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Any transmission experts out there?

B

Brook-K5

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I have looked at several forums about TH350 and have had no luck diagnosing my trans. Here are the symptoms (the short version). My trans will not down shift in to first gear. I come to a stop and it stays in second gear. I can manually put it in to first and it shifts fine throughout the other gears, but when I come to a stop...just doesn't go in to first.

I have replaced the small, inexpensive parts like the vacuum module and soon the governor. It's got great vacuum too.

Any ideas??:confused:

Thanks!

James
 
My guess would be a sticking valve in the valve body,if you can manually engauge first gear and it upshifts into second and third normally in drive..might be a busted spring or something letting the valve stick and not downshift into first??..

I'm no tranny expert ,just my thoughts..
 
Diesel4me...that confirms my thoughts too. The guy I purchased the truck from put a B&M shift kit in too so I was thinking that he may have misplaced a check ball or something like that too.

It does have the kickdown cable installed...doesn't seem to help though!

Thanks guys!
 
I dont have my Motor's repair manual handy,it has a diagnosis chart for TH350's that lists all the possible causes for different symptoms..If I get a chance I'll look up what they say can cause it to not take off in first gear!..

My Ford Contour's tranny is set up so if you put the shifter in second gear,it will start off from a standstill in second gear!--thats handy in slippery conditions or bumper to bumper traffic,when its a bit to eager to leap forward in first gear(its pretty easy to lurch into the car in front of you,with it having a 170 HP V-6 and 3.77 gears in such a lightweight car!)..some older Ramblers and Fords had the same feature as well..
...could be,that you
have a "manual" valve body ,I thought,but then it wouldn't upshift itself into second or third if that were the case,you'd have to shift it manually into every gear,every time you needed to upshift or downshift..I'll see if I can look up the list of potential causes and post back later here..
 
If your ridin along in second gear just after it shifts from first and peg the skinny to the floor will it downshift back to first?
 
Its been 20 years, but when I helped put a B&M in a 350, I used some super high grade waterproof grease to hold the check balls in when we put the valve body back in.
It was what we had, no real preference.

After we got it buttoned up, it a long time for it to start shifting normally.
I was not driving it, so I don't know exactly what the symptoms were, but we were sure it was caused by the grease not dissolving for a long time and holding the balls from working.

So, if they did drop a ball, which is real easy to do if you are putting the kit in in the car, that might be the problem.

Has it ever shifted right since you bought it?

J.
 
dabomb6608 said:
If your ridin along in second gear just after it shifts from first and peg the skinny to the floor will it downshift back to first?
Click to expand...


Actually, I am not sure...never tried it. Right now the kickdown cable is not attached...just ordered a new throttle/kickdown bracket. I will get that installed next week and get back to you!
 
Fordum said:
Its been 20 years, but when I helped put a B&M in a 350, I used some super high grade waterproof grease to hold the check balls in when we put the valve body back in.
It was what we had, no real preference.

After we got it buttoned up, it a long time for it to start shifting normally.
I was not driving it, so I don't know exactly what the symptoms were, but we were sure it was caused by the grease not dissolving for a long time and holding the balls from working.

So, if they did drop a ball, which is real easy to do if you are putting the kit in in the car, that might be the problem.

Has it ever shifted right since you bought it?

J.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a reasonable reason...No, it never shifted right since I bought it, but then again, I haven't driven it much either.
 
Check out this link.

http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Kits-Accessories

It has the different kits they make. Click on the one you think you have, and go down to the 350 one.
The installation instructions are there in PDF format.
That will show you the location of the balls, and has a troubleshooting section that tells what might cause your problem.

They make two packs Shift improver and transpack. You can download both instructions if you are not sure which one he used.

They have a third, but it is a complete rebuild.
Of course you might want to get the instructions for it too. Its free and might tell you a lot about your transmission.

J.
 
Fordum said:
Check out this link.

http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Kits-Accessories

It has the different kits they make. Click on the one you think you have, and go down to the 350 one.
The installation instructions are there in PDF format.
That will show you the location of the balls, and has a troubleshooting section that tells what might cause your problem.

They make two packs Shift improver and transpack. You can download both instructions if you are not sure which one he used.

They have a third, but it is a complete rebuild.
Of course you might want to get the instructions for it too. Its free and might tell you a lot about your transmission.

J.
Click to expand...

Great Advice! I will absolutely print the instructions out! Thanks buddy!
 
When my van's TH350-C tranny had its govenor gear strip out the plastic teeth ,all I had was first gear and reverse,it refused to upshift at all,even if you tried doing so manually by pulling in into low and shifting to second..it shifted normal as could be after I replaced the govenor gear though..I dont think it contols downshifts,only the upshifts..
I didn't get to my garage today to look at the troubleshooting chart,I'll try to do it in the morning tomorrow..
 
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