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The Turbo 350 is about as simple as a 3-speed automatic gets: four clutch packs, one band, two one-way clutches, a vacuum modulator and a kickdown cable. That simplicity is why people rebuild them on the garage floor, and it is also why people get sloppy ordering parts. Most TH350 comebacks we hear about are not from a bad kit. They are from the wrong kit for the year, a clutch pack stacked with the wrong clearance, or a worn hard part that got reused because "it looked fine."
Before you order, answer three things: what year is the case (1969-79 or 1980-86 lockup 350C), what is it going behind (stock small block or something with real torque), and how much of the old friction material is left in the pan. Those decide the kit.
Overhaul vs Banner vs Master — What You Actually Get
| Kit Type | Typical Contents | Buy It When |
|---|---|---|
| Overhaul kit | Gaskets, pan gasket, lip seals, piston seals, sealing rings, front and rear seals | Leak repair or reseal, or you already have good frictions and just need the soft parts |
| Banner kit | Overhaul kit plus a full set of friction plates | Steels are flat and blue-free, bands are reusable, you want to save money on a stock rebuild |
| Master kit | Banner kit plus steel plates, intermediate overrun band, filter and usually bushings | Any unit that was slipping, burnt, or ran long on old fluid. This is the right default for most rebuilds. |
Contents vary a little by supplier, so read the parts list before you buy. The two things people assume are in a kit and often are not: bushings and the filter. If your kit does not list them, add them. A new set of frictions riding on a worn pump or direct drum bushing will not live long because that is where your line pressure leaks away.
Shop picks: TH350 Overhaul Kit 1969-1986, TH350 Banner Rebuild Kit, TH350 Master Rebuild Kit, and the 1969-1979 kit with Raybestos frictions.
1969-79 vs 1980-86 (TH350C) — Order by Case, Not by Car
The 1980-86 TH350C added a lockup converter. That changed the pump (it carries the converter clutch apply circuit), the input shaft, and some sealing details. Kits are usually sold as 1969-79, 1980-86, or a broad 1969-86 kit with extra seals to cover both. Swapped engines and mixed-up drivetrains are everywhere in this world, so do not trust the title of the car. Pull the pan and check:
- Lockup hardware: a lockup solenoid and wiring inside the pan, plus an electrical connector on the case, means you have a 350C and need a late kit or a 69-86 kit.
- Input shaft: late lockup shafts are drilled differently and use different sealing. Match the ring count.
- The TH250C trap: the TH250 looks almost identical from underneath but uses an intermediate band instead of the TH350 intermediate clutch pack. It needs its own kit. Check before you order.
Plate Counts Are Not Universal — Count Before You Order
TH350 clutch pack counts changed by year and by application (cars vs trucks vs high-output engines), so a "complete" kit may have more or fewer plates than your drums held. As a working reference:
| Clutch Pack | What It Does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Forward clutch | Applied in all forward gears | Usually 4 or 5 frictions depending on drum |
| Direct clutch | Applied in 3rd and reverse | Weak point. Stock is 4 on many units; builders run 5 or 6 with thin steels |
| Intermediate clutch | Holds with the intermediate sprag for 2nd | 2 or 3 frictions depending on year |
| Low/reverse clutch | Reverse and manual low | Rarely the failure point; check steels for heat |
Lay the old plates out in order as you disassemble each drum and count them. If you add a friction to the direct pack, you have to use thinner steels or remove the wave plate so the pack still has clearance. Stacking extra plates with no clearance check is how people end up with a 3rd gear that drags in 1st and 2nd and a burnt direct pack in a few hundred miles.
Hard Parts No Kit Will Fix
- Intermediate sprag: if it slipped (no 2nd, or 2nd feels like neutral), replace it. A new TH350 sprag costs less than doing the job twice.
- Direct drum and forward drum: check the seal ring grooves and the steel plate lugs. Cracked or hammered drum lugs chew up new steels. See TH350 clutch drums.
- Pump: check gear-to-pocket clearance, the stator support bushings, and scoring on the pump face. A scored pump bleeds line pressure no matter what frictions you run. TH350 pumps.
- Sun shell and planetaries: look for cracked shell tangs and pinion end play. TH350 planetaries.
- Governor: worn governor weights or a sticky governor valve give late or erratic shifts that people blame on the rebuild.
- Vacuum modulator: a leaking diaphragm pulls ATF into the engine and gives soft, late shifts. Check it with a hand vacuum pump. It should hold vacuum.
Common Mistakes on TH350 Rebuilds
- Not soaking the frictions. Soak new frictions in clean Dexron-type ATF for at least 30 minutes before assembly.
- Skipping the air check. Before the pan goes on, air-check each clutch and the servo through the case passages. You should hear a firm apply and a clean release. A hiss means a cut seal or a bad sealing ring.
- Kickdown cable left sloppy. An unadjusted detent/kickdown cable gives no passing gear or a harsh downshift. Adjust it with the throttle at wide open.
- Reusing the converter from a burnt unit. All the friction material from the old failure is sitting in the converter and cooler. Flush the cooler lines and do not reuse a contaminated converter.
- Installing a shift kit to cover a problem. A TH350 shift kit firms up shifts on a healthy unit. It will not fix a worn drum or a leaking seal.
Ready to Order Your TH350 Kit?
Kits, drums, pumps, sprags, planetaries and shift kits for 1969-1986 Turbo 350s, all in one place.
Shop TH350 Parts → Core Transmission Parts →FAQ
Does one TH350 rebuild kit fit every year?
Not always. 1980-86 TH350C lockup units use different pump and input shaft sealing than 1969-79 units. Buy a kit marked for your year range, or a 1969-86 kit that includes seals for both.
What is the difference between a TH350 banner kit and a master kit?
A banner kit is the gasket and seal overhaul kit plus friction plates. A master kit adds steel plates, the intermediate overrun band, and usually a filter and bushings. For a unit that slipped or burnt fluid, the master kit is the safer buy.
How much fluid does a TH350 take?
A pan drop and filter change takes roughly 3 to 4 quarts. A dry unit with an empty converter takes around 10 quarts. Fill to the dipstick with the engine running in park at operating temperature.
Can I rebuild a TH350 without special tools?
Mostly. You need a clutch spring compressor, snap ring pliers, feeler gauges and a way to air-check the clutches. A pump alignment band makes the pump install much easier.
Is a TH350 rebuild worth it compared to swapping to a 700R4 or 4L60E?
If you do not need an overdrive, yes. A TH350 rebuild is cheap and the unit is very durable. If you cruise on the highway a lot, look at our TH350 to 700R4 swap parts guide first.