What you need to 350 swap

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Matthew Goeke

G-Body Guru
Oct 15, 2016
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Do you have a stable job? If you don't, I'd hold off on doing anything until you get a stable income. If you do, great. Go for it. Buy tools first, then the engine, or rebuild the 305. With a peppy 305, you'll be able to keep your transmission if you put a shift kit in it (adds performance as well as extends the life of the transmission if built right. All a shift kit does is increase line pressure to an extent and shortens the time the clutches and steels are in contact with one another, giving you a quicker, firmer shift) and a new filter and pan gasket. AND BABY IT. TH200s are notorious for either being okay, or terrible. Your car has less that 25k on the odo, so your should still be in almost new condition. You can buy shift kits for TH200 transmissions, they're about 50-60 bucks. I've heard good things about B&M and Trans Go, but from what I've seen the Trans Go kits are the go-to kit, and what I'm gonna be putting in my Th350. BUT if you decide on the 350, don't even chance it. Get a short shaft (6") chevy bolt pattern (has a peak at the top of bellhousing) TH350 and stab it in there with a shift kit. Drops right in, same hookups. Might need a different kickdown cable, but that can be sorted out at a later date.
yea i work at a grocery store, right now im a bagger because you need to do 18 to do anything else, but they already asked me if i wanted to be a checker when i turn 18 which would get me 1$ more than mim wage, i was thinking right when i turn 18 to get a job at advanced auto because they start at like 10$ plus you get 20% off so that would be good. i counted my bolts today and i think i have the th200 which is a bummer, please confirm i think i saw the vacuum line to the pcv valve but wasnt sure, and i saw a nevada pan and counted 13 bolts
 

Matthew Goeke

G-Body Guru
Oct 15, 2016
502
64
28
Both the TH200 metric and the TH350 has the Nevada shaped pan, the metric has 11 bolts and the TH350 has 13 IIRC. Also, the modulator. TH200 won't have one. All it does on the TH350 is control the part throttle shift points based on engine load by vacuum. There should either be a little vacuum tee or a nipple coming out of the intake, or a nub on the back side of the BASE PLATE of the quadrajet (your carb) that the metal line
with a few inches of rubber on each end, for flexibility, runs to. As others have said, all your 305 stuff will swap onto a two piece rear main seal 350. I don't know about the intake, but those are cheap enough. You can buy em at the parts store off the shelf. Make sure it's for the right year. Your 305 is a two piece rear main seal engine. IN the 80s gm switched to the one piece design, as well as a myriad of other internal and external changes that make most parts aside from stuff like pistons and maybe heads not interchangeable. Referring to the rear main seal is just an easy way to identify them from one another without looking up the block id numbers. ex.: "Oh, it's a two piece rear main seal block? It's 1968-1979" or whatever. Get what I'm sayin? Also, if your trans does say metric on the pan and doesn't have a modulator, just do yourself a favor and get a good used chevy pattern short shaft th350, 6" tailshaft is the short one for the midsize cars, 9" for trucks, and full size and so on, and put it in there. Drops right in, 100%. Maybe spend the extra 60 bucks and learn how to put a shift kit in there. Do it right, at WOT it'll bark the tires going into 2nd even with the 290hp motor. Hotrod tested one a while back and made 287 flywheel hp with it, so I'd say the numbers are pretty accurate. You'll need a new torque converter too, the TH200 one won't swap over if I remember correctly, especially if your TC has the lockup feature. Good used ones are on CL all day for cheap, but you never really know what you'll get. Could've been sitting around for any amount of time open to the elements, bugs, mice (i've seen it) dust, moisture, you name it, could've gotten in the tc and ruined it forever. Don't get over a 2000 stall, as you probably have something like 2.41 gears in the back. It'd make the car drive like *ss. Stock IIRC is 1100-1300rpm stall speed. Don't rush into things just yet, just get the car driving and keep it alive with regular oil changes with the Zinc/ZDDP additive every 3,000 miles, check the fluids at least once a day for the first few long drives, then if no signs of leaking or weirdness, you can back off to weekly inspections.
OH sh*t I WAS BUMMED BECAUSE I THOUGHT 13 BOLTS WAS TH200 BUT I HAVE THE 350!
 

MrSony

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Nov 15, 2014
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Des Moines, Iowa
Should be it. TH350 has 13, TH200 has 11. Also a clue, the TH200 says METRIC on the pan, because the transmission uses all metric hardware inside and out. Also, if it has this on the rear passenger side of the trans near the tail shaft where the driveshaft goes in, it's a TH350. TH200 doesn't have the vacuum modulator. Also, look on the driver's side and see if you see a little plug by the shift linkage, it is a TH350C, which means it has a lockup torque converter. Nothing wrong about them, just be sure you know what you have. Also, if there is a bolt on the passenger side by the coolant lines (second pic) it's a TH250, but it's unlikely that it is.
 

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timo22

G-Body Guru
Sep 10, 2012
550
1,072
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St. Louis,Mo
I thought you were in the area. I'm in Maryland Heights. I have a lot of experience with these cars. I've been doing GBodys since the early 90's. I also sell a lot of parts. Have you met Charlie(Stlregal) ? He has a nice regal that he swapped a 350 Chevy in his car.. Timo22
 

Matthew Goeke

G-Body Guru
Oct 15, 2016
502
64
28
I thought you were in the area. I'm in Maryland Heights. I have a lot of experience with these cars. I've been doing GBodys since the early 90's. I also sell a lot of parts. Have you met Charlie(Stlregal) ? He has a nice regal that he swapped a 350 Chevy in his car.. Timo22
ive not met anyone in the area, maryland heights is real close to me, i live in st charles but like i said the car is in crestwood.
 

Matthew Goeke

G-Body Guru
Oct 15, 2016
502
64
28
Should be it. TH350 has 13, TH200 has 11. Also a clue, the TH200 says METRIC on the pan, because the transmission uses all metric hardware inside and out. Also, if it has this on the rear passenger side of the trans near the tail shaft where the driveshaft goes in, it's a TH350. TH200 doesn't have the vacuum modulator. Also, look on the driver's side and see if you see a little plug by the shift linkage, it is a TH350C, which means it has a lockup torque converter. Nothing wrong about them, just be sure you know what you have. Also, if there is a bolt on the passenger side by the coolant lines (second pic) it's a TH250, but it's unlikely that it is.
Uh oh that says metric. are you sure about the pan saying metric means its a th200?
IMG_2448[1].PNG
 

MrSony

Geezer
Nov 15, 2014
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Des Moines, Iowa

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Matthew Goeke

G-Body Guru
Oct 15, 2016
502
64
28
Look for the vacuum modulator. If it has one, it's a TH350. If it doesn't, it's a Th200. It's the little canister circled in red.
Ok i think i have it but im not sure, i see 3 lines and it looks like there IS one vacuum line that goes to the end of the transmission right where the circle is. its hard to tell with this dang cat in the way
 
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