How do you think 600 RWHP and nearly 800 RWTQ will fare with a race-ready Powerglide w/transbrake (1.76 1st gear ratio) and 3.73's with 28x11.5x16 M/T ET Streets?

Also, I plan to get Gear Vendors down the line.

I can't even keep a built 4L60E running long enough to get this new setup to the dyno and tuned. I just busted it AGAIN! It has the Z-Pack in it. Clutches were looking like new when I replace the performance input sprag and the fluid was red and smelled sweet.

This time, it appears the Planetary is broken. All forward gears are gone. Reverse is still there. The builder is going to fix that for me (I'll pay for the part), and I will be selling it and the PY3500. I am picking the Powerglide up today.

Moderators, please don't move this thread. I want to hear from FI racers. Most of the Trans forum guys don't take the poweradder and torque differences into account in their advice about the powerglide. Thanks!

 

With the glide the converter is all important. And keeping the car pretty light is important as well. You do have the right type of power though to make it work very well.

Your going to have a final gear ratio of only 6.56 in 1st and the 3.73 in 2nd. And the 28" tires are going to make it seem even taller. So you'll notice some throttle response loss during normal cruising.
The car should be very quick at the strip if you can lighten it a bit and choose the right converter.
When I ran 2.73 gears I had a final 1st gear ratio of 8.35 and 2nd gear of 4.42.
So you can see the glide with 3.73's out back is much less gear than a lowly 2.73 A4 combo through 1st and 2nd.

I don't know how heavy your car is, but if it's a tank then you'll want to begin some weight reduction measures otherwise a th400 would be a better choice for a heavy street driven car IMO.
Steve

 

i still think a T400 would be better suited for you and your pig of a car
i know you had a cheap hook up for the powerglide, but t400's can be had cheap as well.
unless you get your car down to 3350lbs id get the t400

 

I'm not sure about regular, around town drivability, but even with the 28" tall ET Streets, I can burn them thru 1st and 2nd easily.

Just to get a decent hookup, I rolled into this quick tuning spurt:

http://www.blackls1ta.com/20040909pm3WOT.htm

Even rolling into it, the speedo went from 22 MPH to 45 MPH in 1 second and 42 to 85 MPH in less than 2.5 seconds. There is a lot of spinning going on there!

With my 26" tall P285/40R17 Nitto Extremes, I can cruise at 65 or 70 MPH and it will spin the car almost uncontrollably, if I WOT it.

I had 757 RWTQ when I was running only 8~10 PSI (maybe 11 peak in 1st or 2nd). Now, I am making 13~14 PSI peak in 1st and 2nd, and about 10 PSI in 3rd. I can only WONDER what my RWTQ is now? (I've actually started DECREASING timing in the lower RPMs to try to controll wheelspin and the early shifts.)

Only one track I've been to hooked me up at 10 PSI. The one 8th mile track I went to I have spun in 1st and part of second if I floored it anywhere in first. I've had to feather it to get any forward traction.

I think I want to try the Powerglide and GVOD.

1.76 1st
1.37 1stOver (I think I could skip this)
1.00 Drive
0.78 DriveOver (Cruise to track or wherever)

The US Gear would be about $1000 cheaper, I hear ($1500 vs $2500).
If I don't need 1st Over, I could probably get away with that one, seeing as how I’d only be using it for it’s overdrive.

(GV’s let’s you shift as you race. USG is best used to start off in overdrive cruising or going to the track, and the normal drive gears for racing or around town driving.)

Look at this run at Benson drag strip:

The MPH slipping (during WOT) was my 4L60E going bad.
But, guys, look at the RPMs. If it were not for the log, I would never have known (except for a slower ET) that the tranny had short-shifted that way! I could not feel the shift. That's how much the torque of this engine overcomes the gear and my vehicle's weight!

I just need a reliable way to hook all this power up!

 

Look at the WOT values. Here I was trying to feather it, and it was shifting into the next gear, while STILL spinning... at the TRACK!

 

I think you should go TH400 at your weight. With the right suspension/converter/slick you'll hook no problem and go fast

 

Mike what does your PIG weigh???? I weighed mine and i almost fell to the ground.... with the jack and my sub/amp rack with me in it... (225) 3940lbs........ my 4L60E is slipping again and is taking alot longer to shift under moderate throttle...... around 2500 miles on it and 1000 of those were break in for the new motor. Im looking at a Art Carr TH-350. They say it can take 800 HP so we will see.... That US gear overdrive i priced it out at a list price of $1650.... but talk to US Gear in person and they will give you a better deal...$1499.... Thats Probably what ill do.... with a 3.42 rear gear and a 28" tall tire........
Kyle

 

I stopped at a weigh station (I don't know how accurate it is) about a year ago. With me in it (190 lbs), they said they measured 4000 lbs.

All the stuff I've added in suspension and that Iron block adds up, I guess.

 

it could be the combination of the cars heavy weight and massive torque, both contributing to the trannys early death.

i just though heavy cars can kill the glide as well, but maybe not, dont realy know cause i dont have one.

it sounds like you have already made up your mind on getting the glide, so why not just go for it.

 

Not "made up mind to get it". It's bought.
Now... would I get a TH400 anyway? That is the question.

After being advised on multiple occasions that a PG was lightest, could stand the most abuse if built up, was the most used tranny in high-HP drag cars, etc, etc, when I got an opportunity to get a Powerglide complete with race-build, transbrake and stall converter for $600, what was I SUPPOSED to do?

Now, all I'm hearing are nays.

If I had it to do again, I might would wait for a Gear Vendors sale on ebay. Many of them seem to be already set up for a TH400 trans. I even had a chance to get one with full electronics and adapter for the TH400 for about 1800 + $150 extra for a built TH400.

But, I don't want to keep shooting out money on a whim or impulse. I need a solid decision based on as much information as possible.

The simple thing to do may be to go ahead and put just the Powerglide in, for now (with the wasted cost of a driveshaft mod or swap and fabricating a mount) , and settle all the issues of drivability, for now... and worry about whether I should get a 400 w/GV later, or spring for a GV down the line.

 

I would go TH400 especially if you plan on getting the overdrive

 

A built glide is a great race trans. But they DO need to be properly built or at your power level and weight you'll kill it just like the 4l60e. And the right converter is very important. More so than with a th400 or 4l60e.
For 600$ including a converter, I do have to wonder just how built it really is and what sort of converter you're getting? Have any details on the trans internals or converter?
After seeing your post about running only pump gas, I sort of get the impression you are more interested in street performance than strip? If it's street performance then a glide is not the greatest choice.

But I would go ahead and try it out and see how you like it. Might just workout fine.

Steve

 

I would sell the powerglide.

I would run a T400 and not worry about it. You can get an automatic valvebody to have it shift on the street for you, and you can manually shift it to wind out the shifts (hold the shift out longer).

I'm no trans guy but it sounds like your car is way too heavy for a glide.

 

That sounds like a good deal, I would just put in the car and try it if it were me I have run well in heavy cars with a PG but you will need a lot of gear and converter. Like you said its going to cost you a driveshaft but since you already have it give it a shot. Just make sure to buy a shifter that can do everything (TH400 and PG).

If you plan on putting a GVOD on a PG though thats kinda silly, you are better off running a TH400 and putting a lower numerical gear in the car instead. I would rather have a 3.23 and a TH400 then a 3.70 with a glide and GVOD and you can buy a pretty nice 400/converter for 1800

Overall ratios with 3.23/TH400:
1st: 5.71
2nd: 4.71
3rd: 4.23

PG/GV 3.73:
1st: 5.49
2nd: 4.73
3rd: 4.51

So the TH400/3.23 has a better 1st AND a lower final drive then the PG and OD and will probably weigh less overall. Only downfall of the TH400 is the big drop between 1st and 2nd, but a motor that makes good torque and the right converter will negate that. Driving a 3.23 with a non overdrive trans isnt all that bad, I have had a GVOD in a tow vehicle and I cant see using one on a race car but thats just me I drove my car a lot with the TH350, 3.70 gear and 27" tires. No highway racer but manageable.

 

Kevin, you totally lost me on your gearing calcs.

Final drive with 3.23 behind a th400 is 7.75 final gearing in 1st, and 4.52 in 2nd and 3.23 in 3rd when I hit the calc buttons .

 

What does the car weigh?

 

I think like 3600+ with him in it.

 

He said 4000lbs in above post.

 

Sometimes you just run across a great deal, man.

He just wanted to get it out of his shop, and most guys in the street don't want it for obvious reasons. My torque is way more then them, though.

I think he said TCI... I definitely remember 4500 stall. But, I was swapping it for my Brother-in-Law's TCI 3500.

 

The Scales by I-40 say 4000 lbs with me (190) in it. I wouldn't bet my paycheck on that one, though.