1 (edited by john102730 2016-11-14 07:31 AM)

Topic: 2 speed powerglide

I have a question about automatics. I have a1.76 2 speed powerglide behind a 300 to 325 horsepower 350 with a 3000 lb car and it runs great but after reading all the posts about automatic tranny's crapping out I am wondering if I made a bad rookie choice. It is built to handle 500hp. I have two trans coolers and 1 has a fan on it. Will this tranny work for WRL tracks?

Re: 2 speed powerglide

Autos work ok for most tracks/drivers ......just keep um cool and don't over horsepower them.....(first hand experience there) and you should be fine.....there are plenty of automatics in Lemons.

Re: 2 speed powerglide

Seems like they used powerglides in a lot of drag cars and they (used to anyways) run them in dirt oval cars with a globe valve instead of a converter plus it sounds like you have taken all the correct preventative measures so I'd think you are ok.  Gearing is probably your biggest issue as I bet it's between gears a lot in corners.  At this point you don't know what you don't know so I'd run it until it becomes a problem and then worry about it.  Frankly I'd be more worried about the 350 and look at getting a rev limited set to something low (I think the SBC guys say 4000 or so).  Make sure you tell the judges that it's a powerglide, they'll get a kick out of that.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

4 (edited by BoB 2016-11-14 03:18 PM)

Re: 2 speed powerglide

I've been running an old 3 speed on mine and it has worked great.  Its even the one that came from the factory.  Only part I had to change was the TCC Solinoid which is a known issue with these that eventually they will go bad, but even that didn't really stop the car from racing just acted a bit funny at low speeds and would stall when you came to a stop, but would start right back up again.   Other than that just changed the fluid after every 3 or so races and keep it cool.

Honestly I've seen just as many if not more off the track because of a manual trans, probably more if you count the ones that broke due to over revving or a money shift.

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
2011 SHOWROOM-SCHLOCK SHOOTOUT  IOE Winner
2012 The Chubba Cheddar Enduro Class C winner
Facebook Page

Re: 2 speed powerglide

Speedycop's rent-a-wagon '65 Impala had a bone stock Powerglide and it managed just fine.

Fourteen time loser. You'd think I'd know better by now.

Re: 2 speed powerglide

http://www.roadkill.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/MG_4354.jpg

This 1970 Toyota Corona runs a Powerglide (Toyota license-built the Powerglide, branding it as a Toyoglide) and it has been bulletproof. Of course, the engine in this car makes about 90hp.

Anyway, automatic transmissions in Lemons have, for the most part, been pretty reliable. More reliable than clutches, anyway.