TH350, no overdrive...but...

[Illuminati]

Okay, new guy question simply because I'm not all that familiar with Chevy transmissions...YET.


Anyway, this truck I get dude says thing is a "Turbo 350" trans, which I read is a TH350, right? Says it is just about new, and it looks it.

He tells me there is no overdrive and when I shift the truck (it is an automatic) into drive I need to put the selector needle on "D" and not "The D with the Circle Around it". When I get going the things sounds like high idle, low gear etc. So, I took the chance and shifted it into "the D with the circle around it" and it shifted to a more normal gear. It obviously wasn't an overdrive gear, but sounded like a lot lower RPM at 65-75 mph. Drove nice, no issues got down the freeway like the freak it was.

I guess what I'm asking is for any input or advice with these things...I've never heard of what I'm doing being normal but then again, everything in this truck is aftermarket and not stock. Is it "normal" for this thing to have to start in D, get up to speed and then move it to (D) for the "last gear" to get to highway speeds.

Sorry I'm used to POS Fords that have **** transmissions and this is my first "old school" truck.

 

[bucket]

No, someone has swapped out the 700R4 (it has overdrive) and the shift indicator is incorrect now. You can put it right to (D) and drive it that way. Sounds like the PO didn't know how to drive their own truck.

 

[Swims350]

agreed I did the same in my truck, swapped from od to non od and doing this means you can't shift down into 1, 2 is actually 1. 2 in the dash equals 1 in the trans, d with no circle on the indicator is actually 2nd in the trans, and the (d) is actually the d.

The guy was dumb running it in 2nd all the time, wonder it didn't burn it up.

 

[Christian Nelson]

Wow, I bet he got GREAT gasmileage driving in 2nd all the time! LOL..

 

[Christian Nelson]

The highest forward gear selection is always right next to neutral. I think this is true on all automatics.

 

[Illuminati]

Thanks guys. Yeah the dude was all right but he obviously had someone else do the work....thank god.

I've not had a problem...it would be nice to have OD but as far as I'm concerned she's ok as it sits. I don't/won't be driving it much since I'm one of the lucky ones that has a work truck to drive back and forth every day.

I am impressed overall with my purchase and my father-in-law is chomping at the bit to come drive it. hahaha