Since its a "preproduction manual", it was probably printed before GM dropped the name "Super Turbine" and switched to "Turbo Hydramatic" for three speed production. The manual probably refers to the new TH350 design, thus the resemblance in the cover illustration. Devon
The old type F was a little thinner the type A and would make a gm tranny shift harder.The drawback was it would wear out sooner.I firmly believe in the newer synthetic fluids.
As I recall the Type "F" fluid was more like a 15 weight as opposed to Type "A" of 10 weight, besides other things, that made it a better choice for H/Duty use. The only other thing I can add is DO NOT use grease, use Vasoline. Grease will NOT melt & disapate as quickly & cleanly as Vasoline. As for synthetic fluids. They are MUCH more slippery. Not good where friction is required. Same for "Posi" rears. I used Type "F" fluid in my '64 "400" for years, beginning in 1/65 when I read the hydraulic path & did my "Own" shift kit on my "400" before there was even talk about shift kits. As my recollection recalls Hot Rod was one of the 1st. if not the 1st. to do a article about a shift kit. I believe this was around 8/65. Today it has over 300K on it. Other than changing fluid & filter every 10 years or so & using Type "F" fluid, knock on wood, the trans. has NEVER been out. I've only got two cases of Type "F" left & sorry it's NOT for sale. Rhett, with the pan off you should be able to see the back of the trans. pump from the inside. This is where you will see the circular snap Ring I'm talking about. Tom T.
Thanks Tom - I havent been able to pull the 71 out from underneath the 65 and get a good look up in there, but by the manual it looks like it should be up along the driver side of the valve body. It also looks like type F is pretty commonly available still - should I give it a shot? Will it matter if it gets mixed with the exisiting fluid in the converter, etc..? and lets not forget, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and thanks for all your help and advice this year.
OK - I'm elbow deep in this thing now! It came apart well..I did find the pressure accumulator access up in the case above/behind the shift quadrant. Got the snap ring out and the whole assm was under more spring tension than I thought! Took a bath in tranny fluid and chased around tiny parts on the garage floor for half an hour. Found everything, no harm done. I was going to stack washers to shim the accumulator spring, but the shoulder of the valve isnt tall enough to locate the washers, so I had to stretch the spring 1/2 an inch. Hope that doesnt mess with the neutral to drive transition. Looks like the hard part now is to get the valve/spring/washer assm back in the pump and compressed to put the snap ring back in. Looks like a 4 handed job. I'll also have to hold the washers in place with vasoline to feed each component back in the pump. Wish me luck!
Nothing ever goes easy. I got my buddy over to help insert the valve assembly into the front pump, and it bottoms out about a half inch short of full insertion. So we start to check the individual parts of the valve in the bore to see which is hanging up. The piston seems to go fine, the spring is OK and my buddy inserts the end sleeve, that goes all the way in with no interferance too. Ok - so we go to take the sleeve out of the bore, and it's just plain stuck. we go at it with fine pliers - no good. Strong magnet? It's aluminum (or something) I even tried supergluing my finger to it...no luck, but it did hurt like hell when my finger broke loose! Damn. I'm walking away from this for a day or two.
That "Sleeve" is a very close tolerance fit. If it starts "Cocked" it will NOT go in. If you try & force it the sleeve will get "Gouged". Take a screwdriver that has the same/close inside diameter. Insert in the end of the sleeve & wiggle gently side-side. It should loosen up & you should be able to get it out. Once out check for scoring/gouging & smooth as nec. Make sure it gets installed straight. If it gets cocked it will stick again.
Thanks Tom - it's the end sleeve that the snap ring goes up against...it's probably 1/4 inch into the bore. It went in as easy as you could hope, and just stuck there.. when my finger was glued to it (!) I tried rocking, rotating, etc...nothing would budge it. I'm gonna try to wick some penetrating oil up there (or force it up with air...) Came apart easy anyway!
I put an ad out on "Parts Wanted" for a junk ST300 front pump and pressure valve assembly, so if I ever get this sleeve out of mine I can mock up the valve assembley and try to figure out where it's binding up while reloading...if anyone has one let me know, even if it's just to borrow. Thanks,
Finally got it! A month later, I finally for the front pump sleeve out of the bore. I tried just about everything, and was about to drill and tap a hole through the sleeve to grab it. Then I got the brainstorm to heat the pump with a inductive coil heater to expand the bore, and try to grab it again. I was having trouble getting anything to bond to the sleeve as there was trans fluid weeping through the bore: liquid nails, two part epoxy, glue gun - all would wouldnt grab, get contaminated and soft or not cure at all. Then I got the idea to go back to super glue. It would bond quicker than the rest and if I hit the sleeve with carb clean and an air hose and bond it quick, I'd get a good bond. I got a 1/2 nut and tried to bond it, but there was a faint casting part line on the sleeve that prevented a flat bond with the nut, so I scored the nut with a die grinder and tried again... hit the pump with the coil and bingo! - the whole assembly came loose and out. Success, and it only took a month - I drove my buddy crazy by walking away from this thing for a week at a time when I got frustrated, but thats the only way I can work. I know it sounds stupid, but I was really stuck on this one! What I wasnt prepared for was how strong the bond would be! I ran a 3" bolt into the bonded nut, and I still cant break it loose by trying to rock it, even with the sleeve in a vise! Remember those old super glue ads where they would glue the car (or the guys helmet) to a crane and lift it up? Might not have been BS after all! It did split fine with a small chisel, but it took a good whack!
Depending on which accumulator you are talking, and since this is a science project of sorts, some shift kits delete the accumulator spring and shim it in an open position so the piston no longer cushions, but the voume of the cavity will still provide a little bit of cushion. Food for thought...
You're right about the science project aspect, and that sure would make it easier to put back together...but I'm gonna pass on it. I still drive this car all over the place, and want to avoid at all costs having the thing bang into gear....my 73 has a SP TH400 built by Kenne Bell in it temporarily and it's tough as nails and a ball to drive, but man does that thing rattle your teeth when you take it out of park...the 4 spd is going back in ASAP! I'd rather have lazy shifts than that..... Thanks for the input though....
yep.... I made the mistake of putting a shift kit in the c6 on my ford truck.... when you shift it into reverse, it will snatch your teeth out of your head..... :eek2:
Good question Tom - Nekkid Hillbilly is sending me a whole pump assembly to play with, and I can mock it up out of the vehicle and see why it's getting jambed. I did look close, the bore and sleeve were not significantly marked or scored. i think what was happening is that the extra length of the spring was causing it to bulge out the break between the top and bottom bores and hang up.
