[mars77]

I was out driving my Camaro -75 and at one moment pushed the pedal to the metal. The usual traction problem occured but within this known sound I thought I heard a unfamiliar "screaming" sound somewhere from the car. The sound immediately disappeared and I kept on driving and and the car worked fine. 5 minutes later I did a new heavy acceleration but inte the middle of this great feeling the car stopped pulling forward, just like the transmission had stopped working. I pulled over and put in the neutral and some gears but no gear could be chosen.

The engine runs normal but no gears are working. You can use the transmission and put in the gears with the stick but no gears are chosen. If you choose 'park' the car can not be moved, if you put in the 'neutral' the car can be moved. No universal joints seems to be broken in the drive shaft and the cardan axle is not hanging down from under the car. No strange sounds where heard during the towing and no oil spill are detected from the transmission or anywhere else. The transmission oil is clear and light red and smells normal.

The engine is a 427" with a reinforced TH350 transmission and a Pontiac 10 bolt rear axle. It has been a while since the last transmission oil and filter change were performed.

What can have happened? Can it be a broken converter?
I am helpless when it comes to transmissions so any help and hints I can get is very welcome.

Thank you!

[briscoe]

Mars77, welcome to hotrodders. If this transmission will not move forward in any range and will not move in reverse either I suspect there is a problem with your torque converter.

A failure in a forward range but not with reverse or the other way around would indicate a problem with the transmission.

The splines that the input shaft[on the trans] engage into on the torque converter may be stripped out.

Good luck with this and we look forward to hearing from you again!

[mars77]

So finally I have been able to get the transmission out of the car.

I have attached a few pictures of the oil pan for reference. Can anyone please help me and say if I have to rebuild the whole transmission?
In a book about the TH350 by Ron Sessions, he mentions that if there are a table spoon of sludge/metal a total rebuild is necessary. If I scrape all the material there is in the oil pan I get pretty much the size of a table spoon. What do you think?

If the transmission has to be rebuilt is it a better idea to change it to a TH400? I have read about this subject on this and other forums and some guys says that you can get a 350 to hold up for a big block with 450 hp and above if it is reinforced correctly. Some say a TH400 is the only way to go and a 350 will never hold up for the torque of a big block. The engine I have is a 427 with approximately 450 hp. In the future I may boost the power up to around 600 hp or more. What do you think?

Does TCI build good transmissions? I have thought about importing one transmission to Sweden but the freight cost from the US is a nightmare, 480$...!
Any other suggestions regarding good rebuilt transmission brands (Hughes for example)?

Please give me some advice regarding the choice of transmission and/or if I should rebuild and reinforce my TH350.

Thank you!