th400 whine and trouble shifting *Never mind, its broken*

[BranndonC]

You can choose more than one responce to the poll.

I searched and found that a lot of people have that problem until it warms up. But mine just started happening. What happened was 2 days ago I put it in 4 :1 low to see how it drive, the transmission obviously whined when I did that. But yesterday I took the truck out, and it whined the whole time, and shifted too soft into drive and reverse. This morning (cold out) I warmed up the engine, then drove it out, still whining, drove down the street, turned around and came home, whining the whole time. Theres no water in the fluid, but it looked a little dirty, do you suggest a fluid change (about 2-300 miles MAX on it)? also I read on here that type F is less slippery, so it shifts firmer, and that a couple guys here run it. what do you think would help?

 

[1985_K5_Silverado]

Maybe somebody installed a cam gear drive while you were sleeping. I sometimes get the "there's something wrong with that truck!" look when I fire mine up around non-gearhead types.

Seriously, I bet that a new constant whine will ring an instant bell with one of the tranny gurus that lurk around here, and more info probably couldn't hurt. Fluid level OK? Was it a new torque converter, and if it wasn't, how old was it?

 

[hack500]

refresh my memory, please... what's the history of the transmission? I'd pull the pan and check to make sure the pickup tube didn't fall off and has the O-rings in place then if it needs a new filter do it at the same time. if after that it still whines then maybe plumb in a pressure guage to make sure you're getting adequate line pressure.

 

[BranndonC]

i bought it, then I installed a shift kit and had it rebuilt, so its basicaly a fresh transmission. I haven't pulled the pan since I installed it, So i'll do that this weekend, and post what I find. Thanks for the advice

 

[BranndonC]

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG DAMNIT!! It just went out. Damn damn damn. I cannot afford a new one. Bah Reverse kinda works, no forward gears what so ever. even in 4:1 low it doesnt even pretend to want to move

 

[hack500]

pull it apart and post up.

 

[BranndonC]

you know what! That's what i'll do! Thanks, i've always been afraid to takle a transmission, but what do I have to lose now! I'll proably pull it tomorrow and get started on a new doubler mount too. Thanks for the push, lol

 

[BranndonC]

and I'll make a video tutorial on how to rebuild a th400

 

[TrcksR4ME]

and I'll make a video tutorial on how to rebuild a th400

That will go great with all previous video tutorials of why its broken now

 

[1979jimmy350]

i have a manual i scaned on how to rebuild the 400 if you would like a copy let me know

 

[BranndonC]

i would like a copy! lol i'm going to get all the refrence materal I can. Thanks! my email is at the link in my sig, I dont want to type it here because bots come in and spam me! lol

 

[1979jimmy350]

ok i will send it, its going to take a few emails becasue it is pretty large in size

 

[BranndonC]

thanks! i'll read those this evening

 

[1979jimmy350]

its all sent now

 

[BranndonC]

thanks alot! It'll definately help

 

[big83chevy4x4]

if its whining all the time, sounds like the pump. not building enough pressure let the clutchs slip too much and burned them up.

the th400 is an easy transmission. good luck with it.
also if you have 300 miles on it, can you get it warrentied threw who built it?

 

[mtnman210]

the video sounds like a cool idea. Especially since I'll be having to do the same thing shortly

 

[79k20350]

you didnt even have to say you were going to make a video, it was expected...

 

[DEMON44]

I second the pump was makeing the whine. and cooked the clutches.

 

[diesel4me]

Umm...

if its whining all the time, sounds like the pump. not building enough pressure let the clutchs slip too much and burned them up.

the th400 is an easy transmission. good luck with it.
also if you have 300 miles on it, can you get it warrentied threw who built it?

Not if the guy who rebuilt it has watched the "burnout" videos....


My guess would be the pump too,unless the filter came off, or plugged up suddenly,and starved it for ATF..had a TH400 in my GTO that did that after I had to rock it from D to R a million times after I got stuck in my sisters yard after a snowfall...it whined like a siren ,and was lazy going into drive and reverse,especially on cold startup..the pan was full of clutch material,looked like coffee grounds!..

I changed the fluid and filter,and it never acted up again..had I driven it farther than the 10,000 miles after that,I would not have been suprised if it did though..that tranny saw a hard life,lots of burnouts and beatings!..

You might not be so lucky..the torque of a 500 Caddy will toast pretty much ANY tranny...even properly built ones with coolers,etc..just the nature of the beast...