher stall converter if you want since you'll have to get a new one to make the warranty good.

 

Clutches, Steels, Paper and Rubber gaskets for a TH350 cost about $100. Add a few for a filter and a couple of bushings, plus a shift kit and you're looking at maybe $130 in parts. A rebuilt stock convertor will add another $100.

Someone is, IMHO, taking someone to the cleaners. Is that guy going to chrome plate the case too? A TH350 is not that tough to rebuild.

 

Check this out:

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...n/viewall.html

I've never rebuilt a tranny myself, but from what i have seen, the trick seems to be to remove all the pieces, keep them in order, and re-install in reverse order.


Scott

 

Pretty much it, along with cleaning everything. If you take everything out of the box, then put everything back in the box, and the lid goes on and you don't have any left over parts, life is good.

 

There are a couple tools that make it easier, However, you can work your way around them with a little imagination. Some sockets and C clamps. Long ago young and broke was how it got done. Now, much easier and faster with the correct tools.
Two most important things to watch is disc clearance and get the lipseals in the right direction and don't damage them.

 

I just walked down your path about a month ago. I bought a rebuilt transmission from Summit at about $600 plus freight. It's rated to 450 horsepower. There are too many transmission builders selling heavy duty TH350s for under a grand. Shop the internet and you'll get a better deal than that local shop.

 

I am in Australia (country NSW). Generally things are a lot dearer here than in the US (hence the $1400 possibly). The car will only be a toy, but it will still be getting on the open road. This may be a dumb question from a novice, but what is a sprag???

Thanks for your help.

 

I am running a 3.55 rear end. Dont want to have to do too much modification though. Cheers.

 

Hmmmm.....you could probably go either way, 700r4 or 2004r. I think I'd go with the 700r4 in your case. It will require some modification, though. New transmission cross member, shortened driveshaft, modified shifter, you'll need to figure out the TV cable.


Scott

 

Im also in Oz Cue. I had a Th350 rebuilt a year ago for $1100 which was built to handle decent power. I guess alot of blokes on here probably arent seeing your location and taking that into account on the cost of a rebuild here and also the availability of other transmissions and the parts that will be needed to install them. It can turn very expensive very quick.

A sprag clutch is used in automatic transmissions and it allows the transmission to change gears when its under a load. Most models of General Motors turbo-hydramatic gearboxes use this system.
A sprag clutch is for shifts which require the synchronized engagement of one clutch with the disengagement of another. Most newer electronically controlled transmissions make "clutch to clutch" shifts, without any sprags.

The standard sprag will be fine for up to 300hp but even then for the sake of a cheap $30 part i would put it in any transmission while its apart. I have seen a B&M transmission only 6 months old behind a 425hp car let go of a sprag and it sheds metal through everything. Back then the B&m trans did not come with a heavy duty sprag but they my now, im not sure.I would talk your trans builders price down a bit. Tell him you can buy a brand new rebuilt B&M street strip trans for $1100 from Rocket Industries in Sydney so its not worth rebuilding unless he sharpens his pencil down to match it. Believe me he has plenty of room to move on that $1400 quote.

355 rear end is nice gearing to have. ill have a guess and say your either running a 2500 or 3000 stall?

here is the link to Rocket, give them a call for their price to use as bargaining power with your builder ( i dont see heavy duty sprag listed though in their info)

https://shop.rocketindustries.com.au/products/BM113001

 

In answer to some of the earlier mention, a sprag is an internal rotating gear unit, and race hardened units, can be quite expensive. Keep in mind, some rebuilds require many hard parts, which can add considerablly to the bottom line. Had one tranny where parts were running around loose in the case, and whole thing was scrap. Never been to Australia, but understand there's quite a car culture there. Maybe you can get some help from a few fellow nut jobs there.

 

I emailed Rocket Industries this morning and they have quoted me $1979.00 inc gst. This box sells for $974.14 in the US. Is it any wonder that online shopping is so popular??? I am hoping for around 400HP when I eventually get to the engine. Don't have areplacement stall converter yet. Will have to wait and see what HP engine I go with first I guess. What part of the Gold Coast are you from?

 

Hey thanks for the info. You must visit OZ. Always room for another visitor downunder! Yeh seems to be a pretty good car culture here, although we seem to be paying double the price for performance parts (BM113001 $974.14 in the US & $1979.00 in AUS...Go figure).