Flash84Z28

I had my Turbo 350 rebuilt about 5k miles ago with a nice shift kit that hold the shift high and has broke the tranny mount, x-member, torque arm bracket and busching. Anyway it's all been replaced and ever since I've gotten it in it takes a long time for it to kick into gear when it's cold. When its warm its great and shoots into gear without a problem. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Matt

CR-SuperChevy

Warm up the tranny then....

Flash84Z28

As in put it in gear and leave it there for a while right? The problem is when its been sitting, even in 60-70 degree weather, it wont kick into gear for a minute or two. It shifts great like it is supposed to, but it takes forever to get in gear. My shifter linkage is really messed up also, I have a TH-350 but my car came with a T-5 stock so everything is really rigged up. The bar (no shifter cable here) that goes from the shifter to the shift lever (on tranny) is really loose and bent around my speedo cable that keeps breaking becouse of this. I'm pretty sure this has nothing to do with the problem, but it is something else I need to fix .

Any help appreciated,
Matt

ronterry

You've probably tried throwing it in 1st or 2nd right. This might rule out linkage alignment. Maybe.

I guess I would change the oil. It could be contaminated, and not being able to flow because the viscosity is to high while cold? If the viscosity is to high, the oil can't work to well in the valve body. The filter could be restricted, and the cold thick oil, will have a hell of time flowing.
It could also deal with expansion. The metal in the pump might expand causing it to seal, and provide proper circulation. This might also be true in the valve body.

These are all things that could happen, but I am shooting in the dark.
One thing is for certain. Automatics need proper oil circulation to function in both hot, and cold.

Ron

BigRuss

Same thing happened with my Buick. It got to where it wouldn't go into gear in the mornings when it was cold. I'd have to rev it up a few times till it got warm. I eventually got tired of it and thought changing the tranny fluid would help.

I changed the fluid, and a few days later the tranny wouldn't go into gear at all... even when warm. Turns out changing the fluid made the seals fall apart inside and I needed a rebuild. More than likely this is what will happen. I've heard from countless people about this. If you don't change your fluid as often as you should you will be rebuilding the tranny whenever you DO decide to change it.

Just fair warning. If you can live with the wait, I'd live with it. Otherwise just go ahead and rebuild it instead of wasting time and money on a fluid change. :nono:

Flash84Z28

Yeah, I've tried first and second but it did not help. This morning on when I was leaving for tech, I put it in gear and it kicked right in, but when I left tech fifteen minutes ago it took a while. It's about 35 today so it might just be frozen thick fluid, becouse I let it warm up for five minutes this morning. I'm going to change the fluid out and see if that helps, I'm just sick of getting to my car and never getting out of the parking lot at my really crowded school because it wont go into gear.

By the way how many quarts of fluid does a TH-350 take? Is Dextron-III the best choice?

Thanks for your help,
Matt

ronterry

I was going to add that you should check your oil level when hot on my earlier post.
I believe the TH-350 holds 5 quarts, and Dextron III is your best bet.

I was thinking changing the oil might help since alot of times theres greese involved with a rebiuld.

Flash, I might take heat for this, but there's is an additive that comes in a blue oil can thats conditions the seals. It's not a stop leak, but a conditionor. This might make your fluids flow a little better and soften up those seals.

Ron

85 Berl

I just got my 350 back from the shop, and it took 10 quarts (!) from empty. I had one a while back that took a few seconds to go into gear when cold. Every one in a while it would slip back out of gear when I pulled out into the road (!!) and I would have to rev a couple of times before it would go back into gear. Then it was fine. My problem was a bad tranny leak, and the fluid was low enough that it didn't want to go into gear. It never had a chance to get worse cuz I blew the motor up and had to sell the truck. Check your fluid and filter first.

Oh yeah, and the shop gave me a bottle of additive to put in the tranny before start up. It's some kind of friction modifier. And they gave me a bottle of stuff to clean out the cooler lines. They said the crap left over in there can make trouble in the new tranny.

ronterry

Oh yea they'll hold 10 quarts dry, but on a change is only 5 or less. A majority of it stays in the convertor during a change.

A low oil level will, cause side affects like taking a long time going into gear when cold, slipage, and poping out of gear while driving. This is caused by air being drawn into the pump. Since air is a compressable, it will take longer to pressurize the system.

Flash, you'll need to check that oil level, and check for aeriation or tiny air bubbles on the dipstick.

Ron

Arron-82ta

I had the same problems as 85 berl. As soon as i filled it was fine.

Flash84Z28

Thanks for the replys! I'm going to change out the fluid but I had a rebuilt less than 5,000 miles ago, why would I need a rebuild? I'm guessing its the grease that they used when they rebuilt it that's still in there. The tranny has never slipped, it just does not kick into gear when it has not been started in a while (3+ hours). My dipstick is exreamly hard to rear and I cant tell where the level is everytime I stick it in there. There is fluid between fill and full though so I assumed its alright. I diden't fill the tranny when we put it in so I have no idea how much is in there. Do you think there could be too much?

Thanks for the help,
Matt

ronterry

You want to check the oil level while the engine is running, and while it's nice and hot(30min runtime).

Normaly an overfill will bleed out the vent, so you would have a mess under your car. If the oil level is high enough the hardware will cause windage, and airation. It would have to be pretty over filled though.

You might even use a torque wrench to all the bolts on the valve body if your going change the oil. DON'T OVER TORQUE THEM !!!
cause they will strip the casing.

If nothing seems to work, you'll need to have the unit pressure tested by a professional with the proper equipment.

Ron