MI_Custumz Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I know, stupid question. How much trans fluid does a TH350 hold? I plan on dropping the pan one day to solve a leak from a bad pan gasket(hopefully that fixes it). How much fluid does it take to top it off? What filter would I use? I could drop it and take the old one in, but would like to just get it done in one shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savvarock Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I just changed mine and it took just about 2 1/2 quarts. I would go and get a new gasket and filter. They're about $7 and you can get them at any parts store. My old filter was like new when I dropped the pan but why not put a new one in. I would put in 2 quarts, drive it for 20 minutes, check it while it's hot and top off if need be. Remember to change the tranny fluid while the tranny is warm. It removes alot of the built-up sedement better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Only 2 1/2 quarts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savvarock Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 If you're only doing a fluid change then you only need about 2 1/2 quarts. The entire transmission takes 10 quarts. Your torque converter holds about 7. You can't drain the torque converter fluid unless you remove it from the tranny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tid Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 In my Buick, I dropped one side of the pan to drain the fluid into my container. I captured about 99% of the fluid, with just a few dribbles on the concrete. Then I measured how much I took out so I knew appx. how much to put back in. Simple trick that worked well for me. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savvarock Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 That's a good idea. Why didn't I didn't think of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 In my Buick, I dropped one side of the pan to drain the fluid into my container. I captured about 99% of the fluid, with just a few dribbles on the concrete. Then I measured how much I took out so I knew appx. how much to put back in. Simple trick that worked well for me. Jeff When at the Eastern Meet this year we had to drop Kevin's TH350 pan and change the filter. The filter and gasket come as a kit. Kevin bought a drain pan with a pour spout on it and after we put the pan back up we put two or three quarts of new fluid into his tranny and poured the old into the empty quart bottles. Every time we put in another quart into the tranny we poured the old fluid into that quart bottle. I think at the end we had put in about 5 quarts but Kevin could answer that better. As far as only 2 1/2 quarts going in, I can't answer why that would be. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savvarock Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Haynes manual page 213. Fluid capacities: Turbo Hydra-Matic 250 and 350 *routine fluid change....2.5 qts. Filling from dry (new or overhauled unit) 10.0 qts. (*)= *The small quantity required at routine fluid changing is due to the fact that the fluid in the torque converter cannot be drained unless the converter is dismantled. This was straight from the manual. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tid Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Completely different trans, but maybe the logic will be the same. When I changed the fluid on my '97 Park Ave a couple weeks ago, I jacked up the passenger side to help the fluid go to the driver's corner of the pan. When all was said and done, I drained about 4.5 quarts. On a 350 or 400 trans, will tilting the car help some of that trapped fluid escape from the converter, or did I just have that much fluid in the pan? Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MI_Custumz Posted July 29, 2006 Author Share Posted July 29, 2006 When I drop the pan how easy is it to tell if the pan lip is straight? I plan on using a 2' carpenter's square, will that work? I plan on using a small bit of RTV to hold the gasket in place so I can bolt it on. What type of gasket to use? Do all 350 trans take the same gasket? I looked at the bolt pattern and it's off a bit from the manual, but has the same # of bolts. Just curious. I could take the pan with me to the store, but would rather not leave the car up that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 As far as seeing if the pan lip is straight, take the pan into the house and set it face down on your kitchen table or any known flat surface. Check around perimeter for gaps, slide paper around it to see if it fits in some ares and not others. Of course your surface has to be flat . As far as taking the pan with you to the parts store, just trace the pan on a large piece of paper also drawing in the bolt holes. Then you can fold it up and take it with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montefrazer Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 When I drop the pan how easy is it to tell if the pan lip is straight? I plan on using a 2' carpenter's square, will that work? I plan on using a small bit of RTV to hold the gasket in place so I can bolt it on. What type of gasket to use? Do all 350 trans take the same gasket? I looked at the bolt pattern and it's off a bit from the manual, but has the same # of bolts. Just curious. I could take the pan with me to the store, but would rather not leave the car up that long. It's one size fits all for a turbo 350 pan gasket. The pan will most likely be bent around the bolt holes. You will see this after the old gasket is removed. You will need to pound them flat again. After this, check for over all flatness as 502 suggested. Did this on my 77 Caprice 2 months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Here is a suggestion on putting the pan back up. I usually don't use any gasket compound when installng a pan tranny pan gasket. Here is a suggestion on how to keep the gasket in place when installing the pan. The holes in most of the pan gaskets I have seen are slightly smaller than the bolts. If the one you get is the same, simply place the gasket onto the top of the pan and thread many of the bolts through the pan and up through the gasket. If the holes in your gasket are like most of them, this will not only hold the gasket in place but it will also hold the bolts for easy starting into the bottom of the tranny. Get all of the bolts started into the holes and then snug them all up and then finally torque them to the proper torque. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tid Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 What Rob just said is exactly what I do too. Works like a charm! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kliegl Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7tonemonte Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Pretty good Kliegl. I usually buy 2 gaskets and extra fluid cause I have no luck. Actually we have been battling with my bosses 70 442 convertible pan gasket for a month now. 3 gaskets later hes finally going to buy a pan. It is amusing right now his car is up on the lift, and my monte is below it with a maxwell house can sitting on my cowl catching any drips. I cant really complain cause hes doing work on my car and there is no storage charge either. I took a few pics of this and as soon as I get them developed Ill be sure to scan one and post it. My wife just commented the other day how I need to take a pic of it, his nice car up in the air and mine sitting under it. Thank god hes a motor head too. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBill402 Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I just changed the filter screen in my 72 Monte. It has a TH350. I drained the fluid into a bucket and then marked the fluid level on the bucket before I emptied it. Then, using a quart measuring container, I filled up the bucket with water to the fill mark. It came to 6 1/2 quarts. That's what I put back in, and the level was right on. Thanks for the tip on starting the tranny bolts. If you use an aftermarket pan, first do a trial fit. My Derale pan required that I elongate two of the holes a smidge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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