400th problems
 

thanks in advance, any help is greatly appreciated
ok so here is my problem I have a 1983 s-10 383 sbc, 9", 4-link and 400th with reverse manual valve body 4500 stall and I keep breaking drive hub, anyway thats what my tranny guy said. I bought the the transmission as a good working freshened 400 at a pretty GOOD deal. I put it in the truck finally got everything together go to the track , I have nothing but first gear it won't shift. Take it out and have it rebuilt, tranny guy said shattered drive hub, ok get it back put it in the truck same thing at track take it back out and to transmission shop he says it shattered drive hub again WTF I don't know anything about transmissions, but I need some help and not from somebody with a monetary interest in the whole deal.

If he was worth a crap as a tranny guy he would tell you what was causing it...or at least offer an opinion. I understand he gets money every time you need a rebuild but a good shop wants to help you not just take your money.Find another tranny guy.

Do you have any pic of the tranny apart? Something is not put in right. what kind of valvebody? What else can you tell me about the tranny?

no he is not asking for more money the truck never made a pass, so he is going thru it again on warranty, and I didn't buy it from him to start with. I just want opinions or tips that maybe I can add something to the solution of my problem.

The trans is a 400 with reverse manual valve body I don't know who made the valve body ,and I don't have any pictures yet. I talked with him yesterday and he said that he would try swapping some rings around that ride in the drive hub, I know nothing about automatics, but I'm going to remedy that too soon!

sorry kwkracing ! yes he has the tranny apart and is ordering a new hub and putting it back together with some changes from the first time. I believe my tranny guy is a stand up guy , he works days in a tranny shop, and has a shop at home he works out of, he also runs two drag cars himself. He wants to go to the track with me when we get it all back together and see for himself.

Your comment about wanting input from people who had no monetary interest made me think you fealt your tranny guy was charging you without solving the problem.

no no, but thanks for looking out for me I guess maybe I could have put it differently. I got ripped when I bought the tranny,and honestly I wish I had got a 350 instead, Live and learn, but again thanks man.

Ever consider a glide?

Since I'm having so much trouble with this 400, I think about a glide daily. My tranny guy gave an empty 350 case so I could fab up a new crossmember to fit a glide or 350.

Th400 does not like a lot of rpm. They are more suited for a big block. Thee must be something miss aligned or put together wrong that he is just over looking. He will find the problem. If you don't turn it more than 6500, it will last forever. Anything over that, you are looking at a rebuild once a year. At least that's my experience, that's why I run a low rpm big block, I hate pulling trannys.

There is nothing wrong with a th400, it sucks your haveing a small problem that is eating your lunch. A glide would works wonderfully in ur case thou

I think my tranny guy is really close to fixing the problem, he left a message on my cell that he'd taken it apart about three times checking tolerances and such shouyld get it back this week. I turn this sbc about 7000 give or take 200 rpm , rev limit at 7400. In case this 400 doesn't work I'm pricing glides ATI or COAN looking good for price and reputation.Thanks for all the replies guys.

Im prpbably not suppose to do this BUT, give me a call or email me Im dealing with Trans Specialties stuff(GLIDES ) and have great luck with their stuff!DR.

I have a TS convertor and love it.

Me too, a 8 inch spragless.

Well how is the th400 coming?

I am not going to give up on the 400, I put it back in this last time and we hooked a pressure gage to it. When I put it in reverse on jack stands at the gage jumped from really low pressure to almost pegging the gage probably about 260 psi, in all 3 forward gears was at about 190psi and would drop at the shift slightly and go back to 190. Idon't know why but he put a modulator on the tranny, he saiid something about having a little backpressure?????? I do know that modulator is leaking tranny fluid really close to my exhaust, so right now I'm going to do what I should have done to start with and buy a glide with a turbo input, and try to eventually get this 400 fixed. The tranny guy said we'll try a valve body next,then the pump, when I do get this 400 right it'll just be a backup tranny I guess or a doorstop or something got too much $$$ in the damn thing not to get some use out of it.

Are you sure the vent above the modulator is not whats leaking?

You might have a bad case. The case where the bolt goes threw the valve body side and into the center support may be wallered out, allowing the bolt to bottom out in the center support, appearing to be tight but the whole assembly is really loose in the case?

Where are you located?

How heavy is you vehicle?

I am in N. Carolina close to Winston-Salem , and it's an 1983 s-10 probably 2800-2900 lbs.

Yes I'm sure its coming from the modulator. I've got to get a glide before this racing season glides right on by me. I will get this 400 fixed if I have to replace the valve body, pump or even the whole case, the leak is just keeping me from running it or leaning on it at all. I guess on my next days in the shop I'll try and fix the leak. Then I can take it back to T&T at the track , as I said in an earlier post this last incarnation shifted on the jack stands just had crazy pressures in reverse , Iam worried it will eat itself again.

Hang on, you said its a manual valve body? It would then have no modulator, it should have a plug instead.

Is it standard shift pattern or reverse?

Exactly, I questioned the tranny guy on that myself, it had a plugged off modulator on it when it went to him the second time, but when I got it back this last time he had put an old one in . I asked and he told me it was for a little back pressure????? no vac line gets hooked to it. It's a forward manual body. Right now it's still in my truck I haven't had time to mess with it too much and I'm a little disgusted( not lost interest) just disgusted. I WILL get to the bottom of this deal but looks like I'm going to learn automatic transmissions now. What would cause the pressure to jump so bad just in reverse on the jack stands at any rpm. The pressure would jump from way less than 150 to over 230.In the forward gears was around 190 and would drop at shift and return to the same reading inthe next gear, the whole back of the truck would jump at shift too. I don't have room in my driveway to get it to shift and I've already met with all the local deputies from my last blast down the public road, so I guess I'll fix my leak and go T&T maybe it won't eat itself up again????