I have just purchased a '83 Regal Wagon with a TH350(C?, has a two wire plug near rear of transmission on drivers side). It has no reverse. Forward gears all seem to work fine. Downshifts seem smooth, runs at 75 mph at "normal" rpm. It sat for about a year and the fluid level was nearly zero (took 3.75 qts). I found a thread on another forum where someone had the same problem under the same circumstances. He was told to put new fluid in and shift back and forth from rev to forward. He wrote back to say it worked. He was told that some type of cones in the tranny can rust when fluid is low. I have yet to try this but was wondering if anyone has tried this or thinks it has merit. I was told by a local mechanic that these trannys eventually lost reverse if the driver put it into forward from reverse before stopping completely and that the reverse band is probably totally worn. Meanwhile, I went looking in local junkyards (Lake Charles, LA) and can't find any. They say it is too old. Is everyone BSing me? Right now it has a 3.8 V6 but will be going to a V8 when I get some more funds. Will the TH350(C?) handle a 350 cu in. engine? Thanks, Walter
Well, I tried the back and forth rev/fwd thing. No change, no reverse. I also tried moving the shift linkage slowly from park, through reverse and neutral until I finally got to drive, just in case the detent was off. No change, not even a shudder until I got to Drive and it went into gear. Finally, someone told me to disconnect the modulator valve vacuum line because that would increase the fluid pressures. He said if it did go into reverse, it just meant that things were worn out instead of maybe broken. Still no change. Anyone have any other ideas besides rebuild/replace the transmission? Walter
That is a 350C, a THM 350 with a lock up converter. You should be able to find them in junkyards, I'm sure they made many of them. Should be cheap to rebuild also if you shop around. Reverse is typically the weakest part of a transmission, and the first to go. Some mechanics actually advocate always putting a transmission in drive and moving foward a little before selecting reverse. Something to do with lubrication that is lost overnight. They say this will extend the life of "reverse in any trans, who knows?
Larry, Thanks for the info. I'm shopping right now, as a matter of fact, both here in my home town and here on the Forum. Seems the BOP is harder to find. Couple of guys have told me they have one, and when I go look, it is from a Chevy. That's interesting about the fluid. I had another guy who was from up North in Michigan said they have a lot of problems with reverse going out in winter because the fluid is so thick and that what those in the know did was to back their cars into the driveway at night so they could go directly into Forward in the morning. Do you know how hard they are to rebuild? I've always thought of automatics as a magical box that as soon as you open it, balls and springs and rods and levers all come flying out, never to go back in again. Well, someone knows how to do it, obviously. Just not me. Walter
I feel I'm in the same boat as you. I'm sitting here rigth now thinking about going out to a yard tomorrow and pulling a TH 400. I have no idea how it would work out if I tried. First would be to get one of those floor jacks with a big plate on top, for sale at pep boys for 39.99$ right now. Try to figure out the center of gravity on the tranny, undo bolts, and then try to lower it gently. Put it in the trunk of the centurion and haul it home. Then redo it at a later date, but in my own garage, and get it back in there.... yikes... ou: o No: :grin:
