BUGA Community
Technical => Driveline => Topic started by: Gordon on February 15, 2014, 04:08:52 PM
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I'm keen to hear if anyone has successfully fitted a "stock" type auto shifter on a TH350 auto box. I'm currently running a Hurst Promatic rachet type shifter which is a pain in the arse. I'd really prefer a standard push button type. I tried one out of a Japper that I picked up at a wreckers, but the throw ratios on the shifter were out for the TH350. Keen to hear about any other options. Ta in advance.
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Couldnt you lenghten or shorten the throw out lever on the
Gearbox to get the japper one to work?
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You'll have to tune the linkage/cable adjuster no matter what you use, I'm using a standard CF shifter in my custom van with turbo 350
Just measure from park to first with ruler on the shifter and make the arm from the trans the same length, same arc. Instead of drilling lots of holes use a dot of blue tack, measure, adjust, measure adjust ... until the park to first distance is the same. If you get it slightly out you might have all gears except first
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Mty, I managed to fabricate a throw out lever that was the correct length for the shifter and my TH350, but then I discovered that the shifter that I was using had unequal lengths between selections. It was out of an old Mazda 323, so it could just be that I made a bad choice at the wreckers. I'm hoping that someone on the forum may have been successful using something out of a Holden or simiilar. I've looked at the other USA after market options like B&M etc, but none of them are as straight forward as a standard factory shifter.
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You'll have to tune the linkage/cable adjuster no matter what you use, I'm using a standard CF shifter in my custom van with turbo 350
Just measure from park to first with ruler on the shifter and make the arm from the trans the same length, same arc. Instead of drilling lots of holes use a dot of blue tack, measure, adjust, measure adjust ... until the park to first distance is the same. If you get it slightly out you might have all gears except first
Thanks Busy, that is exactly the result that I was getting, so perhaps my first attempt at the arm wasn't that good, and maybe the shifter is alright after all. I'll give it another go when I get some time. Will take the van in for cert with the crappy Hurst in the mean time.
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Id try a holden HQ to WB turbo 350 shifer maybe
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Id try a holden HQ to WB turbo 350 shifer maybe
Cheers Mty, I'll let you know how I get on.
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Okay folk, quick update on the shifter saga. I've had no luck in tracking down a Holden HQ or WB TH350 shifter, so today I thought I would give my Mazda shifter another go. Spent a while working out the correct length for the throw lever as per Busy's instructions only to discover that the sweet spot is just shy of the pivot point which means that excessive force is needed to make shifts. Looks like I am back to the drawing board. I'm guessing that there is perhaps another donor vehicle shifter that I could try, but short of buying a whole heap on a "hit or miss" exercise I could really do with some input from someone who has successfully done this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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what you can do is make it half cable half linkage - I've done this on the custom van (bedford to turbo 350)
Cable from shifter down to the cross member, use the original (or make your own) shifter bar that goes up and across, like this:
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and then a bar from this to the trans as trans linkage is on the left and shifter would be on drivers side.
The tuning is done via the two bars, they'll be at different angles and the lengths are based on the movements of the shifter and trans.
Doing it this way you can tune it many ways (well at least 3 lol).
Let me know if you don't understand and I'll try draw a picture
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Busy, thanks for taking the time to explain this. You have got me fired up again as I really like the Mazda shifter and would be chuffed if I could get it to work. A rough drawing of how you did your connector bars and the way that they adjust would really be helpful if you can. Ta in advance. Feel free to PM it to me if its any easier.
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I'll do a drawing today and post up later, if you can wait a couple of weeks you can see how I did my one and look at those handles at the same time, I'll be back in Auckland in a couple of weeks for a week or so. Need to get some work done on the van
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Sounds good Busy. Lance did my inspection last week, so I'm just waiting for my cert plate and then I'm on the road. Off to the Beach Hop at the end of the month. Would be great if I could sort my shifter out before then, Hate the Hurst Promatic that is currently fitted. Just need a rough idea on how you build the adjustment into the linkage bit and I should be able to puzzle the rest.
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I went to draw a picture then thought I must have a photo of mine somewhere.
The cable is from some toyota, as I needed a really long one as engine is so far back, the 'bar' part is made to suit the shifter and trans, work out the travel from park to first on both the shifter and trans and measure these from the pivot points and you should be right.
I've changed it slightly since this pic to tidy everything up, but is same principal
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Thanks Busy, makes sense now. Definitely gives me something to work on. I'll let you know how I get on.
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In terms of shift spacings, any commodore upto vs should be usable as the t700 is just a 4 speed version of the t350.
May not help you now due to the delay, however may help someone else in the future
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Thanks for the tip Matte. It, does help me, so thanks very much.
Since my last post I spent some additional time working on my Mazda shifter and have discovered that it has an even cable movement of about 7mm per shift which must mean that the Mazda auto has a straight line shift mechanism unlike a TH350 that has an arc type shift where the cable movement between shifts decreases from about 20mm between Park and Reverse down to about 6mm between 2nd and 1st.