Monte72Carlo Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Does anyone know if you have to have a full manual valve body to run a ratchet shifter on a th350? Or will the stock valve body work, just not as well. Thanks, Garrett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 the only thing a ratchet shifter does is shift gears, has nothing to do with the valve body, you can use a manual valve body with a stock shifter too, you just have to shift every gear manually, you can't drop it in drive and go, you must start in first gear and shift every gear, every time you stop, you have to shift back to first and start again, I wouldn't recommend it for a street driven car at all, although when I puke my trans, I'm going to go to one BUT!!! I drive it less than 500 miles a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I will back Sam up, you don't want a Manual valve body for the street. PITA! Just get whatever ratchet shifter that says it will work with a th-350 and you'll be good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I agree it's a pain, I'd rather have a stick-shift it's more fun. I have it and you don't get any engine breaking either I think it's all free wheeling on slowdown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I agree with all of the above. I have a rachet shifter in mine (although it's a TH400) and every once and awhile like when driving in or out of a car show I use it. I actually do not use it while racing...my car is no faster when I shift it manually. With a ratchet shifter or any shifter (even stock) you can only keep it in first gear for so long before it will shift by itself to second...with a full manual valve body you can keep it in first till it blows if you want. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I agree it's a pain, I'd rather have a stick-shift it's more fun. I have it and you don't get any engine breaking either I think it's all free wheeling on slowdown. I believe Phil is correct about the engine braking too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monte72Carlo Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 so the point of a fun manual valve body is to allow the engine to get up to a higher rpm range rather than shifting at the stock rpm. Is that why drag racers use it instead of just putting it in drive? Thanks, Garrett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 it depends on the valve body.. you can get them with, or w/o engine braking depending on your preference.. for the street, you problaby want it with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I think in stock configuration the tranny will "default" shift at some rpm, regardless of what gear the selector is in, but I believe that when you install and aftermarket shift kit, that either negate or postpone that shifting. I've never had my tranny (th350) shift on its own but I have always had a shift kit of some sort in it. The full manual valve bodies also eliminate the governor, any vacuum lines and modulators and any throttle cables. You control the shifting solely with the shifter. Driving without engine braking stinks. You can break stuff REALLY fast. Imagine you're in first gear and you raist the rpms up to 5k, then you let off the gas. The engine goes back to idle but you're still going pretty fast. Then, you can rev the engine to 4k rpm and it doesn't do anything, you have to get it back up to 5k before it will make the car move. So, imagine you're a 16 year old kid, you bring the rpms up to 5k, then you let it go back to idle, then you NAIL it!!!! It's just like dumping the clutch at 5k rpms! Things start breaking fast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 my turbo 400 has went past 7000 RPM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MADMAC Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Look into the Cheetah valve bodies. I have a 400 under the car and thought about going to the Cheetah reverse, a buddy of mine down here that I use for tranny work reccomends them. You can shift into gear, or just leave it alone and it acts like a regular/forward valve body(If understand correctly) Not to hijack the thread but when it comes to the GV Bill, does it work with both forward and reverse valve bodies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 The Gear Vendors doesn't know what the valve body is, it just knows that when the tailshaft turns, it will turn as well. Should be no problem at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MADMAC Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thank you sir, just wondering. When I look through their site I didn't see them mention anything about the valve body set up, so thats what I figured, but just wanted to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Scott's correct as usual. You can put it on any tranny even a 3, 4, 5, or a 6 speed manual... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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