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Snow wheeling and automatic transmission

YotaAtieToo said:
What's everyone's thoughts on the 4l60e vs the th350? In his build thread he mentioned needing taller highway gearing. I figured why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone and swap a 4l60e in. He even has a built one laying around.
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It is a good option and my buddy that sold me the motor also has the 4l60e and tried to talk me into it then. Howell EFI had an option for electric transmission with the wiring harness. I decided to go with the th350 because there was less electronics, simpler, it’s shorter, and lighter. I knew I’d have to just deal no overdrive.

If I go to the trouble of changing transmission I’m probably just going back to a manual. R150f

I just looked at AA website again and it looks like only the th350c from 80-81 won’t work because there 1.5 inches longer. I think mine is a 79.
 
I use two coolers and 2 fans. Also have 2 billet external filters. Upsize the trans outlet fittings. Fluidyne sells a package with a shroud which would be better then my setup. Here is an old picture missing the 2nd fan. They are on 1 switch, no thermostat. Synthetic oil helps. Im running regular Napa oil now but will be switching next fluid change. I dont go out unless there is 4-10 feet of snow.

Fluidyne pn DB-30616 (1.5 qt capacity each)
Spal 9" puller fan 755 cfm SPU-IX-30102061
 

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Corey Young said:
I use two coolers and 2 fans. Also have 2 billet external filters. Upsize the trans outlet fittings. Fluidyne sells a package with a shroud which would be better then my setup. Here is an old picture missing the 2nd fan. They are on 1 switch, no thermostat. Synthetic oil helps. Im running regular Napa oil now but will be switching next fluid change. I dont go out unless there is 4-10 feet of snow.

Fluidyne pn DB-30616 (1.5 qt capacity each)
Spal 9" puller fan 755 cfm SPU-IX-30102061
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For us old farts with bad eyes:
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How fast are you driving in the snow if you want to use 3rd gear?

I have blazer with th350, zero problems in the snow. Original heat exchanger in the radiator and a big tube/fin cooler in front of radiator. It stays very cool, between 140-160F measured from oilpan. 99% of the driving is with 1st gear though..

When you are using 3rd gear, does the transmission stay in 3rd or does it want to hunt between 2nd and 3rd? sometimes if the speed /rpms/load is correct the transmission will keep shifting back and forth between gears. And that will eventually kill it.

IMG_0220.JPG
 
K5-Einari said:
How fast are you driving in the snow if you want to use 3rd gear?

I have blazer with th350, zero problems in the snow. Original heat exchanger in the radiator and a big tube/fin cooler in front of radiator. It stays very cool, between 140-160F measured from oilpan. 99% of the driving is with 1st gear though..

When you are using 3rd gear, does the transmission stay in 3rd or does it want to hunt between 2nd and 3rd? sometimes if the speed /rpms/load is correct the transmission will keep shifting back and forth between gears. And that will eventually kill it.

IMG_0220.JPG
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Probably going 25-35 mph with the 2.28 case in. I don’t have a kick down cable so it shouldn’t want to go to 2nd. I think the heat exchange makes a big difference in cooling. There’s probably a reason all factory vehicles run them
 
Have you disassembled the transmission yet? when you see the damage, it is easier to know what caused it. But adding more cooling should never hurt.
 
Sidekicktodd said:
This thread is going down some rabbits holes. I mainly started this thread to see what people did to keep there autos happy in the snow.
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LOL no doubt. Seems most people don't realize there is no lockup in the old TH350 except just a couple years.

So a different convertor might help. Some are better quality, have less bleed by,

But really a rebuild, keep the clutch packs tight as possible. A good shift kit to increase line pressure. I think you can get an upgraded oil pump as well and it will hold just fine.

We used to build them for Construction company I worked for. That was about the only thing they couldn't tear up. Running through snow, sand, deep mud all day and they held up fine in blazers and suburbans even with a 6.2 diesel.
 
Tiha said:
LOL no doubt. Seems most people don't realize there is no lockup in the old TH350 except just a couple years.

So a different convertor might help. Some are better quality, have less bleed by,

But really a rebuild, keep the clutch packs tight as possible. A good shift kit to increase line pressure. I think you can get an upgraded oil pump as well and it will hold just fine.

We used to build them for Construction company I worked for. That was about the only thing they couldn't tear up. Running through snow, sand, deep mud all day and they held up fine in blazers and suburbans even with a 6.2 diesel.
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even with the 6.2 diesel. ahhahah thats kinda funny
 
K5-Einari said:
Have you disassembled the transmission yet? when you see the damage, it is easier to know what caused it. But adding more cooling should never hurt.
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I’m going to pull it today after work. I just need to cut a hole in the floor so I don’t have to pull the motor. But something let go.
536C5FB2-32FD-448F-B3F8-F13920D44C5F.jpeg
 
chaplinfj60 said:
even with the 6.2 diesel. ahhahah thats kinda funny
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LOL as gutless as they were they built decent torque off idle. Which is a killer on transmissions since peak torque on the 6.2 was like 1700 rpm, but peak line pressure on the 700R4 was not till like 2700 rpm. It was never going to work.
 
Tiha said:
LOL as gutless as they were they built decent torque off idle. Which is a killer on transmissions since peak torque on the 6.2 was like 1700 rpm, but peak line pressure on the 700R4 was not till like 2700 rpm. It was never going to work.
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fair enough, just sounded funny as hell.
 
chaplinfj60 said:
fair enough, just sounded funny as hell.
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I know this is a thread derail. LOL we used to spend 2 days rebuilding a 700R4 from behind a 6.2. Half the time the cases were junk because they got them so hot, but using the gil younger (now known as transgo) shift correction kits and every upgraded part available. Put your whole heart and soul in it. Be proud of it when you are done.
Install it, set the TV cable. Test drive. Perfection!

Next day, 2 hours in the mud on the construction site we get a call. "Uhm yeah you guys suck at transmissions, this one burnt up already."

We started building TH350s and TH400s and no more problems.

Keeping rpms up to keep line pressure high is very important.
 
Tiha said:
held up fine in blazers and suburbans even with a 6.2 diesel.
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If Chevy paired the 6.2 with the th350, it was short lived. The diesel autos were th700, th400, and finally 4L80E. The 6.2 was horrible with the th400, but it also couldn't hurt it. Helped in part by the massive radiator and trans cooler.
 
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u2slow said:
If Chevy paired the 6.2 with the th350, it was short lived. The diesel autos were th700, th400, and finally 4L80E. The 6.2 was horrible with the th400, but it also couldn't hurt it. Helped in part by the massive radiator and trans cooler.
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You are correct, GM never put the TH350 behind the 6.2, but we did because we had plenty of them laying around.
3/4 tons came with the th400, 1/2 tons got the 700r4.
The 3/4 tons felt snappy but top speed was like 65 maybe 68 lol.
The 1/2 tons we put a th350 in would do better but rear end gearing was better than the 3/4 tons.

The C6 held up great behind the 6.9 until you turn the pump up. Then it started toasting them pretty fast.

Oh to be in 1985 again. LOL
 
Tiha said:
You are correct, GM never put the TH350 behind the 6.2, but we did because we had plenty of them laying around.
3/4 tons came with the th400, 1/2 tons got the 700r4.
The 3/4 tons felt snappy but top speed was like 65 maybe 68 lol.
The 1/2 tons we put a th350 in would do better but rear end gearing was better than the 3/4 tons.

The C6 held up great behind the 6.9 until you turn the pump up. Then it started toasting them pretty fast.

Oh to be in 1985 again. LOL
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I had a cucv for a hot second and 65 would have been a pipe dream :laughing: I think it would shift into 3rd at like 20 mph :laughing:
 
I run a huge ass flex-a-lite diesel engine oil cooler for my A340. It keeps it too cold for anything but wheeling to be honest and highest I've seen was 150s driving up a canyon at 10mph in 2Hi for 15 mins straight. Big cooler, and/or add a fan with a t-stat.

In the snow I click the ebrake up 3 clicks when it's hard pack to be lazy and slip the TC for that sweet ghetto reduction. If it's deep I do the same thing to crawl forward, but I'm usually more throttle happy and bashing my way through the snow in those situations.
 
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So update. The transmission shop said it died do to heat and not my $300 homemade full rebuild. Nor Cal transmission hooked it up, only $1200 for the rebuild. Including machine work for more clutches, shift kits and all the goods. I have a 40k GVW cooler and a 30row cooler in the back they work so good it won’t get over 100f. I’m going to have to run it threw the radiator to get it to temp
 
Not sure. I'm relatively new to snow wheeling in the area. Could hit eagle lakes. Do you know any good places?
 
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