5 or 6 speed auto on a 360??

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KramerSwinger70

KramerSwinger70

70 Dart Swinger360
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so when i get to pick up a tranny for my 70 dart, i was thinkin maybe getting a 5 speed auto. i understand that with more gears, i can shift at lower RPM giving me better gas mileage. do they make maybe a 4,5 or 6 speed tranny that can hook to an old carbed 360? im lookin at only an auto, since this is my daily diver and cruiser. ill do a 4spd manual on my next project i promise!~8)
 
The parasitic hp loss from a 5 speed auto would probably terrible.
I'm not positive on that, but it's my best guess having a 4 speed auto now.

I like having the overdrive as it facilitates a lower rear gear, but just that one extra gear contributes to roughly 23 percent driveline loss.

A 46rh, or a500 would be a decent choice for you.
This site has conversion kits to control the lockup on the converter and overdrive automatically. You have to scroll way down but you'll find it.

I think the 4 speed auto and a lower set of rear gears in a light car like yours would be fun. Especially a manually shifted one! But like I said earlier, the power loss is a factor you need to take into consideration.
 
POS Dakota said:
The parasitic hp loss from a 5 speed auto would probably terrible.
I'm not positive on that, but it's my best guess having a 4 speed auto now.

I like having the overdrive as it facilitates a lower rear gear, but just that one extra gear contributes to roughly 23 percent driveline loss.

A 46rh, or a500 would be a decent choice for you.
This site has conversion kits to control the lockup on the converter and overdrive automatically. You have to scroll way down but you'll find it.

I think the 4 speed auto and a lower set of rear gears in a light car like yours would be fun. Especially a manually shifted one! But like I said earlier, the power loss is a factor you need to take into consideration.
Click to expand...


Hmm...didnt think of power loss......bah screw it, 3spd auto it is! haha. im getting a center console shift anyway and that only has p-r-n-d-1-2 anyway
 
4SPD auto__A500, 906 w/ a GV, or even a 700r4 would be cool.......especially for highway driving. A 5spd or 6spd auto is HUGE and a bunch of electronics, fyi
 
What's involved in getting a gm tranny behind a mopar? Adapter right? But about the converter? Gm converter on a special flexplate?
 
im not really up to the thought of puttin GM or ford in my car. at least, nothing major like tranny, engine, rear end an the like.
1-cuz i like Mopar as MOPAR
2-My Chevy bud would never leave it alone with the "GM>Mopar, u got GM in ur car that proves it" and so on.
 
A500 or 42RH. These are the 904 versions of the overdrive tranny. The tail shaft part, which is the overdrive, is externally identical to the A518, 46RH. or 47RH, the 727 version. The difference is in the amount of clutch discs and planetary pinions. The diesel versions have straight cut planetary gears.
 
POS Dakota said:
The parasitic hp loss from a 5 speed auto would probably terrible.
I'm not positive on that, but it's my best guess having a 4 speed auto now.
Click to expand...

The only 5spd autos are of relatively recent design and they would very likely have much less parasitic loss than a 4spd design based off a 904 or 727 that was designed in the 60's when fuel mileage was not much of a concern.

But, the late model trannies are all computer controlled and making one them work in a non computer car is not going a small task. Not mention the surgery to the tunnel to make it fit.

Best bet would be the 4spd A500/42RH or A518/46RH. These have electrically activated lock up torque convertors and OD gears but its pretty easy to make them work. However, either of these trannies is going to require significant tunnel surgery to make room for the back end of the tranny that contains the OD gears.

If you don't want to cut up the car and your pockets are deep Keisler is selling new GM 4L60 trannies with a mopar bellhousing that will fit.
 
dgc333 said:
The only 5spd autos are of relatively recent design and they would very likely have much less parasitic loss than a 4spd design based off a 904 or 727 that was designed in the 60's when fuel mileage was not much of a concern.

But, the late model trannies are all computer controlled and making one them work in a non computer car is not going a small task. Not mention the surgery to the tunnel to make it fit.

Best bet would be the 4spd A500/42RH or A518/46RH. These have electrically activated lock up torque convertors and OD gears but its pretty easy to make them work. However, either of these trannies is going to require significant tunnel surgery to make room for the back end of the tranny that contains the OD gears.

If you don't want to cut up the car and your pockets are deep Keisler is selling new GM 4L60 trannies with a mopar bellhousing that will fit.
Click to expand...

I am not too impressed with the late mopar trannies.
The trans in my srt300 croaked at 17k miles.
And I didnt even drive it hard. In fact I rarely drive it at all.

I have a 46re now in my legendary POS Dakota and I am doign the transgo tfod3 kit which makes the trans fully manual for my pleasure.

My biggest beef with any of these late model trannies is that the electronics suck. The governor control circuit in my dakota has been a problem since day 1. No more.

If I ever go to a different trans I'll just pull out my low rear gears and put in a 727 from cope. At least then I know I will never have a problem. Cope trannies are awesome, and I'll get a lot more power to the wheels without that overdrive housing.
 
POS Dakota said:
I am not too impressed with the late mopar trannies.
The trans in my srt300 croaked at 17k miles.
And I didnt even drive it hard. In fact I rarely drive it at all.

I have a 46re now in my legendary POS Dakota and I am doign the transgo tfod3 kit which makes the trans fully manual for my pleasure.

My biggest beef with any of these late model trannies is that the electronics suck. The governor control circuit in my dakota has been a problem since day 1. No more.

If I ever go to a different trans I'll just pull out my low rear gears and put in a 727 from cope. At least then I know I will never have a problem. Cope trannies are awesome, and I'll get a lot more power to the wheels without that overdrive housing.
Click to expand...


I talked to a guy this weekend that told me his challenger had an OD auto tranny in it. When I looked under the car, I saw a 727. When I asked him about it, he said he had it regeared. First and second gear were the same as a power glide (not sure what they were), and third was .68 overdrive. That was the first time I've ever heard of anything like that. He could have been full of ****, but if not that kinda seems like a cool way to go.
 
POS Dakota said:
I am not too impressed with the late mopar trannies.
The trans in my srt300 croaked at 17k miles.
And I didnt even drive it hard. In fact I rarely drive it at all.

I have a 46re now in my legendary POS Dakota and I am doign the transgo tfod3 kit which makes the trans fully manual for my pleasure.

My biggest beef with any of these late model trannies is that the electronics suck. The governor control circuit in my dakota has been a problem since day 1. No more.

If I ever go to a different trans I'll just pull out my low rear gears and put in a 727 from cope. At least then I know I will never have a problem. Cope trannies are awesome, and I'll get a lot more power to the wheels without that overdrive housing.
Click to expand...

I talked to a guy that owns the local tranny shop at a cruise night last year and he said that based on what he sees coming through his shop current mopar trannies are no better or worse than anything from Ford, GM or Toyota.

Anyhow I have had two Dakotas the first one an 89 had an A500 and the only issue I had in 256,000 miles was a shudder when I put Dextron in it instead of ATF 3 and the rubber hose connecting to the radiator cooler started leaking around the crimp to the hard line.

The current Dakota is a 99 with 165,000 miles has a 44RE. I have had to replace the output sensor ($11.00) and the govenor control solenoid ($35.00), neither of these issues left me stranded they just caused the tranny to act pecular until I changed them out. I do get a little flare on the 2 to 3rd shift on hard acceleration when the outside temp is around <=20 and the tranny is cold. I just have let it warm up before getting on it.
 
dgc333 said:
I talked to a guy that owns the local tranny shop at a cruise night last year and he said that based on what he sees coming through his shop current mopar trannies are no better or worse than anything from Ford, GM or Toyota.

Anyhow I have had two Dakotas the first one an 89 had an A500 and the only issue I had in 256,000 miles was a shudder when I put Dextron in it instead of ATF 3 and the rubber hose connecting to the radiator cooler started leaking around the crimp to the hard line.

The current Dakota is a 99 with 165,000 miles has a 44RE. I have had to replace the output sensor ($11.00) and the govenor control solenoid ($35.00), neither of these issues left me stranded they just caused the tranny to act pecular until I changed them out. I do get a little flare on the 2 to 3rd shift on hard acceleration when the outside temp is around <=20 and the tranny is cold. I just have let it warm up before getting on it.
Click to expand...

My first trans in my dakota was my fault. I never adjusted the band like I should have and when they show the signs it's already too late.

Second time was a constant nagging 17xx code for the governor circuit.
Tried everything. Wiring was tested fine, PCM swapped, sensor and solenoid replaced, same thing.

Had it rebuilt again with all good billet servos, solid bands, good struts and levers, etc etc....damned gov circuit acted up again. Soon as it did I parked it until I can have the tfod3 kit installed. That removes the electronics and is fully manual shifted. No kickdown needed anymore either. And overdrive is controlled with the button like normal. I'm not sure how the lockup works, but I'll figure that out. I already know of one good way to control it automatically on the PATC site.

Mechanically, i love the TF trannies. But I have not had good experience with the electronics.
 
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