Dutch '59 Fleetside Longbed

[Flysocal]

Good looking truck. Love the fleetside.

[lower50's]

The lettering looks great. The ghost Fleetside will be cool.

[RockinKees]

Thanks guys!!

Are there transmission guru's here?
I got a problem, but this time I don't trust the torque converter....
As you might know, we repaired the trans itself a few weeks ago, the frictionplates were separated from their steel plates, probably due to coolant in the trans (see the pics a few postings back).
Is there a possibility that this could be the case with the internals of the converter also? If there is such a clutch in there....

What I find is that this trans is very soft when you put it in gear, you won't feel it shift from P to D or R. Also there is no change in rpm from P to D or R. My TH350 was much "stronger" when you put it in gear, plus you saw it drop in rpm and felt it was pulling, you had to put your feet on the brake.
This TH 400 never did that, never felt it shift in gear, also in D the gearchange was very smooth. I could adjust it a little by turning the little screw in the vacuummodulator. The changes were noticable.

Now the truck stood for two days and have almost excactly what I had before. Must give way to much throttle to get a respons.
Oil level is good, smells not burned, looks bright red.
If I have some time I will let some oil out to see how it looks.

So my question, could this be a converter failure??
As the trans itself has maybe 50 miles on it after repair....
Also no strange sounds heard while driving or idling or when charging gears.
Please help??

[RockinKees]

So, I'm back from vacation.
Had a great time with the family!!

I just looked at the trans, tried a few things, nothing seems to help...
After three weeks standing still it shifts like never before.
Seems no one has an answer to this trans problem, I think the converter is broke, but I also found very dirty oil after some 50 miles.
I don't trust it anymore, so I got myself a TH700R4 trans.
Some things have to be changed, have to make a new a new driveshaft also.
The trans is from 1991, out of a Caprise hearse with almost 80000 miles on it.
Hope this one is better....

Here we go again...





It's almost two inches longer than a TH400 and just went in without unbolting extra stuff!



Now have to buy or make a bracket for the TV cable, make the shiftlever at the trans, change oil and filter and find a driveshaft we could modify to fit.
Then I hope the trans troubles are history!!

[Katrina/10]

That should work out nicely, you'll get some highway speed out of that one. Don't forget to hook up the lockup converter clutch. What ratio is your Jag rear?

[RockinKees]

Jag rear has 2.88 with limited slip diff.

I was looking for a diagram to make the lock up work in 2, 3 and 4.
Handy when you tow something. Ofcourse brake release!

[Katrina/10]

With a 2.88 and overdrive you should get good fuel mileage! There are some kits that use an engine vacuum diaphragm switch with power run through the brake light switch. Not sure which gears you can lock the converter, mine just does it in third or overdrive.

[lower50's]

Hope the new to you trans works good.

[Advanced Design]

Big thumbs up Kees. Swapping a trans out by the street is hard core cool. Hope it works well!

[dug224]

Now THAT's a vacation...4 weeks?? Good luck with the fresh trans. dug

[Nut Case]

Kees

Just a thought, did you drain the old converter and replace with fresh oil?

Sorry to hear about the tranny problems, Good luck

Keep on keepin on

Nut Case

[reaper71]

Good to see you back!!

Mark...

[RockinKees]

Thanks guys!!

@ Nut Case, a few posts back you can see what I did with the converter, I think the problem of the TH400 is in the valvebody, as if it at times builds no pressure. Stuck valve or something. Had this problem before with this trans, since the beginning of the build troubles with this trans...Took it apart three times, had enough of it

Small update....
"New" trans is completely in and working
I found a steel driveshaft I could shorten, so I bought that one.



Looks very rusty, but it's only surface rust.
How I shorten the driveshaft in pics:















With this all done, I had to make a new shift lever, because the Overdrive trans has a longer "reach". I made a new lever with the mountinghole for the shift rod at another place, otherwise I couldn't get it to work properly. No pics made of that, yet...
Also, the TH700R4 uses a Throttle Valve cable, where a TH400 uses a vacuum line.
So I had to buy or make a new bracket at the carb to take this TV cable.
I got a used bracket which I modified a bit to take the both of the cables. Throttle and TV cable.
I also had to make a pin to where the TV cable mount on.

The modified bracket:



New turned TV cable pin:



Bolted to the carb, cables hooked on:



Don't mind the return springs, I've got to buy some new ones....

This afternoon I drove the truck and I must say, it drives really good
Must finetune the TV cable, it now shifts a bit early, but I think my transmission troubles are history!!

Only have to wire the Lock Up converter and I'm Ready to Rumble the streets!!

[Katrina/10]

Oh, no, I can't see the pictures!

[Advanced Design]

I can't see the pictures either and I am glad you got your transmission installed.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

Oh, no, I can't see the pictures!

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

I can't see the pictures either and I am glad you got your transmission installed.

Me three no pics...Jim

[Kim57]

No pics.
Just an empty space where they should be.
Kim

[RockinKees]

No pics?
Strange....
On the computer they are visible, but on the iPad there's none....

I'll try to get it right.

[lower50's]

Glad to hear but not see the trans is working. It can be very frustrating.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

No pics?
Strange....
On the computer they are visible, but on the iPad there's none....

I'll try to get it right.

I have an IPad and don't see the pics....

[MalibuSSwagon]

I'm betting there some sort of privacy settings on the pictures, that needs to be set to public.

[RockinKees]

Settings are right, they're on public?
Can you see this one then?



It shows on my computer....

[ChuckDriver]

I see it!

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

I see it!

The other pics too ChuckDriver??

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Thanks guys!!

@ Nut Case, a few posts back you can see what I did with the converter, I think the problem of the TH400 is in the valvebody, as if it at times builds no pressure. Stuck valve or something. Had this problem before with this trans, since the beginning of the build troubles with this trans...Took it apart three times, had enough of it

Small update....
"New" trans is completely in and working
I found a steel driveshaft I could shorten, so I bought that one.



Looks very rusty, but it's only surface rust.
How I shorten the driveshaft in pics:















With this all done, I had to make a new shift lever, because the Overdrive trans has a longer "reach". I made a new lever with the mountinghole for the shift rod at another place, otherwise I couldn't get it to work properly. No pics made of that, yet...
Also, the TH700R4 uses a Throttle Valve cable, where a TH400 uses a vacuum line.
So I had to buy or make a new bracket at the carb to take this TV cable.
I got a used bracket which I modified a bit to take the both of the cables. Throttle and TV cable.
I also had to make a pin to where the TV cable mount on.

The modified bracket:



New turned TV cable pin:



Bolted to the carb, cables hooked on:



Don't mind the return springs, I've got to buy some new ones....

This afternoon I drove the truck and I must say, it drives really good
Must finetune the TV cable, it now shifts a bit early, but I think my transmission troubles are history!!

Only have to wire the Lock Up converter and I'm Ready to Rumble the streets!!

I did quote the whole text, incl the pics, is it visible now?