700r4 to TH 350 swap??
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Wa
Car: RED 1986 IROC-Z28
Engine: 350 5.7L
Transmission: TH 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 10 Bolt
700r4 to TH 350 swap??
700r4 has burnt tranny fluid smell. Want to trade out with a 350? Is this a good idea and what kinda crap would i have to do to make this work??
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Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 17,271
Likes: 171
From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
A long tail shaft TH350 (9") with the B&M kit is basically a bolt-in.
Depending on the gear ratio in your rear end will determine how much you'll like it. 3.45, 3.73 etc gears and the loss of the OD will decrease your gas milage on the highway.
------------------
Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car
87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block (times are for the current engine)
Best ET on a time slip: 11.447 altitude corrected to 10.99
Best MPH on a time slip: 119.42 altitude corrected to 124.86
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 493
Best 60 foot: 1.586
Racing at 3500 feet elevation with a typical race day over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association
87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley
Depending on the gear ratio in your rear end will determine how much you'll like it. 3.45, 3.73 etc gears and the loss of the OD will decrease your gas milage on the highway.
------------------
Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car
87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block (times are for the current engine)
Best ET on a time slip: 11.447 altitude corrected to 10.99
Best MPH on a time slip: 119.42 altitude corrected to 124.86
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 493
Best 60 foot: 1.586
Racing at 3500 feet elevation with a typical race day over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association
87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley
I needed the B&M kit,new drive shaft(will be different lenghth than stock),new th350/400 converter and the tail shaft had to be switched from the cable drive speedo to one that will accept the vehicle`s speed sensor weather-pac plug.
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91Z28 406,mini-ram,Track-1s,232/242 roller,Wiseco 9.5:1 pistons,6"Eagle rods,Callies crank,Speed Pro EFI w/ wide band,Weldon 2015,Nitrous Express 150,Turbo350 w/ 10"ATI,12-bolt 373s,Southside bars,Centerline Warriors,28x11.5 ET Streets Best N/A: 11.22,120mph...10.41/129 with 150 shot
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91Z28 406,mini-ram,Track-1s,232/242 roller,Wiseco 9.5:1 pistons,6"Eagle rods,Callies crank,Speed Pro EFI w/ wide band,Weldon 2015,Nitrous Express 150,Turbo350 w/ 10"ATI,12-bolt 373s,Southside bars,Centerline Warriors,28x11.5 ET Streets Best N/A: 11.22,120mph...10.41/129 with 150 shot
Supreme Member
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,860
Likes: 3
From: NE
Car: 82 camaro SC
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Drive your car down the highway in third gear(D) instead of fourth gear(OD). Add around 200 rpm since it probably won't have a lock-up converter and that's how your car will drive. I did the swap the other way.
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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro
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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro
Supreme Member



Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,306
Likes: 78
From: Fl
Car: 5.3L turbo 2800lbs RWD
Engine: Prefer 3L Iron & 5.3L Aluminum
Transmission: 4l80e
Axle/Gears: 3.512
I Just did the swap from a 4-speed muncie to a TH350. The car was originally a 700R4 though, and i can tell you there are a few things to worry about.
#1: Overlooked ALOT... Crossmember. My crossmember was 1 inch away from the tranny mount, making it impossible to mount the tranny....
Fix: I welded a 3 inch piece of Metal that stuck out far enough, and drilled a hole where the tranny mount wanted to be.
#2: Driveshaft... For me it was about 3 inches too short. Since its good to have it balanced whenever possible, i took it to driveline specialists to be balanced and lengthened. If you have the money look into an aluminum driveshaft, but from what i heard its not worth the extra money if you already HAVE a driveshaft. Your existing yolk and universals should work, (mine didnt, but remember my tranny WAS a muncie, not a 700R4)
#3: Torque arm. there are 2 ways to do this, one way is spending the $79.99 from jegs and getting the new Torque arm bracket holder (you will have to use your old torque arm bracket tho). The way I did it was make a bracket that went from the mount (over the crossmember, under the tranny mount) and made a Zig-Zag to the Torque arm, then i Welded a piece of metal to hold the torque arm bracket. THis works well, but it was a pain in the @$$, not to mention it was hitting the driveshaft universals (i cut a piece off to fix that) and the bolt is way up top so its hard to remove whenever you want. IF youve got the money... $79.99 is a good price to save yourself the hassle. I didnt have the money. I just have a welder.
#4: get a new shifter. the stock one sucks, and you will enjoy a better shifter. I got a B&M Megashifter. I love it. Comes with the cable and bracket and all you need for a shifter. DONT LOSE THE SCREWS IT COMES WITH! I found out the hard way...
#5: Sigh, The flexplate. buy a new one thats BALANCED or you will rattle yourself to death. its cheak (mine was like $80.00) and WORTH IT!!!!!! especially the light ones, (lighter is better!!) FOLLOW THE TORQUE SPECS! 60 Ft.Lbs. IS ALL YOU NEED. MORE = CRACK!!!
#6: good torque converter for sure, get a 10 Inch, screw the 12's. if the engine is stock, get a slightly higher stall converter (over 2000RPMS) if its highly modified, get a Street fighter from TCI or somthing close. Its high stall (3200-3800 RPM) is perfect for a cammed engine that idles around 1200 RPMs like mine, and makes power at about 2500 RPMS - 6000.
#7: Good torque converter bolts.. ONLY USE ARP!!!! trust me, you will thank yourself. spend the $10.00 and get some ARP Bolts for the Torque converter... there are only 3 to hold it to the flywheel, and if only 1 comes loose... goodbye everything. i would use locktite, not nessessary, (65 Ft.Lbs. IS necessary) but locktite would set your mind at ease. I didnt use it cause Im forever swapping out torque conveters and trannys it seems. this is my 3rd tranny in 4 months. hopefully ill leave this one in, and it wont blow up. it was built right.
#8: put a shift kit in it, TCI makes a Cheap one and it comes with Valve body springs, (unlike B&M). its cheap, and it will last. If you have the money, obviouselly go with Trans-go. but if you only got $26.00 like i did, get the TCI kit. I never installed a shift kit before, but this only took me 1 hour. tons of bolts later, a plate, 3 gaskets, 5 springs, and 4 checkballs i was done. INSTALL IT OUTSIDE THE CAR getting those checkballs to stay put is HARD when its under a car... they keep falling out cause of gravity or whatever.
#...? make sure you get at least 5 Bellhousing bolts in. I couldnt get the #2 bolt on the driver side in cause there was no room. the bellhousing it kinda what holds all the power from the engine to keep your tranny from spinning circles and falling apart and stuff... very important... look where they attach and figure out if your goina have enough room to put them all in!!I had to remove the tranny and hammer some of the metal out of the way so i could fit an extension swivel and socket up on top to tighten the bolts.
#10: TRANNY SEALS: Before putting converter on tranny make sure you LUBRICATE (with tranny fluid) and converter and the tranny shaft alot, so it doesnt rip the seal apart. and put 1 Quart of fluid IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. I didnt do this, maybe it didnt hurt anything, but i found out later i was suposed to. fair warning.
Hope this helps. I tried to make you aware of everything i had to do and everything that you should remember that I didnt, and everything you should watchout for and blah blahblah... the TH350 is a strong tranny, and with a shift kit it will kick hard and last long. Even if its rebuilt Stock, with some $18.00 set of high performance clutches and a shift kit it will hold up. my father's Stock tranny with a B&M shiftkit has lasted in his 500 horsepower mustang for 19 Years now. he runs 15 Inch wide Mickey thompsons on the back too. thing will smoke the tires off the rims shifting from 1st to 2nd.
#1: Overlooked ALOT... Crossmember. My crossmember was 1 inch away from the tranny mount, making it impossible to mount the tranny....
Fix: I welded a 3 inch piece of Metal that stuck out far enough, and drilled a hole where the tranny mount wanted to be.
#2: Driveshaft... For me it was about 3 inches too short. Since its good to have it balanced whenever possible, i took it to driveline specialists to be balanced and lengthened. If you have the money look into an aluminum driveshaft, but from what i heard its not worth the extra money if you already HAVE a driveshaft. Your existing yolk and universals should work, (mine didnt, but remember my tranny WAS a muncie, not a 700R4)
#3: Torque arm. there are 2 ways to do this, one way is spending the $79.99 from jegs and getting the new Torque arm bracket holder (you will have to use your old torque arm bracket tho). The way I did it was make a bracket that went from the mount (over the crossmember, under the tranny mount) and made a Zig-Zag to the Torque arm, then i Welded a piece of metal to hold the torque arm bracket. THis works well, but it was a pain in the @$$, not to mention it was hitting the driveshaft universals (i cut a piece off to fix that) and the bolt is way up top so its hard to remove whenever you want. IF youve got the money... $79.99 is a good price to save yourself the hassle. I didnt have the money. I just have a welder.
#4: get a new shifter. the stock one sucks, and you will enjoy a better shifter. I got a B&M Megashifter. I love it. Comes with the cable and bracket and all you need for a shifter. DONT LOSE THE SCREWS IT COMES WITH! I found out the hard way...
#5: Sigh, The flexplate. buy a new one thats BALANCED or you will rattle yourself to death. its cheak (mine was like $80.00) and WORTH IT!!!!!! especially the light ones, (lighter is better!!) FOLLOW THE TORQUE SPECS! 60 Ft.Lbs. IS ALL YOU NEED. MORE = CRACK!!!
#6: good torque converter for sure, get a 10 Inch, screw the 12's. if the engine is stock, get a slightly higher stall converter (over 2000RPMS) if its highly modified, get a Street fighter from TCI or somthing close. Its high stall (3200-3800 RPM) is perfect for a cammed engine that idles around 1200 RPMs like mine, and makes power at about 2500 RPMS - 6000.
#7: Good torque converter bolts.. ONLY USE ARP!!!! trust me, you will thank yourself. spend the $10.00 and get some ARP Bolts for the Torque converter... there are only 3 to hold it to the flywheel, and if only 1 comes loose... goodbye everything. i would use locktite, not nessessary, (65 Ft.Lbs. IS necessary) but locktite would set your mind at ease. I didnt use it cause Im forever swapping out torque conveters and trannys it seems. this is my 3rd tranny in 4 months. hopefully ill leave this one in, and it wont blow up. it was built right.
#8: put a shift kit in it, TCI makes a Cheap one and it comes with Valve body springs, (unlike B&M). its cheap, and it will last. If you have the money, obviouselly go with Trans-go. but if you only got $26.00 like i did, get the TCI kit. I never installed a shift kit before, but this only took me 1 hour. tons of bolts later, a plate, 3 gaskets, 5 springs, and 4 checkballs i was done. INSTALL IT OUTSIDE THE CAR getting those checkballs to stay put is HARD when its under a car... they keep falling out cause of gravity or whatever.
#...? make sure you get at least 5 Bellhousing bolts in. I couldnt get the #2 bolt on the driver side in cause there was no room. the bellhousing it kinda what holds all the power from the engine to keep your tranny from spinning circles and falling apart and stuff... very important... look where they attach and figure out if your goina have enough room to put them all in!!I had to remove the tranny and hammer some of the metal out of the way so i could fit an extension swivel and socket up on top to tighten the bolts.
#10: TRANNY SEALS: Before putting converter on tranny make sure you LUBRICATE (with tranny fluid) and converter and the tranny shaft alot, so it doesnt rip the seal apart. and put 1 Quart of fluid IN THE TORQUE CONVERTER. I didnt do this, maybe it didnt hurt anything, but i found out later i was suposed to. fair warning.
Hope this helps. I tried to make you aware of everything i had to do and everything that you should remember that I didnt, and everything you should watchout for and blah blahblah... the TH350 is a strong tranny, and with a shift kit it will kick hard and last long. Even if its rebuilt Stock, with some $18.00 set of high performance clutches and a shift kit it will hold up. my father's Stock tranny with a B&M shiftkit has lasted in his 500 horsepower mustang for 19 Years now. he runs 15 Inch wide Mickey thompsons on the back too. thing will smoke the tires off the rims shifting from 1st to 2nd.
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