Opinions on daily driving on a TH400?
06-30-2004, 01:49 PM
#2
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I drive my Th350/3.73/3500 all the time. I do miss the OD but really like the shifts at the track. I get 13MPG with my LT1/HOT cam car. but I am going back to an A4 shortly, almost $2/gal, i need to get more out of a tank....
It really depends on what you plan on doing with the car. most race tracks for me are over an hour away, 60MPH and 3kRPMs gets old on some trips.
It really depends on what you plan on doing with the car. most race tracks for me are over an hour away, 60MPH and 3kRPMs gets old on some trips.
06-30-2004, 02:59 PM
#5
yes people used to drive with th350/400 all the time, but highway speeds were never 70 mph. and heck, most places, driving 70 will get you run overed! when highway speeds were 55 mph and most people had at most 3.27 gearing, it wasnt a big deal.
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07-01-2004, 07:48 AM
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Originally Posted by MUSTANGEATER
The only things that really need to be addressed is how to rig up a speedo? Talked to Madman and he says he doesn't do that?
TH350 I use the Dakota Digital SGI5a and SEN01.
07-01-2004, 10:08 AM
#11
gearing
Originally Posted by MeanWS6
Thinking about going this route . . .Anybody daily drive on a TH400? Give me your opinions
Last edited by john kilgore; 07-01-2004 at 11:10 AM. Reason: wrong wording
07-01-2004, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by john kilgore
it is possible to over gear the th400 and under gear the rear end and get to the same place poor mans od
I guess I could just put it in there and see and report....
07-01-2004, 02:41 PM
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I don't think you should be picking your converter's stall RPM selection based on what rear-end gear ratios you want to use.
The converter's stall RPM decision is usually based on where your motor's power/torque band is.
The decision of what rear-end gears to run should be based on your target total 1st gear ratio (tranny 1st gear * rear end), which is also going to depend on how torquey your motor is, and supposedly you've picked your converter stall speed to put the motor into it's torque band quicker.
Whether you can live with no overdrive after you met your above criteria is a completely separate decision you have to make, but unless you go with a really high stall RPM (4K or more), the converter stall speed won't appreciably change how many RPM's it will take to cruise at 70 mph. FWIW, I use a 3200 RPM stalled Vigilante, and when I'm cruising at 70, my motor is turning just over 3 grand, but the motor sounds like it's ready for more. It doesn't sound like I'm winding it out at all like it did when it was stock. (It's currently an iron block 408).
I know the TH350 has an alternative, lower 1st gear ratio, so the TH400 likely does too. But, at least with the TH350, it is really not much lower and doesn't get you much. I considered getting it when I got my TH350 rebuilt, but was talked out of it by a reputable tranny builder. It simply wasn't worth what it cost. You might have more than one other choice of 1st gear ratios for the TH400, but I don't know about that.
The converter's stall RPM decision is usually based on where your motor's power/torque band is.
The decision of what rear-end gears to run should be based on your target total 1st gear ratio (tranny 1st gear * rear end), which is also going to depend on how torquey your motor is, and supposedly you've picked your converter stall speed to put the motor into it's torque band quicker.
Whether you can live with no overdrive after you met your above criteria is a completely separate decision you have to make, but unless you go with a really high stall RPM (4K or more), the converter stall speed won't appreciably change how many RPM's it will take to cruise at 70 mph. FWIW, I use a 3200 RPM stalled Vigilante, and when I'm cruising at 70, my motor is turning just over 3 grand, but the motor sounds like it's ready for more. It doesn't sound like I'm winding it out at all like it did when it was stock. (It's currently an iron block 408).
I know the TH350 has an alternative, lower 1st gear ratio, so the TH400 likely does too. But, at least with the TH350, it is really not much lower and doesn't get you much. I considered getting it when I got my TH350 rebuilt, but was talked out of it by a reputable tranny builder. It simply wasn't worth what it cost. You might have more than one other choice of 1st gear ratios for the TH400, but I don't know about that.
07-02-2004, 08:37 AM
#17
ratios
Originally Posted by Dean98TA
I don't think you should be picking your converter's stall RPM selection based on what rear-end gear ratios you want to use.
The converter's stall RPM decision is usually based on where your motor's power/torque band is.
The decision of what rear-end gears to run should be based on your target total 1st gear ratio (tranny 1st gear * rear end), which is also going to depend on how torquey your motor is, and supposedly you've picked your converter stall speed to put the motor into it's torque band quicker.
Whether you can live with no overdrive after you met your above criteria is a completely separate decision you have to make, but unless you go with a really high stall RPM (4K or more), the converter stall speed won't appreciably change how many RPM's it will take to cruise at 70 mph. FWIW, I use a 3200 RPM stalled Vigilante, and when I'm cruising at 70, my motor is turning just over 3 grand, but the motor sounds like it's ready for more. It doesn't sound like I'm winding it out at all like it did when it was stock. (It's currently an iron block 408).
I know the TH350 has an alternative, lower 1st gear ratio, so the TH400 likely does too. But, at least with the TH350, it is really not much lower and doesn't get you much. I considered getting it when I got my TH350 rebuilt, but was talked out of it by a reputable tranny builder. It simply wasn't worth what it cost. You might have more than one other choice of 1st gear ratios for the TH400, but I don't know about that.
The converter's stall RPM decision is usually based on where your motor's power/torque band is.
The decision of what rear-end gears to run should be based on your target total 1st gear ratio (tranny 1st gear * rear end), which is also going to depend on how torquey your motor is, and supposedly you've picked your converter stall speed to put the motor into it's torque band quicker.
Whether you can live with no overdrive after you met your above criteria is a completely separate decision you have to make, but unless you go with a really high stall RPM (4K or more), the converter stall speed won't appreciably change how many RPM's it will take to cruise at 70 mph. FWIW, I use a 3200 RPM stalled Vigilante, and when I'm cruising at 70, my motor is turning just over 3 grand, but the motor sounds like it's ready for more. It doesn't sound like I'm winding it out at all like it did when it was stock. (It's currently an iron block 408).
I know the TH350 has an alternative, lower 1st gear ratio, so the TH400 likely does too. But, at least with the TH350, it is really not much lower and doesn't get you much. I considered getting it when I got my TH350 rebuilt, but was talked out of it by a reputable tranny builder. It simply wasn't worth what it cost. You might have more than one other choice of 1st gear ratios for the TH400, but I don't know about that.
07-02-2004, 09:48 AM
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yes people used to drive with th350/400 all the time, but highway speeds were never 70 mph. and heck, most places, driving 70 will get you run overed! when highway speeds were 55 mph and most people had at most 3.27 gearing, it wasnt a big deal.
All the cars back then had 3spd autos or 4spd manuals with no OD.
Sort of funny to me when I see the young guys thinking a th400 is extreme in a daily driver. I suppose if you do a lot of highway driving then it might be a pain with a high stall and a lot of gear.
Steve
07-02-2004, 10:48 AM
#20
webb site
Originally Posted by Shon Herron
Who has the 3.00 1st? I was looking for this locally and no one has that gear set for some reason, that would be nice!!!