Man I have the worst luck. Well at least this time I expected it, except i thought it would be the rearend, not the tranny. Ok first first run...........I've never run my firebird since I converted it to Th350 auto with a B&M prostick shifter, so I was kinda in-experienced. Had a **** 2.0 60 ft on slicks, spun out of the hole. I was really nervous and went straight from 1st to 3rd gear (forget to not touch the lever going out of first), didn't realize my mistake for a full few seconds, then went back into 2nd, and crossed the finish line in nuetral. Ran a 13.30@105. Ok second run, I launch decent (1.79 60ft) pull hard as HELL, this time I shift right from 1st to 2nd..............get to 3rd gear................NOTHING HAPPENS!!! Like its in nuetral!!! So that run I got a 13.30 @94, amazingly, the same E.T. with 10mph less!!! haha. Yes obviously I crossed the finish line in nuetral for a good few seconds. SO I thought maybe it was my shifting errors again.......so I try to run again. Get to the line, something doesn't feel right.....I do my burnout, put the shifter in 1st gear, and the car just CLUNKS really loud and stalls the motor. Great. So I start it up, try it again, yep, 1st gear is frozen or something. Started hearing some squeeling noises and bad noises, so I just put it in drive and make a casual 25 second pass down the track. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This pisses me off so bad, this car is so easily capable of low 12s and I couldn't get one good run out of it before it broke. I did get some good 1/8 times to estimate my 1/4 mile times though:

1st run
1/8 E.T= 7.92
1/8 MPH= 90 mph

2nd run
1/8 E.T.= 7.75
1/8 MPH= 91mph


This blows, all I wanted was 12's on a damn timeslip finally, and my car would have so easily gotten there, maybe even better, but I couldn't get one solid run in. DAMNIT!!!!!!!!

oh well, time to pull it out and waste even more money on yet another transmission. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

 

1/8 mile x 1.56 is the closest estimate you can get to a 1/4 mile time.

7.92 = 12.402
7.75 = 12.09

 

that sucks! maybe i can help you out, check your pm

 

Man that really sucks. What kind of Torque converter did you have? What went, the converter? I just put a street /strip TH350 I got from a guy recommended by Dana at Probuilt in my 91 Formula, along with a Continental converter, 2600-2800 stall. I haven't even got on it too hard yet. Thats a nightmare scenario what you are describing, I can't be putting a tranny in my car every month.

 

Honestly I don't know what broke. The car still drives right now, but at the track it was crap. I dont' get it. At the line it almost stalled the motor like a lock up converter, but how could the converter be broken........its brand new???

 

It wouldn't be the converter because you still have 1 and 2.

A TH350 with no 3rd gear. Do you still have reverse?

The TH350 manual lists 3 faults for no 2-3 shift.

1: Valve body malfunction. 2-3 shift valve stuck in downshift position. Can be checked with tranny in car

2: Front pump maulfunction. Check for damaged or missing oil seal rings on stator support. Must pull tranny to check.

3: Direct clutch leaks. Check direct clutch drum for missing, cut or improperly installed piston seals. Check for stuck or missing direct clutch piston ball. Must pull tranny to check.

Personally I'd pull the pan off first to see if there's any parts on the bottom. It's possible the intermediate sprag disintigrated or partially disintigrated. That's the weakest link in the TH350 and the most cause of all failures. Either way it sounds like the tranny will have to come out.

 

yeah but get this.........It acted up at the track, but now when I drive it, it does JUST FINE on street 1/4 mile passes. Its kind of hard to gauge since I can't nail it till about the middle of 2nd (spins REALLY bad on street tires and gets majorly sideways) but it feels like the transmission is normal again.