I bought a '82 Firebird - cheap - with the plan to muscle it up in the future. Presently, it has the 2.8L V6 with a 3spd. auto trans.(th200c, I assume)
As my wife's minivan just crapped out, she needs a car, like yesterday.

I took the Firebird for a drive & found that it began bogging when it hit 3rd gear. I didn't notice it for the first 5 miles or so, but it started as I went up a hill. When I dropped it down to 2nd, it drove o.k., but on even a slight incline, it still doesn't want to go well when in drive. I'd like to see if the drive band needs adjusting, but have been unable to find info. on internet, regarding adjusting the drive band. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have a th350(6"tail) from a '83 malibu, that I just bought for a resto-mod on my '59 Apache. I'd prefer to get a month or two out of the th200, before I do a swap, but if the swap is basic, should I go that way now? I'm a welder by trade, can I fab. the existing tranny mount to fit the th350? Aside from attaching modulator vacuum line to manifold(t-connector or?) is there anything else that I have to change? The th350 has the 4din plug on it, does the 200 accept same? will the oem th350's torque convertor match up O.K.?
Thanks, in advance, for advice.
Mike

 

Not a transmission problem. Leave it alone.

It's that worthless POS carb on there. That's one of the FEW things I've ever experienced about the 6-cyl that comes in these cars.... and that, only because one of my little brothers has a 82 S truck. Same stupid POS.

The trans is fine. The engine just can't deal with it, because the carb is such a POS.

You can change transmissions from now til Doomsday, and twice on Sunday; and the engine will STILL starve for fuel when it hits high gear.

 

On another note, Your turbo 350 WILL NOT BOLT TO YOUR V6 ENGINE!

There is NO turbo 350 EVER MADE that will bolt to a GM Metric bellhousing. Sorry to deliver this news. If you ever have to upgrade your tranny, you should get an 87 to 93 700r4 (4L60) for a 2.8/3.1/3.4 engine from a Camaro or Firebird. You also need the crossmember and a driveshaft. You get the bonus of a lower first gear AND overdrive with that swap. There is never any reason to keep a turbo 200...

If you need to get another carb, I used a mechanical version of yours from a 250 inline six engine out of an 80 chevy 1/2 ton truck. It takes care of your lack of fuel problem...

 

Oh yeah, I forgot about that....

Goes to show how much I know about those 6-cyl motors.

 

It is truly an honor to be the one around here with V6 "Jeopardy" knowledge (also read as mostly useless knowledge)

Keep the hits rollin!!

 

Sofakingdom - No kidding, the carb, huh? I never would have figured that out. Big thanks for that one!
KrisW - Good news, I didn't want to sacrifice my th350 for a silly 2.8 anyway. There's the excuse I needed to small block the Firebird!

Would a re-jet and/or higher capacity electric fuel pump do the job? If not, what do you recommend as a suitable replacement? I have several projct vehicles & could probably come up with a decent replacement. If not, what have you got Kris? How much do you want? Where are you located?
Thanks
Mike

 

I RECOMMEND THIS CARB...

 

FYI, if memory serves the band is not applied in high gear on a TH200. The band is applied to obtain second gear, and they were notorious for ripping out of the case lugs leaving one with only first and high.

 

my 200 did this but wasnt as noticeable turned out to be the torque converter lockup solenoid or something like that ... was an electronic thing in the trans only thing I know about it.

 

Mine does this to it drives me nuts and some times it like kicks out of third gear then back into it and bogs out. Its kind of weird because it does not do it all the time I can go 1 whole day and will not do it once and some days it does it no matter what.

I think it has to be the transmission they are junk worst transmission GM ever had and only made them for 2 years (82-83).

 

Well....

I'm not so sure. First off, I have had many 200s from 1980-1986. The 2.8 only got them in 82-83. Mostly they were behind Buick V6 engines but my 80 Cutlass and 81 Delta 88 had them behind Diesel engines. The one in my Cutlass ran behind the original diesel, then a second diesel, then a 350 gas engine, and it always shifted fine.

I only replaced it because I wanted overdrive to boost the gas mileage.

It may be more accurate to state that they do not lend themselves to regular beatings. They are not strong, but because they have lighter mass inside they do help give better mileage than a 350 turbo.

 

when mine had this trans, I had it rebuilt and it did ok then it started to not shift out of 1st gear and when it was sucessful to get out of 1st gear all it did was go into nuetral ... it was quikly served an eviction notice and I replaced it with a T-5 and have been happy ever since.
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I wonder why the 700r4 wasnt used from the start?

 

Don't get me wrong; I'm not an advicate of the 200. I'm just saying that I have had plenty of them do just fine in normal situations.

My last one was evicted in favor a 2004r. I am also much happier with it than the original 200.

 

True I have seen them in different cars before, I guess I should of said f bodys only had them for 2 years. I still think they are trash.