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Rebuilding a Turbo 400

77crewcab

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The 400 trans needs a rebuild on the crewcab I just got. Can ya'll recomend a good book/video for rebuilding the 400. And also a list of tools I'll need. This is my first auto trans rebuild so need any tips you might have too. I plan to get a rebuild kit (recomendations?), reman torque convertor, shift kit for towing, and maybe a deep pan with a drain plug. Any thing else I should plan for?
 
If you don't have a clutch pack compressor you'll need at least two 5" or 6" c-clamps. There awkward but they work.

Some good snap ring pliers.

A good set of bushing drivers are very important. And test fit after every bushing install.

You'll need a little piano wire crimped on a little tube or a .010" feeler gauge with the edges rounded to work the piston seals into the bores.

A caliper or dial indicator or feeler gauges to measure endplay and clearances and such.

An inch pound torque wrench for the valve body and a ft-lb unit for the center support bolt.

An air compressor.

Some dental picks and stuff.

A good trans parts shop (you will make more than one or two trips to get parts). You could order them but it will be annoying when you need a $2 part and that happens three different times.

Lots of brake cleaner for the hard parts.

I am sure I forgot something.

I used this book... "How to Work with and Modify the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 Transmission (Motorbooks Workshop) (Paperback) by Ron Sessions"

The book has everything you need to know and explains what tools you can work around and what you can't. I would buy the book first. Read the necessary tools chapter, and the rebuild chapter (or the whole thing if possible), and then decide if you have the equipment and place to do it. An auto trans is the only thing I have ever had to buy a book just to put it back together. I took one apart once without the book and all these bearings and wear plates and everything fell out and you're thinking, "uh, where did that fall from?". And I went to put it together I couldn't get the planetaries in far enough to get the center support in all the way. Turns out it's very simple if you just know what order to put the "assemblies" back together. Then the little torrington bearing doens't fall out of place from inside and prevent you from getting it all the way back together. If you read the book it goes together no problem.

Oh, one other thing, you will need patience.
 
also a 3/8" slide hammer to get the pump out of the front, and a clamping device to grab ahold of the center support assy. Its heavy, and slippery. Or just put the trans on a horizontal plane.
 
http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductId=711

http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductId=713

http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?ProductModelId=251

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BMM-20280/

http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?ProductModelId=14452

http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?ProductModelId=14453

transtar has convertors also.

drill and tap 1/8 pipe in the side of the pan and install the sensor there if gauge is used.

i have run this stuff for years no problems. all good bang for the bucks.

and clean clean clean when reassembly of parts. use lots of brake clean to keep everything dirt free. and find a good brake clean that dosnt leave a film behind when dry.

also soak the clutch disks in new atf spread apart at random to let atf fully soak in to the material best to do this step first before tear down and clean. that way all good and soaked . big cheep rubber maid tub with lid works good for this.

and like others said watch out for the spring units thay will hurt you quick and fast if you dont respect them.
 
il check i may have a manual i can forward to you pm me your email addy
 
Thanks for all the replys. I think it won't be too hard to get it done, just a little nervous since I haven't done it before and I am wanting the crewcab up and running pretty quick. I think what I am going to do is buy a used Turbo 400 to put in the truck just to get it going. Then be able to take my time on building one and maybe allow for some more funds in the budget. I was already looking at the Transtar kit so good to know they work well. My local trans shop quoted $900 to remove, rebuild, reinstall the 400 with a towing shift kit with a 12 month/12000 mile warranty. But this time that just isn't in the budget so it is time to finally learn to rebuild the trans.
 
Make sure you get new heavy duty sprags and make sure you put them in, in the right direction or you wont shift out of first (my first time mistake). Also I used a 5 gallon bucket upside down and cut out the little ring in the center for a hole for the tailshaft to set into so it was easy to reassemble in the reverse order that i took it apart in.
 
If there is a chance that this tranny will ever see deep water I would reccomend that you take out the plastic vent line and drill and tap the hole to 1/8" NPT and install a barbed hose fitting and run a vent line somewhere above where it is now. Good time to do it when the case is empty.

Gus
 
You should have a the manual in your email. This manual is from a master certified tech i know and he teaches with this manual .
 
Good info guys..

I've been thinking about picking up a core and rebuilding it just for kicks and to have a spare. You know your sick when the idea of trying to rebuild a trans sounds awesome... :haha:
 
Good info guys..

I've been thinking about picking up a core and rebuilding it just for kicks and to have a spare. You know your sick when the idea of trying to rebuild a trans sounds awesome... :haha:

That's what I did with a 700r4. Now i've got 2 on the road and doing great. One has a year on it. (Blazer) The other has a couple of abused months (Camaro). I could rebuild one now and even need the manual.

The blazer got a TCI pro kit.
The Camaro got... everything.....
sleeved input drum
B/W dual cage sprag
Kolene steels
Alto Reds except for the 3/4. B/W High Energy for the 3/4 8 stack at .022 clearance
B/W low roller
Beast sun shell
GM 5 pinion planets front and rear
bearing style reaction carrier
new reverse drum
Alto wide carbon lined band
case saver
Sonnax wide bushing for the sun gear
All new bushings, bearings, and thrust washers
Sonnax check valve
Transgo shift kit, high rev pump rings/springs and capsule for the drum
rebuilt pump 10 vane
new 3rd accumulator capsule
clean and painted case.
all new seals and gaskets that come with a rebuild kit.
Sonnax pinless accumulators in all except the 1-2 due to the Transgo kit
new solenoids
torlon check balls
Transgo sep. plate
I kept the stock servos cause with the transgo kit the 1-2 is plenty firm and I don't plan on doing alot if any WOT 3-4 shifts
If I think of any more I'll add it.
 
I picked up a used 400 tonight for $75 with torque convertor. I actually drove it before the guy pulled it out. He was trying to sell his truck and I went to look at it but he was asking too much. After no offers he decided to part it out. So once I get it swapped into my crewcab I am going to start gathering parts for rebuilding the one I am taking out.
 
stupid question but is it the right tail shaft style you need ? and on test drive did you get it up to full warm temp and no problems. and how was the fluid color. just trying to save you a big pile of crap toss around time.
 
stupid question but is it the right tail shaft style you need ? and on test drive did you get it up to full warm temp and no problems. and how was the fluid color. just trying to save you a big pile of crap toss around time.

Yep it is the same tailshaft, just simple 2wd stuff so no tranfercase to mate with. I drove the truck for about 1/2 hour with no problems. And the fluid is nice and red. The only reason I didn't buy the whole truck was the price and he wouldn't budge at the time. But afterwards he decided to remove the 454/400 from the truck (77 SWB) and try to sell it with just a 350/350. But before he got the new engine combo in the g/f gave him the boot and wouldn't let him finish the swap. That was about a month ago. Tonight he said just make him an offer cause he only had until the end of the week to get all his stuff cleared out of her garage.
 
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