Full manual valvebody question:

[BillyGman]

I need someone's help with this......

I was ready to order a TH400 transmission with a full manual valve body and as transbrake for my 70 Chevelle project, when somebody mentioned that automatic transmissions with full manual valve bodies do NOT have a "governor" and therefore don't provide adequate lubrication for the tail yoke for street driving. I must confess that I've never heard of this, nor do I even know what a "governor" is in automatic transmissions.

I've performed rear end work as well as engine work myself, but never transmissions work. So far, when shopping for an automatic transmissions, I've become familiar with terms and price lists of things like "sprags", hardened hubs, clutches, hardened input shafts, transbrakes and the like. but this is the first time I've ever heard of there being anything called a "governor" in an automatic transmission.

Can anyone help me out with this? Marty, Todd, Zack, Lidio, or somebody? Does anyone know about this? What does a transmission "governor" do? And if what I'm hearing is true (that no full manual valve body equipped automatic transmissions have governors on them) then why is that the case???? :confused:

[Zack]

Governors in a TH400 decide when the car shifts. Since you are manually shifting, it is not needed. You can find the governor on the passenger side of the case toward the back. A cap with 4 bolts usually covers it. I think the info you got is hogwash.

[JMan]

I need someone's help with this......

I was ready to order a TH400 transmission with a full manual valve body and as transbrake for my 70 Chevelle project, when somebody mentioned that automatic transmissions with full manual valve bodies do NOT have a "governor" and therefore don't provide adequate lubrication for the tail yoke for street driving. I must confess that I've never heard of this, nor do I even know what a "governor" is in automatic transmissions.

I've performed rear end work as well as engine work myself, but never transmissions work. So far, when shopping for an automatic transmissions, I've become familiar with terms and price lists of things like "sprags", hardened hubs, clutches, hardened input shafts, transbrakes and the like. but this is the first time I've ever heard of there being anything called a "governor" in an automatic transmission.

Can anyone help me out with this? Marty, Todd, Zack, Lidio, or somebody? Does anyone know about this? What does a transmission "governor" do? And if what I'm hearing is true (that no full manual valve body equipped automatic transmissions have governors on them) then why is that the case???? :confused:

Alright, I'll give it a try. This is more of a question for somebody that actually knows what they are talking about like David Morton. Just enter "I believe" before each sentence. Here goes anyway-

The governor is a centrifugal device in the tailshaft housing of a THM400. It is driven by a gear on one of the shafts in there and has sprung flyweights that move outwards, defeating the springs, as the rpm increases. The movement of the weights actuates a 'shift rod' in the valve body. When the desired or calibrated amount of of centrifuge is reached it forces a "governed" upshift into the next gear. Sort of a failsafe for your tranny. With a manual valve body, the shift selector is the governor and you control the upshift thereby defeating the purpose of the actual governor. I can't imagine this having anything to do with lubrication circuits unless someone intentionally blocked them.

Hopefully someone with a better understanding of transmissions will jump in and correct this :bs: .

J

[Rider90]

Has anyone gone this route on an MM?

[BillyGman]

Zack, and Jman, thankyou for your replies. When I first heard this guy tell me that, it didn't sound right to me either. But I thought that I'd pose the question on here for you guys who know more about transmissions than I do.

[martyo]

Has anyone gone this route on an MM?


Yes, at least one person (me). But that is with a 4R70W, not the TH400 that Billy is planning on using. I wish I had the patience/budget to step up to a TH400, as in my opinion they are more durable and could be backed up with a gear vendors OD set up.

I am still foot breaking and not using a transbrake. I do not know if Billy is or not. Billy?

[fastblackmerc]

I'd assume on at race-ready tranny there'd be some provisions taken for keeping everything lubed correctly.

[BillyGman]

Below is the answer that I received from somebody else on another car board. It goes along with what Zack and Jman were saying....

"The governer is a devise that provides a road speed sinal in hydraulic form for the upshifts etc.no governer is needed for manual shifts.they say governer bleed off is used to lube the tailshaft bushing.this is nonsense and will not give you any trouble.ive been building street driven 4oos for years and have never had an extension housing problem."

[BillyGman]

I am still foot breaking and not using a transbrake. I do not know if Billy is or not. Billy? I'm not that close to being finished with this project yet Marty. The body is still off of the frame at this point. But since the place that's doing the body work and some of the chassis work for me is a restoration shop and doesn't do insurance work, then my car is one of 3 that will have priority since it won't be put on the back burner all the time and be pushed aside for collision work on other cars.

So they have told me that I should be getting it back all painted next month. And at that time, my brother and I will be installing an entire new drive train from the water pump to the rear end cover. I already have the engine as you know, and I want to get the new rear end as well as the transmission and driveshaft soon. I do plan on ordering the transmission with a transbrake. How often I'll be using it?? I don't know until I get behind the wheel and drive this beast. It will depend on how well the car hooks.

I'll be installing the biggest Mickey Thompsons I get can possibly get in the back, and I've purchased Edelbrock anti-hop bars that are supposed to move the "instant center" which changes the geometry of the rear suspension in order to provide better traction. That in addition to tubular frame braces, and boxed rear control arms should give the car better traction. How much better? I don't know.

[martyo]

I do plan on ordering the transmission with a transbrake. How often I'll be using it?? I don't know until I get behind the wheel and drive this beast. It will depend on how well the car hooks.

If you do go with a transbrake, will reverse still work, or will you have to flip switches to get the car into reverse? That can be a pain in the ass.

[Tallboy]

If you do go with a transbrake, will reverse still work, or will you have to flip switches to get the car into reverse? That can be a pain in the ass.

Flippin' switches?

That's right up there with "clockin' ho's and stackin' dollaz"!

[BillyGman]

Flippin' switches?

That's right up there with "clockin' ho's and stackin' dollaz"!LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!! :rofl:

[BillyGman]

If you do go with a transbrake, will reverse still work, or will you have to flip switches to get the car into reverse? That can be a pain in the ass.I'm not sure, but I think that atleast one of the ratchet shifters that B&M makes gives you an option that makes it a little easier.

If I remember right, I think the way it is with that shifter I'm thinking of is that you simply lift up on the handle and you can go directly into park or reverse even with a transbrake. I'll have to call B&M about this though. But aside from that, I also know that there are two different types of transbrakes (one being called a "pro Tree" brake). But most of this stuff is all new ground for me, so I'll need to investigate this further.

[BruteForce]

Flippin' switches?

That's right up there with "clockin' ho's and stackin' dollaz"!

Dat der is funny I don't care who you are. :lol: