TH400 Vs Powerglide: Which One is Ideal for You?

What are the factors to look for while choosing a transmission? Overdrive gear ratio, horsepower, weight, and stock torque converter are some of the major attributes to take into consideration. These factors turn a transmission ideal for a specific kind of purpose.

If you don’t know about these issues, you will have difficulty determining the ideal option from TH400 vs Powerglide. Want to know everything to finalize your decision? Check out the entire article to know everything you are looking for. 

TH400 Vs Powerglide: All the Differences You Need to Know About

Before getting to the main point, take a quick glance at all the basic differences between TH400 and Powerglide.

AttributesTH400Powerglide
Overdrive gear ratio3.55:11.82:1
Stock torque converter2700 RPM2800 RPM
Horsepower Gain1000HP3000HP
Weight61 KG57 KG
Average Price$2,000$6,500

Rob Sappe from ATI says,

“For cars that weigh less than 3,200 pounds, launch violently, or are traction limited, the Powerglide is the best choice. In these types of applications, a Powerglide is the ultimate in consistency as well. On the other hand, for cars that will see any street time at all, a TH400 is a better option. In race cars, compared to a Powerglide a TH400 is better suited for cars with large tires and taller rearend gearing. Heavier cars need three speeds to help get them up and running.”

While this is indeed an expert opinion you can trust, there are a few things you must know before settling on a final decision.

Overdrive Gear Ratio- High or Low?

The CarTechBooks explains that the overdrive ratio is the ratio of the drive gears’ turn that is less than 1. Having a 2:1 overdrive gear ratio means that the drive gear’s teeth and the driven gear’s teeth have a ratio of 0.5. In other words, for every driver gear’s teeth, there are 2 teeth in the driven gear.

Both the higher and lower overdrive gear ratio has their own perks. The TH400 has a gear ratio of 3.55:1. This ratio gives the transmission better efficiency. It’s also better for faster speed.

A higher overdrive gear ratio, such as that of Powerglide, helps with acceleration. A faster acceleration comes along with consistent speed as well. While TH400 is ideal for offroad driving (e.g., race track), Powerglide is perfect for highways.

Stock Converter Speed- An Essential Point

According to a comment on Quora, the stock converter speed is the maximum RPM of the engine with the transmission set in drive gear while the brakes are engaged. In simple terms, it’s the speed of the engine. The higher the RPM, the better the speed.

However, in this case, both TH400 and Powerglide are in a neck-to-neck situation. Both have similarly incredible potential for speed. TH400 can take the engine to up to 2700 RPM, while Powerglide has a slightly more RPM of 2800 RPM. This difference practically doesn’t matter in real life.

However, if that speed really matters to you, go for Powerglide. Its tad high RPM and faster acceleration make the engine more efficient compared to TH400.

Horse Power Gain – A Game-Changing Difference

There are some significant differences in horsepower between TH400 and the Powerglide. As you already know, horsepower is the amount of power the engine generates. A bigger horsepower is synonymous with better efficiency and speed.

Powerglide is a big winner in this section. With an astounding 3000 HP, it’s much higher than TH400. This enables Powerglide to move around any vehicle, may it be a truck, bus, or tram. Although, it’s noteworthy that the bigger horsepower means this transmission consumes more fuel.

If you are looking for fuel economy, go for TH400. It has only 1000 HP. However, despite having such versatile horsepower, both these transmissions can attain almost similar highest speeds. Although, it’s undeniable that Powerglide is easier to control and maintain.

How Much Does Weight Matter?

According to a comment on the Yellowbullet forum, the Powerglide weighs 103.7 lbs, which is roughly 57 KG. On the other hand, TH400 weighs slightly more. It’s almost 61 KG.

It is apparent that there isn’t much difference in the weight here. However, this slight difference makes a significant impact.

For weighing 4 KG less, Powerglide makes it possible for cars to move more smoothly. The light weight also enables Powerglide to consume more vibration. However, the same can be said about TH400 as well because it basically weighs the same.

What Are the Benefits?

Knowing about the benefits of the transmissions you are thinking of using can shape your decisions better.

Here’s what TH400 promises,

  • Smooth gear change: It’s easier to change gears on the TH400. In other words, controlling the speed is much smoother on TH400.
  • Cheap: Despite being as effective as Powerglide, TH400 costs $4,000 less. However, there are a few small things missing with the low price.

The benefits of Powerglide include,

  • Less gear: Powerglide has three gears instead of two. It means the gears need less spin to function properly. This is the reason Powerglide is faster and more durable.
  • Simple structure: The Powerglide is constructed with very few moving parts. This makes the functionality of this transmission smooth and the maintenance easy.

Some Downsides You Must Know!

You also have to know the cons to come to a final decision. See here if your choice is disappointing your demands.

The TH400 has,

  • Less horsepower: Considering the price, the 1000HP of TH400 is expected. However, the other functionality gives the car good acceleration.
  • Early shift: In the case of high-revving engines, the TH400 shifts a bit early. This, in turn, lessens efficiency.

The problems of Powerglide are,

  • Only 2 forward gears: This makes it hard to gain a faster speed. Insufficient forward gears are one of the reasons why Powerglide is slower than TH400 despite having more RPM.
  • Bad fuel economy: Having a massive HP can also be bad news. This makes Powerglide a greedy consumer of fuel. Not only this, you get a terrible RPM/MPH ratio with Powerglide as well.

This Video Will Help You Too!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you push start a car with a Powerglide transmission?

Yes, it is possible to push start a car with a Powerglide transmission.

Which gear is best for turning corners?

The second and third gear is the ideal one for turning corners. In the case of fast-moving cars, you should use brakes to control the speed first.

How much torque can a built TH400 handle?

The TH400 is built for 450 ft. lbs. of input torque.

Which Transmission Can Win the Debate?

Till now, you got to see a ton of information on these two transmissions. The purpose of putting out all this information was to help you settle the debate of TH400 Vs Powerglide all by yourself.

If you have given the entire article a thorough read, you have probably noticed that Powerglide is a better option when the need is acceleration. On the other hand, if it is the speed you are looking for, then go for TH400. Although both these transmissions are almost equal.

So, if your purpose is not that specific, getting either one of these options will turn out to be good for you.

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