good overdrive tranny??
 

Hey guys. I finally drove my 68 today for a bit, and the th350 is not going to work out for me. I really need an overdrive trans. Not only was the truck revving to the moon at about 60, the speedo was registering about 85-90 mph amd I'm posutive I was ne where near that. I have heard that sometimes 200r4 trannys are better than 700r4s, and that 4l80e need electronic signal to make them shift. I am also considering the t56 but that involves a lot more to swap to a stick. Any input apreciated thanks.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

700R4 aka 4L60 is a good choice- readily available, relativity robust and an easy upgrade. The 200R4 is also good, but isn't as numerous- it's main positive is that it's the same length as a TH350- no driveshaft mods needed. If you want a manual, a T5 or T6060 (depending upon how much power you're running) work out well. The T56 is not easy, unless you're also running an LSx. Overdrive is just too versatile to ignore, for a vintage truck in a modern world.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

^^^sums it up right there...

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

So a 700R4 and a 4L60 are the same?

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

200 4r

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

correct me if I'm wrong,but the 4l60 is a newer electronically shifted version of the 700r4. the 4l60 needs a module to work

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

^^ what he said.... right? ^^

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

x2

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

the 200 4r trans are getting hard to find along with parts for them

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

What did 200R4's come in? So what I'm hearing here is if you run a basic stock 350/350 and want to upgrade to an overdrive a 200R4 is the way to go? Also it'd be nice to do the upgrade and not have the expense of changing the crossmember or shortening the driveshaft. For my puposes all I would need is an over drive that will work well with my stock 350 engine. The truck has 3:73 gears so from what I understand that is best ratio to have with a 4 speed overdrive.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

here is another thread on them

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ferrerid=92642

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

Th700r4 and the 4L60 are mostly the same. The 4L60E is the electronically controlled trans.

If you want a junkyard trans, the TH700 is significantly easier to come by. If you are going to buy a trans, which is what I would do, then by the TH 200 4R. The 200 has a first gear much more suited to 60's final drives and more overdrive.

http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...SUBCAT&CATID=C

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

4L60 AKA 700r4 with the 4 pin connector (square or round). The 4L60E transmissions are the one with the electronic connectors. I have had both (700r4 and 200r4) on mine. I like the 700r4 because they are readily available than the 200r4. Most of the 200r4 I see for sale on craigslist are worn out because they were in older vehicles (80s) when taken out.

The only thing you have to do differently for the 700r4 vs. the 200r4, you have to shorten the driveshaft about 1 inch. You can get that done all day at any drive shaft shop for 100 bux including balancing.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

There's nothing "special" that has to be done with the cross member for a 700R, it's been about 12 years since I did mine, but I think you slide the front set of cross member holes to the back set, then drill a new hole for the back bolt (hope that make sense, you use the original back holes in the frame for the new front holes in the cross member) and shortening the driveshaft isn't a big deal. Most places charge $100 or less. An old timer did the one in my truck for me for $25, he was really nice and worked out of his house. I recently had one cut down and balanced for a 65 mustang at a shop for $80.

You really can't just run either 700R or 4L60 on their own.

For a 700R to run correctly I HIGHLY recommend the bowtie overdrive TV mad EZ Throttle valve kit (they sell different kits to match what carb you have) AND their torque converter lock up kit WITH a brake switch. I had a kit that didn't have the brake switch before I bought the BTO kit and had a panic stop from about 55mph (idiot pulled out in front of me) and the truck stalled because the converter didn't unlock in time and I lost my power brakes. I've been running a 700R since 2002.

The last I checked (and it's been a long time, so they may have come down in price) if you're not running a TBI/TPI/LS that already has the computer/wiring set up, you have to buy a stand alone computer to run a 4L60E and last I saw they were around a grand.

700Rs ran from around 82ish to 93ish, and the 4L60E's started around 93/94 depending on vehicle.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

2004R's claim to fame is that it backed Buick GNX's, no easy feat. Not all are as strong as that particular one, but they can be. Most came in a combo with 3.73 gears and that is, by far, the best choice, very driveable - I had one in an 85 monte ss, and that lame little motor could chirp the tires (on a good day), solely because of the trans/rear combo. I agree with all the comments above - if I EVER make an o/d trans swap in one of these trucks, it will be a 2004R. I had planned it all out in a previous truck and was going to purchase an upgraded one from Bow Tie Overdrives.

Don't forget the TV cable kit and make sure to check line pressure! One note - most vendors won't warranty it if you don't let them install and check line pressure before you drive it. If that is not correct, it will burn up in the first few hundred miles. So, if doing it at home, make sure to read up on how to do this correctly. Not hard, but easy to forget about if used to playing with TH350s and TH400s for years.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

If you are not looking to deal with any trans computers, go with a rainbow case '87-'93 700-R4 (AKA 4L60), have it rebuilt correctly and go to town!!!

The 200-4R take too much money to build them correctly, I got $1000 just in hard parts sitting in the 200-4R I used in my LS1 Vega. If I did it over again, I would of used a 4L60E.


Mike

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

In my experience that's not exactly correct. The 700r/4l60s behind fuel injected motors are still computer controlled in that the computer controls torque converter lock up. In applications with a carb motor the lock up is vacuum controlled. I had to deal with this when converting my computer controlled 700r to a carb 350. It's a minute detail but don't want anybody to be mislead in thinking the won't have to deal with a computer on an originally fuel injected trans. As said above the lock up kit is the fix when dealing with this swap. It's also good to note that the 83-84 models are slightly different than the later carb models and arnt as strong. Here's some good reading on the 700r/4l60.
http://www.transmissioncenter.net/700r4.htm

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

The 200 4-R falls into that same category ;)

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

Why not fix your speedo cable or gears first before jumping onto a new trans?

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

being a wrench in the '80s I prefer the 700r4. GM had a cut off in '87/88 less than desireable input shafts/pumps? I would imagine by now that all rebuilder parts are up to date. 200r4 came behind the 4cyl and 6cyl. As for the 200r4 buick regal T type (GNX). if u can get one those trannies get it! Otherwize you can pay the bucks to build a a 200r4 to stand behind big torque!

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

Ok, well theres a lot of good info here. And a few things I want to adress.
First, my current motor configuration was built at a performance shop by the PO. I spoke to the guy who built it and he td me it should be putting out between 380 and 400 hp at the crank with the current carb intake setup. It is setup so that if I swap to a tunnel ram with 2 4bbl or a 3 duece I take that number will jump quite a bit.

Second, I was under the impression that the very early 700r4s did not have a locking TC (75ish) and I had been told before that if I did have to use one with the locking TC to just install an OD switch on the dash and if I used a simple normally closed relay that was powered by the brake light switch, it would come out of OD when I stomped on the pedal

Third, I am not so concerned with the fact that my speedo is off, I assume it originally had a different trans or rear end, but I am currently running 3.73 gears out back and 275/60/15s and at 65 it's screaming for mercy.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

I think you may be confusing the turbo 350 with the 700r4. Some th350s had lockups and some didn't as far as I'm aware(could be wrong) all 700r's have lockups. Also the first year for the 700r was 82ish. The 700r should still shift up and down all four gears the way it should normally operate, regardless of whether the converter lockup is wired up or not, assuming the throttle valve is set correctly. The clutch isn't currently wired on my truck and it shifts and runs fine but when you let off the gas at speed there's a noticeable amount of what I'll call engine drag trying to slow you down.

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

700R4 is 82-92 and is cable operated and has one has external lockup plugin which there are aftermarket lockup operation kits to work with a carburetor and work well, 4L60-E is 93up and has aluminum all computer operated with internal electronic controlled jvalvebody and shifts solenoids etc..

200R4 which is longer than the 700R4 either would be good choice buy I would recommend the 700R4 cause parts and core trany`s are more readily available, along with aftermarket parts like shift kit. Never install a B&M shift kit or torque converter in anything they are junk and only create harder shift but really only tear up the trans and do not update or improve the trans at all. I am a Trans Tech and have been have been for 30+ years and would only recommend Transco shift kits. If you are going way high performance neck braker shifts than a Hughs would be a good choice.

Good Luck, Wildcard

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

All 700R4`s have lockup, TH350c is lockup and the standard TH350 is not. same with the TH200 and TH200c both these lockup units are not worth using but standard models are.

Factory pretty much just redesigned the forward part of the trans and added overdrive to the 350 to develop the 700 cause the rear section from the inner centersupport back is pretty much interchangeable on the clutch and steels and pretty much same in appearance to the 350, they did same thing with the 4L80-E which is overdrived TH400

E in 4L60-E means Electronic

700R4 will operate thru all 4 gear with no lockup plugged in but really isn`t good on it, biggest mistake people make when installing a 700R4 behind a carbureted engine especially with out the Quadrajet carburetor that had a 700R4 TV (throttle valve cable) connected to it is if you purchase a standard holley or carter or edelbrock carb the nipple on the bottom of the linkage is make for a Kickdown cable on a TH350 trans and Is Absolutely in the wrong position and geometry of what of required for the operation of a TV cable 700 the trans will never have correct line pressure always way to high and shifts will never be correct and will eventually damage the trans. each carb manufacturer make a bolt on kit that attachs to the linkage off the side of the carbs to relocate the position of the cable that operates a 700 and all will be good. kinda of a spendy kit but well worth the like of the trans. I purchased one and have made a cardboard pattern of it and have make my own for every carb I had to correct.

Wildcard

Re: good overdrive tranny??
 

get a 700r4 its stronger in stock form then a 200r4 and is probably cheaper to rebuild. the 200r4 has a slightly better first gear and is the same size as your 350. so chances are you wouldn't need to cut the driveshaft. On a 700r4 you would most likely have to.
I like the 200r4's but its kinda rare and more expensive to rebuild. For every one person that has a 200r4 and loves it there are 20 that say the same with a 700r4. They put the 700r4 in trucks corvettes Camaros anything with a 350. They both set up the same way
Make sure you get a good stall or you will be wasting your money.
good luck
bpatrol
good luck either way both will suit your needs