School me on Powerglides?

[McRat]

Can you run a clutch with a custom PG?
Will they shift without a converter under power?
How much does a fully-built one weigh?
Would 1500ftlb hurt them?

[SPARKY]

A fully built PG in an after market case with all of the HD STUFF should be able to handle 1500'#. Not having a converter should helplll

"Crosley" am I on track???

[4-barrel Mike]

Behind the Duramax???

Mike

[interested bystander]

Mike Stewart of Mike's Transmissions in Lancaster seems to have the market cornered on Powerglides for high output conditions.

He's good people and, from experience, will work with a person., 

He runs ads on Drag Racing Online and is the resident expert..

[McRat]

Yup, behind a 7000lb Dmax.  I normally have it de-torqued to about 1100ftlb, but also need room for mistakes.  

I will talk give Mike a call and pick his brain, thanks!

[racergeo]

I bet he talks you into a t-400 and they have direct drive kits also.

[desotoman]

McRat,

Anything can be done. You might want to look into a Turbo 400.  Before planetary Lenco's  there were Clutch Flights,(torqueflights with clutch) and Clutch Turbo's (turbo 400's with Clutch). A small adapter was used to run the front pump off the clutch. Pretty neat units, that gave you the launch of a stick, with the shifting of an automatic. Just had to remember to put the clutch in or put it in neutral when stopped.

My Roadster used to run a Turbo 350 without a converter. Would just push it up to 25mph and drop it into 1st gear. No problems at all. I also have a boat I built back in 1978 that I have a Turbo 400 in without a converter, behind a supercharged 454 Chevy, 30 years later it still works great.

Tom G.

[bbarn]

McRat, If you can be talked into a T400, talk to RobFrey on this board. We run a modified T400 in our lakester with 1800WHP and if I rember correctly ~1600fp of torque. The trans uses a custom made valve body that is solenoid actuated, it's a pretty trick setup. He also runs it on his 1/4 mile pontiac (http://www.onebadpontiac.com/).

[mtkawboy]

I thought the Allison was supposed to be so badass ?

[floydjer]

Without a clutch or converter the shifts are brutal. Kind of like shifting a manual w/o the clutch. By the way, Pat, I saw a bumper sticker for you the other day......... " Real trucks don`t have spark plugs" :cheers:J.B.

[McRat]

I thought the Allison was supposed to be so badass ?

It is, but it's computer controlled and talks to the engine computer.  Can't always make it shut up.

And it's loses a lot of HP at high RPM's. 

Just trying to gather info so I can make a good choice if it becomes necessary to change. 

[McRat]

Without a clutch or converter the shifts are brutal. Kind of like shifting a manual w/o the clutch. By the way, Pat, I saw a bumper sticker for you the other day......... " Real trucks don`t have spark plugs" :cheers:J.B.

That's what I wasn't sure of, how hard the shift would be.  Thanks!

[robfrey]

McRat,
If you are worried about how hard the shifts are without a converter, just let off the gas for a second before shifting. Sort of like shifting a manual but no need for a clutch. The unit that we run, has overrunning first and second gear so when we do let off, it's no big deal. It feels like we just pushed the clutch in.
I used to run a Turbo Clutch in my 68 Chevelle drag car. I did not like it as first gear ratio was just wrong and the car would sort of fall on it's face. The new clutch technologies would have fixed this problem but that was over twenty years ago. It would be absolutely fine in a LSR car and you would not need a push vehicle.
I would think that you would want as many gears as possible as you are slightly limited to usable rpm range with a diesel. I betting you gave this a lot of thought already though.

Rob
BTW, I've been a big fan of Casper for years now.

[SPARKY]

I do not have a big turbo eng----but I just rasie the line pressure in Ratical and basically run a stock valve body---no converter---no lifting full power shift at 8000---a little wheel spin and little tranny slip---pretty smooth and we do not blow the tires off. have run HD  PG and AT400 going back to the PG... will be running TURBOS in the truck!!!!!!!!!!

[desotoman]

I have always been told the valve body controls how hard the automatic transmission shifts. If you left the stock valve body in the transmission it should shift softer than if you put a shift kit valve body in it. You would have a little more clutch wear though. My Boat transmission does not shift any harder, than a truck I had which I put a shift kit in for towing, with a stock converter.

Tom G.