TH350 or 350C
10-09-2002, 07:25 PM
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Car: 83WS6TA
Engine: ZZ4
Transmission: TH350C
Axle/Gears: 3:23
TH350 or 350C
I have an 83TA with a crapped out metric 200 in it. The car is the Canadian version so there's no ECM.
I believe it was a 200C because it did seem to lock up and I think the owner's manual referred to it as having a lock up.
I'd like to install a 350C to retain the lock up so what I need to know is:
1. Am I right about the 200 having had a lock up given that there's no ECM on the car.
2. What controls the lock up in a car w/out ECM.
3. Is the install/fitment for a 350 the same as a 350C except for whatever has to be done to accomodate the lock up if anything.
4. Are reman/rebuilt short tail 350Cs easily available.
5. Is there any downside to getting a 350C rather than a 350 - ie most people seem to swap in the 350.
Thanx.
I believe it was a 200C because it did seem to lock up and I think the owner's manual referred to it as having a lock up.
I'd like to install a 350C to retain the lock up so what I need to know is:
1. Am I right about the 200 having had a lock up given that there's no ECM on the car.
2. What controls the lock up in a car w/out ECM.
3. Is the install/fitment for a 350 the same as a 350C except for whatever has to be done to accomodate the lock up if anything.
4. Are reman/rebuilt short tail 350Cs easily available.
5. Is there any downside to getting a 350C rather than a 350 - ie most people seem to swap in the 350.
Thanx.
10-10-2002, 07:10 AM
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1) All 200-series (200C and 200-4R) had TC lockup.
2) I have seen the lockup controlled by either a firewall-mounted switch or through the cruise control system (if vehicle so equipped) where an ECM is not present.
3) TH-350 and TH-350C are the same physical size (assuming we are talking about "short-tail" versions) and can be swapped without other changes (i.e. driveshaft, crossmember, etc.).
4) TH-350C's are fairly common- most G- and B- bodies used them (in Canadian versions) from 1982/83-1987/88 unless they were equipped with the 200-4R (4 speed). Finding one should not be a big problem I would think.
5) Parts are more expensive for the 350C- i.e. lockup converter itself and shift kits (valvebody is obviously different when compared to an older TH-350). The 350C was also known as a 'weaker' unit- but this was due to poorer quality parts used- i.e. frictions and steels- the stuff you would replace at a rebuild anyways- not due to 'hard' parts problems or the casing itself.
As an additional note: When GM was installing the 350C's in vehicles- it was basically a 'light duty' unit (as mentioned in 5. above). Thus why none were used in trucks/vans- they either got a TH-400 or a 700-R4 in the '80s. Again, this is not an indicator of a rebuilt unit's quality if proper materials are used- just that because they were classified as 'light duty' from the factory the original consumable parts were not real heavy duty- so using a non-rebuilt 350C is probably not the best idea. The earlier non-lockups TH-350's were used in light- and medium-duty applications and thus came 'from the factory' with better quality consumables.
If you have a 200C right now- you can just unplug the lockup connector, swap in your rebuilt 350C and the only other thing you'll have to worry about is changing the speedo gear to make sure it reads correctly (the speedo gear on TH-350s is accessible by removing the rear tail cover which is not present on the 200-series units-i.e. pretty easy).
2) I have seen the lockup controlled by either a firewall-mounted switch or through the cruise control system (if vehicle so equipped) where an ECM is not present.
3) TH-350 and TH-350C are the same physical size (assuming we are talking about "short-tail" versions) and can be swapped without other changes (i.e. driveshaft, crossmember, etc.).
4) TH-350C's are fairly common- most G- and B- bodies used them (in Canadian versions) from 1982/83-1987/88 unless they were equipped with the 200-4R (4 speed). Finding one should not be a big problem I would think.
5) Parts are more expensive for the 350C- i.e. lockup converter itself and shift kits (valvebody is obviously different when compared to an older TH-350). The 350C was also known as a 'weaker' unit- but this was due to poorer quality parts used- i.e. frictions and steels- the stuff you would replace at a rebuild anyways- not due to 'hard' parts problems or the casing itself.
As an additional note: When GM was installing the 350C's in vehicles- it was basically a 'light duty' unit (as mentioned in 5. above). Thus why none were used in trucks/vans- they either got a TH-400 or a 700-R4 in the '80s. Again, this is not an indicator of a rebuilt unit's quality if proper materials are used- just that because they were classified as 'light duty' from the factory the original consumable parts were not real heavy duty- so using a non-rebuilt 350C is probably not the best idea. The earlier non-lockups TH-350's were used in light- and medium-duty applications and thus came 'from the factory' with better quality consumables.
If you have a 200C right now- you can just unplug the lockup connector, swap in your rebuilt 350C and the only other thing you'll have to worry about is changing the speedo gear to make sure it reads correctly (the speedo gear on TH-350s is accessible by removing the rear tail cover which is not present on the 200-series units-i.e. pretty easy).
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