TH350 or Powerglide with OD for FI & Big Cube Torque?
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Raleigh, NC
TH350 or Powerglide with OD for FI & Big Cube Torque? I have an opportunity to pick up a Powerglide tranny that is tricked out + a 4500 stall converter for $600.00.
I would probably end up going with a lower stall, say... 3500. But it seems that is a deal even for just the tranny.
It is built for racing.
I was discussing with Clay, who also has a 422, how the powerglide, coupled with a gear vendors overdrive, might be the dream ticket for a boosted engine like mine with gobs of torque (but STILL in need of overdrive for the street).
Here are the 4L60E ratios:
1st - 3.06 (Strip)
2nd - 1.63 (Strip)
3rd - 1.00 (Strip)
4th - 0.70 (Street)
1st gear is all but useless for me (on 28x11.5x16 ET Streets), except at the most thoroughly prepped track.
At some tracks, I STILL spin in second gear, even after babying 1st.
Powerglide ratios:
1st - 1.82 (Strip)
1OD - 1.42 (Skip)
2nd - 1.00 (Strip)
2OD - 0.78 (Street)
In the long-term, I had planned on a TH350 and GV OD.
This would take the 350 from 3 speeds:
1st - 2.48 (Strip)
2nd - 1.48 (Strip)
3rd - 1.00 (Strip)
To 6 speeds:
1st - 2.48 (Strip)
1OD - 1.93 (Skip)
2nd - 1.48 (Strip)
2OD - 1.15 (Strip)
3rd - 1.00 (Strip)
3OD - 0.78 (Street)
(Gears to use in quarter are my guess with anticipated R&P Gear sizes.)
A built TH350 seems to range from about $1000 to $1300.
What do you guys think?
I would probably end up going with a lower stall, say... 3500. But it seems that is a deal even for just the tranny.
It is built for racing.
I was discussing with Clay, who also has a 422, how the powerglide, coupled with a gear vendors overdrive, might be the dream ticket for a boosted engine like mine with gobs of torque (but STILL in need of overdrive for the street).
Here are the 4L60E ratios:
1st - 3.06 (Strip)
2nd - 1.63 (Strip)
3rd - 1.00 (Strip)
4th - 0.70 (Street)
1st gear is all but useless for me (on 28x11.5x16 ET Streets), except at the most thoroughly prepped track.
At some tracks, I STILL spin in second gear, even after babying 1st.
Powerglide ratios:
1st - 1.82 (Strip)
1OD - 1.42 (Skip)
2nd - 1.00 (Strip)
2OD - 0.78 (Street)
In the long-term, I had planned on a TH350 and GV OD.
This would take the 350 from 3 speeds:
1st - 2.48 (Strip)
2nd - 1.48 (Strip)
3rd - 1.00 (Strip)
To 6 speeds:
1st - 2.48 (Strip)
1OD - 1.93 (Skip)
2nd - 1.48 (Strip)
2OD - 1.15 (Strip)
3rd - 1.00 (Strip)
3OD - 0.78 (Street)
(Gears to use in quarter are my guess with anticipated R&P Gear sizes.)
A built TH350 seems to range from about $1000 to $1300.
What do you guys think?
Wait doesn't a powerglide not have a reverse? To me that would make it totally unstreetable no matter what the ratio's are. Plus how much does your car weigh, if it's a pig I'd go with a th350 or a th400, that 1.82 first gear is a pain for heavy cars.
TECH Resident
Joined: Nov 2002
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chose the T400 or T350. u don't have enough power and your car is too heavy for a glide. u need a lot of low gear to get it moving. i've got a t400 in the camaro and glide in the firebird, but we're also changing to a t400 in the firebird.
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The Bull
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,578
Likes: 2
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Your car may be too heavy for a glide, you may want to check on that. A 1.80 first gear on the street will work but it may be a little doggy. It definitely will get it to a point where you don't blow the tires off all the time though.
Glide's do have reverse, with a transbrake you put it in neutral and hold the transbrake button down.
Glide's do have reverse, with a transbrake you put it in neutral and hold the transbrake button down.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Raleigh, NC
I know it's hard to believe the road is like glass when I put my foot to the metal in 1st gear, but 757 RWTQ makes 1st gear go by like it was nothing. 
A powerglide was in my dad's Impala. I'm sure I remember him backing it up many times.
I drove it, too (no... I didn't have my license).
The reason I was going with a TH350 vs TH400 is I've been told the 400 and the 4L80E's heavier rotating mass make them inefficient and rob HP. The Powerglide is even MORE efficient than the TH350, only consuming one HP per 400 of the engine. I have plenty of bottom-end torque, but need to do things to INCREASE my higher RPM HP.
Plus, it is nearly indestructible, needing hardly any maintenance other than keeping the fluid topped off.
I'm not saying I'm decided on the PG. But, I still lean toward the 350 over the 400. A 350 should hold my power levels fine, don't you think?
A powerglide was in my dad's Impala. I'm sure I remember him backing it up many times.
I drove it, too (no... I didn't have my license).The reason I was going with a TH350 vs TH400 is I've been told the 400 and the 4L80E's heavier rotating mass make them inefficient and rob HP. The Powerglide is even MORE efficient than the TH350, only consuming one HP per 400 of the engine. I have plenty of bottom-end torque, but need to do things to INCREASE my higher RPM HP.
Plus, it is nearly indestructible, needing hardly any maintenance other than keeping the fluid topped off.
I'm not saying I'm decided on the PG. But, I still lean toward the 350 over the 400. A 350 should hold my power levels fine, don't you think?
Well, at least the way mine is setup. Forward pattern manual body, I have to have the shifter in the reverse detent, and hit the T-brake button to actually engage reverse.
Other than that, it's just push/pull the lever.
Not to mention the glide is only 95 lbs dry.
So far it seems to work pretty good, even ***** footing it off the line
Other than that, it's just push/pull the lever.
Not to mention the glide is only 95 lbs dry.
So far it seems to work pretty good, even ***** footing it off the line
The Bull
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,578
Likes: 2
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Stealth, I certainly hope you don't use the transbrake while making shifts! 
Shifting depends on who you get your glide from. Everyone has a different valvebody. Some of the race built glides use the transbrake solenoid to actuate reverse. Others shift straight up like a normal trans. You need to know who you're getting it from to really know how they have it set up.
A 350 may fall into the same issue as a glide with your cars weight. A 400 will take the extra weight without any issues. If you get it with an aluminum drum with a steel liner you'll pretty much make that rotating mass a non issue. Since your not really going for a full out drag car and you're putting a GVOD in it, that shouldn't even matter as you are adding extra drag on to it anyway.
Shifting depends on who you get your glide from. Everyone has a different valvebody. Some of the race built glides use the transbrake solenoid to actuate reverse. Others shift straight up like a normal trans. You need to know who you're getting it from to really know how they have it set up.A 350 may fall into the same issue as a glide with your cars weight. A 400 will take the extra weight without any issues. If you get it with an aluminum drum with a steel liner you'll pretty much make that rotating mass a non issue. Since your not really going for a full out drag car and you're putting a GVOD in it, that shouldn't even matter as you are adding extra drag on to it anyway.
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From: Raleigh, NC
Hmm... my way of thinking would be BECAUSE I'm adding the weight of the GV OD, I'd want to minimize the weight of the transmission, not disregard it. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying.
Aluminum Drum and Steel Liner. Is that a much more expensive option?
Aluminum Drum and Steel Liner. Is that a much more expensive option?
here's a different prespective: for $600 get the glide , put it in and see what you think. if you don't like it i'm sure you could sell it with a profit ( or maybe atleast trade it in for a built 350?).
The Bull
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,578
Likes: 2
From: Grand Rapids, MI
It's pretty simple, your car will be beyond the 3200/3300 pound threshold that a Glide or TH350 is really optimized for. Due to the added weight you will have to get it refreshed more then you would with a TH400. A aluminum drum with a steel liner is not the cheap way out. But it pretty much eliminates any discussion to be had with rotating mass. The only difference that would remain is just the gear ratios.
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 10,341
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Originally Posted by DERTY
It's pretty simple, your car will be beyond the 3200/3300 pound threshold that a Glide or TH350 is really optimized for. Due to the added weight you will have to get it refreshed more then you would with a TH400. A aluminum drum with a steel liner is not the cheap way out. But it pretty much eliminates any discussion to be had with rotating mass. The only difference that would remain is just the gear ratios.
This might save you the need of a GVO unit anyways and highway cruising at 70mph wouldnt be too bad.
Here's a link to my recent powerglide test run vs the old 4l60e. TCI makes a manual valve body that doesn't require you to activate the t-brake to go into reverse. Out of curiousity, what does your car weigh?
Big thanks to Steve (Derty) for his tech support with the transbrake/nitrous wiring
Now to keep the rain away and hit the gas!
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racing-tech/200843-powerglide-shakedown-run.html
With it sounding like you want this to still be a street car, I'd opt for something different than a glide.
Eric
Big thanks to Steve (Derty) for his tech support with the transbrake/nitrous wiring
Now to keep the rain away and hit the gas!
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racing-tech/200843-powerglide-shakedown-run.html
With it sounding like you want this to still be a street car, I'd opt for something different than a glide.
Eric
Last edited by next; Aug 5, 2004 at 12:13 PM. Reason: added comment
The Gear Vendors Overdrive cannot shift like you want it to. There is a delay, both to disengage and to engage. It does not disengage when the transmission shifts - it stays. It also has no clue what gear your trans is in, nor does it care as long as you are going faster than 18mph. (Internal fluid pressure comes from piston pump on driveline that must be rotating to build pressure.)
The GV can be shifted under full power, but it's very solid and will result in traction loss. It would be possible to time the engagement just right to overdrive first gear, but it will not be possible to time disengagement to correspond with engagement of second. Disengagement too soon and the motor will badly over-rev, too late and it will feel like an upshift and then a downshift. I would suggest NOT relying on it to get you down the track - it just will not be consistent enough to be useful.
Timing it just right takes a lot of practice. I pulled it off ONCE only because I had the recorder going to capture the audio and was trying hard. I have not attempted since - too risky.
Here's that clip:
http://james.jaguar.net/pics/GV0-70.mp3
It's old and low quality, and the truck was much slower then, what you are hearing is a 0-70 accelleration going First-First/OD-Second.
The GV can be shifted under full power, but it's very solid and will result in traction loss. It would be possible to time the engagement just right to overdrive first gear, but it will not be possible to time disengagement to correspond with engagement of second. Disengagement too soon and the motor will badly over-rev, too late and it will feel like an upshift and then a downshift. I would suggest NOT relying on it to get you down the track - it just will not be consistent enough to be useful.
Timing it just right takes a lot of practice. I pulled it off ONCE only because I had the recorder going to capture the audio and was trying hard. I have not attempted since - too risky.
Here's that clip:
http://james.jaguar.net/pics/GV0-70.mp3
It's old and low quality, and the truck was much slower then, what you are hearing is a 0-70 accelleration going First-First/OD-Second.