hey. motors out and now the trans is out of my 79 camaro. This trans from what i can tell is rock solid still even though when i bought it it had water mixed in the trans from the trans core in the radiator. i got 100qt flush at my local shop and changed the filter and ran it for maybe 3~5k miles before the rear pinion seal gave out on the rear end. the fluid was still slightly dirty now but i wasnt expecting a full flush to get all of it after having sat for ever.

it shifts solidly though all gears and haven't had a single problem with it since the flush.

now the question is. what should i do to it while its out of the car before i put it back in? im not going to rebuild it or have it rebuilt but what things can be cleaned? replaced, or serviced?

any other goodies i could put on it, or do to it to make it a more solid 3 speed?

i was thinking replacing servos and any breathers and seals on it? what do u guys recommend? i looked around google and didnt find much. but if u could be as detailed as possible with what should or could be replaced that would be great.

thanks

 

While it's out I'd definitely replace the rear seal where the yoke slips in. Easy, cheap, and good to do now!
Also pull the pan and replace the filter and gasket, and install a shift kit. I like the street strip kits, or full competition kit, if you're going racing much. They're super easy to install with the tranny upside down!
Of course you'll replace the fluid too, and install a trans cooler too! My trans and cooler are completely isolated from the radiator, as I don't want problems with the radiator to affect the tranny, plus a hot running engine wont help cool as much, so isolated it cools better. Get a big cooler, it will make your tranny last longer!

 

thats cool to know. yeah im ditching hard lines for soft lines and routeing them above the wheel well in the side fender area so its hidden. i got no smog control crap and all so i got more space.

whats the benifit to a shift kit in an old TH305?. its going to be attached to a 305 engine till i can find and build a better 350 to replace it. the 305 though feels a little more peppy than a stocker so. is a shift kit good for a motor of 175~ hp?

but deftinly thanks for the response! i like to hear more on this shift kit though! sounds better. anything i can do with the torque converter?

 

installing a shift kit will take the lag you feel when shifting thru the gears,it will provide a sharper ,more crisp shift and you might catch a second

 

A shift kit will not only improve performance on any engine, it will also improve the lifespan of any tranny you put one in.

 

now this trans had water in it that i got flushed out. it is now dirty. i dont know the history of this trans also? i know on a 4L60E trans u dont want to install a shift kit over about 75K miles due to it will make them break down faster if there is already a problem existing.

is this the same for TH350s? i know they are a little more basic being they are a 3 Speed. is it bad to install a shift kit on a used trans with unknown millage?

 

If you have doubts about the transmission's condition I wouldn't put any money in it beyond seals, gaskets, filter, and fluid. Get it together and run it for awhile before dumping any more funds into it.
An old TH350 wont be hurt by a shift kit, but it's better to know it's not going to need a rebuild before installing one!

 

gotcha. well i mean it shifts solid. and i never had a single problem with it after it got flushed so idk i will look at the condition it is in when i have the pan off. it might be a good thing to break those plates apart and install the kit though due to i can inspect the fluid tracks and make sure it is all cleaned out. but street strip rebuild kits are pretty cheap. 150$ from B&M i might look into someday?

whats that vacuum tube that goes to the intake manifold ports? and the little vacuum cone tords the back of the trans. should that be replaced? im changing the hard line out for a soft line because mine looks like a bent up snake someone got to fit lol

 

The vacuum line that goes to the manifold is the shift modulator line. The part it hooks to on the tranny is the shift modulator. It controls when it shifts.
The B&M kit is a good one, but there are others that are just as good for less. Summit Racing sells the Transgo kit for street/strip at only $44, and it's a very good kit.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRG-350-1-2/

Be careful running all that soft line! Make sure it's made to handle automatic trans fluid, and that it's routed away from any high heat source!

 

kk yeah i will make sure to make that clear its going to be handling pressure from a trans and so forth. now i can replace the hard line with a soft line to the manifold with a soft line right?

thanks for the information i have yet to find much on google. on the TH350