is the powerglide tranny really that much of a hog of power?

also wouldn't a TH350/400 be a better choice due to rpm drop on each shift?

or is it just that a built up powerglide will handle more power then a TH350/400?

how good of an option would the 4L80 or 4L60 be for a drag tranny?
I heard that the 80 would soak up a lot of power also but would it be as much as a powerglide?

 

No the Powerglide is not a power hog. It has the least internal loss of any auto trans I know of.

No, the 350 & 400 are not better for drag racing; but they may be better for street use. The Glide is the best drag race automatic for a number of reasons, has been for many many years now.

A properly built Glide will handle an amazing amount of power.... well over a thousand HP & ft-lbs. There are all sorts of hardened clutch hubs, shafts, etc. available for them, because they are simply the best for drag racing.

Neither of the 4Ls are good for drag racing. The 4L60 is weak and has bad gear ratios (too wide). The 4L80E weighs as much as some entire drag cars. Its internal losses are also probably several times that of a Glide.

 

thank you for the responce

but why would the glide be a better tranny for drag racing other then low internal loss?

 

For the THxxx trannies, internal parts have to be brought to a stop with each shift. That takes power. The Powerglide doesn't do it that way.

PG's are typically better in lighter cars. Get above 3000 lbs, you're probably better off with a THxxx.

 

thank you five7

oh yeah check your PM's

 

Glides are great for all out racing, they handle power like no other. I have run both a t-350 and now a glide on my current setup and the t-350 is much more violent on launchs. I was doing a fair amout of street racing so I switched to a glide to gain traction on the street. It worlded and I gained a large MPH chunk as well. Crusing at about 45 to 50 mph and snatching back into first makes for one hell of a ride though...

I agree with the above, glides are for light cars, and anything over 3k lbs should choose something else.

 

Well any good drag racers knows also the less human error you can take out of the equation of drag/bracket racing the better your chances are of winning-PG=1 shift THxxx 2 shifts 1 more place for error. Any as duely noted unless your 3K or lighter you will usually go slower with a glide, when your heavier the added gearing of the TH trannies help propell the added weight with the internal mulitple gearing.