Welcome to Part 2 of our Chevy 350 Turbo (TH350) Transmission rebuild. If you are just joining us now please feel free to take a look at part 1 in the March 18, 2010 issue.

As mentioned in part 1, we had our local transmission shop disassemble, inspect, and reassemble the three drums which required a hydrolic press. We also had them clean the transmission case inside and out to allow for a clean rebuild. It is reccomended that you either have your local shop run your transmission case through their steam cleaner or spend some time with a few cans of brake clean, a rag, and a blow gun.

If you went through part 1 you will know that this drum was damaged. It has been replaced with one in much better condition.

Comparing pictures from part 1 to this one you will be able to clearly see where the previous one was damaged.

After replacing the drum it is a good idea to check the bushing for wear by placing it on the pump stator and rocking side to side.

If you can feel fine groves where the sealing rings ride in the drum you can take fine grit sand paper and smoothen it out.

Pull apart and replace with new clutches. Start with the steel plates and alternate with clutch disks.

After all plates and clutches are in, place the pressure plate on top and snap in the snap ring.

Flip the drum over and bang onto the work bench to make sure everything is able to move freely up and down.

You will want to take a feeler gauge and check the thickness between the clutch and pressure plate.

The specs for the direct drive drum and clutches are .035" to .050" we are at the maximum allowed spec.

To adjust the gap you are able to purchase thicker components. Get your spec and if needed your local transmission shop will be able to help you get the correct parts.

Be sure to check that this check ball moves freely up and down.

The sprague will only go on one way, match up the points and slide on. Test by turning the sprague back and forth.

Put oil on the sprage or the race prior to assembly.

Slide the gear over the sprague, place the retainer and snap ring on.

Remove the steel rings from the stator.

The new rings.

The stator with the new rings.

Place the two piston seals on the piston, one inner, one outer, with the lip of the seal facing down.

You will want to replace the bushing in the pump body.

Hammer in the new front seal.

Install the gears, be sure to cover the gears with ATF so that on initial startup they aren't running dry.

Put ATF or some other oil based lubricant on the seals and then install piston.

Stack the stator and pump together. They need to be perfectly lined up so it is advised to take a band and wrap it around the two halves to ensure that they are even.

Replace all of the springs.

Place the pump cover over the springs and tighten to 15ft lbs.

Assembled.

Be sure not to forget to place the washer visible at the bottom of the stator.

If you would like to check that you have properly assembled your pump, place the torque converter on the stator and turn back and forth.

In this drum you will want to start replacing the clutches starting with the 'wavy plate'

As you can see here, we propped the drum up on a milk crate to allow us to position it upright to assemble.

Be sure to alternate the steels and clutches.

Once assembled, place the drum into the assembled pump and use your blow gun to be sure that the plates move up and down freely.

Assembling both completed drums and the pump would look like this.

You should test each gear by using compressed air through each of the three holes to be sure that they move freely.

It is easy to tell which holes are the proper oil passages in this picture.

like so.

Pull the pump and drums apart again.

You will need to place the bearing on the drum and shaft as pictured.

Assemble the planetary and remember to place the washers as shown. When placing into the transmission case you may need to use a small amount of greese to hold the washers in place.

Place the bearing onto the shaft in the same position as shown.

You can see the bearing on this shaft.

Be sure that this bushing is in the end.

Be sure that the bearing is also installed.

Slide shaft and gear into housing.

Place rear planetary in the housing.

Current view.

You will want to be sure that you pay attention to the notch in the steels and clutches to be sure that they all go in the same direction.

The notch is visible in the tooth to the bottom of this image.

Single steel installed.

Steels and clutches installed.

Remember that anti-rattle clip we told you not to loose...

You will need to place it as shown in the picture. The hump in the back of the clip needs to rest on the hump on the case.

Place the sprague assembly and pressure plate in, be sure to line up the center notches. Don't forget the washer in the center

It is difficult to see in this picture but the flat end of the anti rattle clip needs to be held in with the snap ring while the other is free.

Place the sun shell into the housing.

Place the inner planetary gears in.

Make sure that it is all the way down and then install the snap ring on the end of output shaft. In this picture the planetary is not fully pushed down nor the snapring applied.

Place the planetary gear cover on.

Be sure that you keep all washers in place.

Assemble the drums and place them into the casing.

When placing drum assembly into case, hold by the input shaft and turn back and forth to align the clutches.

The tabs on the upper drum will fit down into the sun shell as they ride together.

*tip* grab splines with pliers to easily turn input shaft back and forth.

Place the clutch band around the top drum as shown.

Now for the final set of clutches and plates.

Start with a plate and continue alternating with the clutch disks.

Be sure that all of the plates notched teeth line up on the same groove.

All of the clutches and plates installed.

Line up the pump in the case and tighten down a couple bolts to check for shaft end play by moving the input shaft in and out.

Because you may need pull the pump back out leave the outer o-ring off but make sure you have the gasket in.

The end play should be from .005" to .020". If you are seeing more than this you can install a .020" shim between the output shaft flange and the rear case bearing.

If the shaft play is acceptible then install and tighten the remaining bolts.

That's all for this issue. check back in 2 weeks for our next issue where we will continue to complete the assembly process and install that Lokar shifter that we have been talking about!