3-speed vs. power glide?

C

cngracin

Small Block Chevy Killer!
Could I get ya’lls thoughts on the advantages or disadvantage of using a power glide over a Saginaw 3-speed (with triple disk.) This initial cost of getting a power glide set-up for racing is an obvious difference; what other pros and cons are there.
 
PG vs. 3 speed

Weight is close, external cooler. You can open up the sag. and see what is wrong with it. Sags are still easy to find .I think the last year of the glide was 74.I raced a setup glide and went through 3 in a year.Never had a problem with a manual.
JMO.
 
Race21j, Thanks I didn't think about the cooler and plumin' it... The Saginaws are not as easy to find as they were just a couple years ago. That's one of the reasons I'm considering making the switch to a "slip-in-slide" power glide.

Pit, you can get 'em valved so you can push start. Don't know much about it but I've heard of the possibility.
 
Brian

If your are having trouble finding saginaws, call the third world, we have quite a few. I have one laying around now.
 
A PG works good you can drive it in the corner harder. You should change the fluid at least every 3 races and don't use synthetic. To push start you need a bumpstart valve and a master cylinder setup to activate it (Something like a motorcycle front brake setup or a pedal valve). It is sorta a triangular shaped assembly that goes on the right side of the trans case. They are also making a valve body now that does not require an inline pressure control valve.
 
Trans pros & cons

Go with a Sag, You wont be sorry, Not that hard to find, pretty cheap,
just about bullet proof, easy to work on, no need for cooler or plumbing of anykind. Call me I have one I'll let go cheap. 573-431-5641 ask for Kevin.

:D
 
Glide's
1st gear restart is a huge advantage sometimes, if you run in high gear the trans actually cools off.
They make no heat when in direct, they actually cool off without a converter
 
Glide

a tci glide is it!!! uses 1 to 2 pints of fluid and no convetor ,You can hollow one of to pas tech and change the jets to idle in gear Not cheetin just usin all the option avaliable if you think somone got one when idling in park if ya rev it it rocks fwd.. watch for it LOL
 
glide

I have a glide in my car and the you do not have to add a cooler the most critical thing is the fluid you have to use type f, and you should not load or unload the car while running, if you idle in line or waiting for a restart you should kick it in neutral, the reason they burn up is when you are in drive there is some slippage that occurs this is to allow the engine from stalling, so you should never idle in drive for any period of time, and again never load or unload your car on and off the trailer while running, you should winch it on and off, and let me thell you from experiance when you pull it into low and lock it there is no slippage at all its like a rocket.
 
If you want a rocket use a Saginaw and a ram coupler. Lowers your flex plate, flywheel weight down to almost nothing. Otherwise Saginaw vs Glide flip a coin. One thing I personally like about the Saginaw is if I spin I push the clutch in and keep the motor running.
 
TCI Circlematic is the way to go. They make two styles. One uses a clutch pedal and slave cylinder to take off. Other type is shift and go, no clutch pedal or slave cylinder needed.

As for spinning out, with the clutch type tranny, it is treated the same as a 3-speed, simply push in the clutch pedal and the motor will not stall while spinning.

I have ran the TCI Circlematic in my cars (Modifieds & Late Model) since 2000 and never have i had one break or slip.
I have broke a couple cases due to bad wrecks, which i also lost the chassis due to the wreck, but nothing related to tranny failure.

I run one in my late model. Have for 3 years now and still no problems. Won features, heats, and a championship all with a TCI Circlematic drivetrain.

If you are breaking them and or other problems, its all in how you mount them as to how they last. You have to support the tail shaft of the tranny via rods to the midplate to take the hanging weight off the tail shaft.

If interested in a TCI Circlematic, just drop me a message and i will get you a price.
 
Waynes Transmission in Bellevile built my glide in 04 I ran it problem free for 3 seasons I did crack a case but that was due to a hard crash we took the guts and put in in a new case and do not have a slip problem. They are easy to install no clutch to deal with, linkage 1 rod, 1 less prdal and master. If you have a good battery you will not have to push start, or better yet run a alternator and you will not have to charge it. Comes off the corner good and you are running 1 to 1 in high gear.

JMO gluids work good they are reliable and less hassel JD
 
Antique topic :)

This is a 41/2 year old thread. … So, I hope these additional opinions can maybe help someone else out…

I went ahead and tried a Power Glide at the end of ’04 and loved it for a while… Until I broke it and then could NEVER get it right again and gave up on ‘em and switch back to Saginaws in ’05.
 
Sorry folks, but after 3 broken glides,(2 fresh, 1 used) I'm switching to a manual, when they're good they're great, but when they're bad, they're worse.. Mod27's Idea (taking the weight off the tail shaft) may have saved me, but no mid plate in a bomber and just didn't feel terribly creative. SO, if anybody needs any glide parts, I've got a good case (core) and 2 manual valve bodies w/tci programming plates, a bunch of internals,3 tailshaft housings, and a deep B&M alum pan, 2 converters and a pro stick shifter that needs a cable. LETS MAKE A DEAL!!!! Greg
 
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