Converterless TH350 for digger?

I <3 Kerry.. Do it up like you want man!

 

Kerry im running a glide with a brake. I run faster without using it. The car is so light its not needed to get it up to speed. Did you not get a good look of my car at the drags? I run a super small battery under the body and a small radiator up front between the rails. It all blends in and is not that noticable. And it makes life alot easier at the track, which means more runs on test and tune night. If you guys need any detail shots let me know ill take them, Im here to help.

 

So Kurt, you just put it in high and launch?

 

I shift around half track from low to high. With a 3500 stall convertor it winds up and go's. I quit using the brake, it runs quicker footing it of the line. It would stand up and slam off the wheelie bars HARD and i could feel it in my back for hours. Your going to need a tail light also, so think about the battery. You might be able to get away with a bicycle battery powered one, maybe.

 

i had thought using a clutch in place of a torqe converter was that it was a direct connect wheras the converter slips since its a hydraulic coupler

 

Because of the design of a modern race convertor,they have the ability to multiply torqe that the engine puts in to the rest of the drive train.

 

I'd like to see pics if you don't mind.

 

Here's Kurts dragster. Pretty cool but I'm going for an older feel.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196703&highlight=wicked+sensation

 

Hey Kurt. If you have any pics of the firewall and your trans/rear coupler setup I'd appreciate it.

 

You're talkin' a light weight drag car here, Kerry. You don't need to spin the 2.52:1 low gear in the TH350. Use a manual valve body, use a deeper rear gear (1/8 or 1/4 mile?), start in 2nd (1.52:1 ratio). Steve Magnante has an excellent article in HOT ROD Aug. 2000 "Kilgore was here". Explains the problem all Howard W. Simpson designed 3 speed automatics (GM, FoMoCo, MoPar) have. This article is well worth retrieving and studying. Quote:"...the sun gear shell and direct drum must turn against crankshaft rotation for as long as the transmission remains in First gear. When the upshift into Second gear occurs, those same components come to a complete standstill in the blink of an eye, so the power it takes to set these parts into motion never reaches the rear tires." The higher the RPM, the more energy required to stop, then accelerate that sun gear shell/drum ***embly! Get all of that stuff rotating in the correct direction by starting out in Second. Think of it this way: a Powerglide is basically a 3speed without Low gear. What the PG calls Low gear is in reality Second gear in a 3speed, howbeit with a 1.76 or 1.82 ratio (which you don't need to launch a digger). BTW the IMCA Modified racers are correct, listen to their advice. That is why we have H.A.M.B.. Learn from other's experiences, sort it out, pros and cons, then get to work. Good luck on your project. Keep us posted on the results.

 

That's very interesting! I've traced power route before but never gave any thought to rotation direction. I've learned with the hemi in my coupe that it likes to lug. If I go the TH350 route I'm going to have to try launching in all three gears just for kicks and see what difference it makes.

 

It won't work. You have to disengage (dump the fluid pressure) to idle.When you engage it it takes so long for the pressure to do it's deal it will torch the clutches.
In order for it to work on roundy round stuff you have to feather the **** out of the throttle and close the valve partialy and then when the car threatens to move slam it all the way shut and it damn near kills the motor.These set ups are pretty hard on low gear clutches/bands.
Clutch flites and clutch turbo 400 are out there but pretty hard on parts and prone to leaks at the pump and clutch flites,at least the early versions don't have a reverse and when they go(and they will go off) off it's like a bomb.Prolly the reason the NHRA made eveyone start running sheilds.

 

To hide the trans cooling,try routing the fluid through the frame tubing .Clutch glides and clutch flites used to be the poor mans lenco .Great launching on low hp setups but keep it under 400hp or .......KAaBOom !

 

Lyons Performance is now building new clutch-Turbo 400 kits & is looking into TF-727 & C6 kits...no personal exp. with Lyons but other Bullet members have spoken well of their service. A thread link.... http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=168850&highlight=clutch+turbo