im gonna throw a new tranny into my 58 caddy...it has a stock 454 motor from an 89 suburban...im not gonna build this motor or make a street rod out of the car. it currently has a Demon carb and im happy with it so far...which tranny would be the best for this application...does one of these trannys have and advantage over the other?
700r4 seems like the better of the two imo. The 200r is not as durable, but with the givin info i cant really come to any conclusions
Comparing build levels handling comparable horsepower, the 700r4 will cost you less. You didn't say what trans you currently run. The 2004r is the same overall length as a TH350, so if that's what you have you can use the existing driveshaft. 700r4 will require driveshaft to be shortened. Both require crossmember relocation, or a special fabricated crossmember to accommodate the trans mount location which is further back. I think you'll find that most will favor the 700r4. Bob
Go with a 700r4 a lot easier to find with chevy bell housing pattern. Almost all 2004r are bop pattern. Will
ALL 2004R are multifit pattern....BOP & Chev on the same case........look closer...you'll see Not that it matters in this situation, but so far as I know, ALL 700R4 are Chevy case....no BOP pattern cases. Ray
What about the year of 700R4. I used a 91 in my coupe because I believe there were inherent weaknesses in the pre 1990 700's, that were corrected in the later units.
The 700R4's were found behind V-8's The 2004R's were found behind V-6's You'll never find a 2004R in a truck, vette or any other heavy duty application. You be the judge!
If you're going with a 700R4 look for 2 things. 1) An "MD8" case or a "K" case 2) A 30 spline input shaft
Plenty of 200's were behind V8's, and they are the better ones. Mid 80's full size wagons from Buick and Olds are a great place to find them. The 200 has a better gear spread than the 700, uses less power, and for the same money can be made to last.
Yes, they were put behind Grand Nationals and that is a tough running car. I am opting for the 200 4R in mine. The trans guy who is rebuilding it for me said they are as tough as a 350 and the gear spread is better than a 700R4. Also, you don't need a computer to run it.
REALLY?!?! My old '87 Buick Regal T-Type (and every Grand National) had a 200 4r behind the Turbo V-6. My car went 10.78 @ 124 and left at 30lbs of boost off a trans brake. I had less than $650 in the trans minus the converter. You can look up my old car on Hot Rod Magazine web site - search Turbo T. the 2004r does have a much better gear spread than the 7004r and is a much better trans to live with if you know how to build them - it's not magic and it's not expensive.
When I got my Chevy it had a 330hp 350ci with a Turbo350. I do a lot of highway cruising so I wanted OD. Got a 200R from a turbo Buick. Had to put a flat plate on the rear trans mount as it was off a couple of inches. That was the only change as my driveshaft fit perfectly. Best thing I did. 2200rpm with a 3.50 rear and 28"tire. Nice firm shift under power. I don't race it but it is perfect for my application.
Most failures of the later and stronger design of the 700R4 are the result of people not understanding the TV cables function and what the geometry should be. It is not a "Kick Down Cable" but controls pressure and if not set up properly will cause the transmission to fail very quickly.Also excessive heat gererated by a touque converter that is not wired properly to allow using the lock up clutch can have a negitive arrect on the transmissions life. A good cooler is always a plus. As for the differances between the 700r4 and the 200 take a look at this link for a comprehensive component by component comparison and then decide for yourself which is stronger. http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=426&SID=6
No 700R4 or 4L60 needs a computer The top of the line GNX only had 276 horse. Just slightly better than half of what mildly built V-8's have today. An inexpensively built 2004R is anywhere from $1600.00-$2000.00. A 700R4 built to handle about 450 horse is between $650.00-$950.00. This was taken right from Phoenix Transmission Products: TH-200R This compact overdrive was used from 1981 to 1987 in everything from full size Cadillac's to the Buick GNX. It is the same overall length and output spline as the short tail turbo 350 though the mount location is a full 6 inches further back. This transmission has a universal bolt pattern which fits the Chevrolet, Buick, Olds, Pontiac and Cadillac engines of the mid sixties up through the 80's. Not as strong as the 700R4, the 2004R can still be built to a high level of power handling capacity. The 2004R is an excellent trans for vehicles with space limitations such as early Fords with X frames that do not permit the use of a 700R4 without much modification. Okay Houdini!
Bwa ha ha... you think mildly built v8's have 500 HP... that's funny. And that 276 was bone stock when V8's at that time had much less.
A mildly built V-8 by todays standards is over 450 horse. I'm running well over 500. V-8's in the mid to late 80's did not have much less. The vette had 250 horse N.A. Now stuff that with a hairdryer and see what you'll get.
you can get a 800hp proof 700r4 from mad dog transmissions w/convertor,tailshaft housing and a warranty for $1500.00
Do a Google search on Mad Dog Transmission. They use to operate under a different name in a different state. Believe 1/8th of with they claim. REMEMBER: You do get what you pay for.
I would not use a stock 200r4. I remember my dad got one behind a 301, it smoked at 30000 miles, 700R4, and a good tranny cooler is my vote You might even consider an oversized pan with cooling fins on it as well
I think it is generally accepted that Buick GN's were waaaay underrated by the factory as to horsepower output and, so far as I know, their performance lead to that conclusion. Ray
Wow Moose I don't know how I missed your post. That link is awesome. You could have saved me a ton of pecking on this damn keyboard. This is the way it is boys! Okay Scotty you can beam me up now! The mission is complete. There's no other intellegent life down here.
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