700r4 types, opinions and help??

[freezmcnally]

is there a difference between a 700r4 installed in a car vs. a truck? i have an opportunity (very cautiously) to buy this. it is close to home and i could go check it out. it is currently installed in a car...dunno what kind. thought i read somewhere a truck case is different from a car case?

he wants 400 for it with factory converter. said he never dragged it etc.

here is what he said

less than 100 miles on it since he rebuilt last summer...he is pulling it out for an LS swap.

are there case numbers or anything to look for? also 1986 and up correct?

thoughts??

[hugger6933]

Yeah, the later it is basically the better off you are . They made constant changes to improve the 700 all the way through the production run as they do with most everything they do.after 89 I think it was they redid the pump and mad it a whole lot better and valve body upgrades came along about that time as well. oh, there is not much difference between the car trans and the truck trans except the gov. weights may be different. I once put in a 700 out of a G 20 3/4 ton van in my S10 extended cab truck and it shifted way early because of the weight difference. I swapped out the gov's and that fixed e'rething. Jim

[freezmcnally]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

Yeah, the later it is basically the better off you are . They made constant changes to improve the 700 all the way through the production run as they do with most everything they do.after 89 I think it was they redid the pump and mad it a whole lot better and valve body upgrades came along about that time as well. oh, there is not much difference between the car trans and the truck trans except the gov. weights may be different. I once put in a 700 out of a G 20 3/4 ton van in my S10 extended cab truck and it shifted way early because of the weight difference. I swapped out the gov's and that fixed e'rething. Jim

good to know. its cheap enough that as long as its not already burned out, i can put some tweaking money into it and still be ahead. i know its ideal to buy a $1600 verified rebuild and craigslist is risky. but big difference between 400 and 1600. but i can go look at it in person which maybe helps

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

Yeah, the later it is basically the better off you are . They made constant changes to improve the 700 all the way through the production run as they do with most everything they do.after 89 I think it was they redid the pump and mad it a whole lot better and valve body upgrades came along about that time as well. oh, there is not much difference between the car trans and the truck trans except the gov. weights may be different. I once put in a 700 out of a G 20 3/4 ton van in my S10 extended cab truck and it shifted way early because of the weight difference. I swapped out the gov's and that fixed e'rething. Jim

I have a 86 SWB that's got the factory 305/700R. The motor and tranny have 93K miles on them with the tranny being rebuilt about three months ago. It seems like it shifts really early, what gov's did you switch to or would you recommend switching to? Thanks in Advance.

[Bigdav160]

The 700R4 was continuously updated from it's inception in 1982 until it went out of production in 1993. The pump went through several revisions, the forward sprag did also. The big improvement in 1987 was the addition of a forward accumulator to cushion the shift into "D". The year of the trans can usually be determined by the code on the raised pad -passenger side rear corner.

[freezmcnally]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

The 700R4 was continuously updated from it's inception in 1982 until it went out of production in 1993. The pump went through several revisions, the forward sprag did also. The big improvement in 1987 was the addition of a forward accumulator to cushion the shift into "D". The year of the trans can usually be determined by the code on the raised pad -passenger side rear corner.

so I found out it original came from the sellers '92 pickup, so it's sounding better each time.

[davepl]

I'd never pay rebuilt price. Pay core price. Unless he has a receipt from a reputable shop you've heard of before and are confident it hasn't been in a vehicle since. Or if you really know the guy and trust him. Otherwise, if something like an engine was rebuilt last year, all I know now is it's probably not std bore...

I'd imagine $400 with the factory converter is a good deal. I run a 200-4R (or will, but I had it in a car beforehand and it was nice). Because I was racing it I had a looser, non-lockup converter. I now wish I'd installed a factory-stall lockup converter and use the adapter kit from TCI that measures load and controls the lockup that way (vacuum switch basically).

Bigdav60 knows way more than me on the year revisions. I got a late Grand National unit under the theory they'd be stronger. No real idea if I got a stronger trans that way or not.

And if the 700 is anything like the 200, get the TV cable right. It's not a kickdown. Poorly adjusted kickdown on a TH350 just makes driving a little annoying. Doing it on a TV setup will grenade the trans and right quick too.

[freezmcnally]

Originally Posted by davepl

I'd never pay rebuilt price. Pay core price. Unless he has a receipt from a reputable shop you've heard of before and are confident it hasn't been in a vehicle since. Or if you really know the guy and trust him. Otherwise, if something like an engine was rebuilt last year, all I know now is it's probably not std bore...

I'd imagine $400 with the factory converter is a good deal. I run a 200-4R (or will, but I had it in a car beforehand and it was nice). Because I was racing it I had a looser, non-lockup converter. I now wish I'd installed a factory-stall lockup converter and use the adapter kit from TCI that measures load and controls the lockup that way (vacuum switch basically).

Bigdav60 knows way more than me on the year revisions. I got a late Grand National unit under the theory they'd be stronger. No real idea if I got a stronger trans that way or not.

And if the 700 is anything like the 200, get the TV cable right. It's not a kickdown. Poorly adjusted kickdown on a TH350 just makes driving a little annoying. Doing it on a TV setup will grenade the trans and right quick too.

thats my thinking. i can pay $1600 and know all about it, or risk $400 on what I AM TOLD is a rebuilt good working 700r4 (guy i will meet in person from craigslist....so no I DONT know him at all..... now i see the risks here. but a core is $150 or so anyway. so if i need to rebuild it after i put it in and it DOESNT work well, technically im out $250, but possibly saving almost $1200.
does that make sense or am i just being cheap LOL

[davischevy]

I would go for it. Like you said, you are going to have to buy a core anyway.

[Greasey Harley]

Seems like every piece of junk I buy, always has a "rebuilt" engine or trans.
...But no receipts. I just assume they are lying to me.
If you know this person well, $400 is hard to beat, for a good, working, low miles, 1992, 700r4 with a TC.
If you don't know or trust this person, 700r4 cores go for about $150 in my area.

[freezmcnally]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

Seems like every piece of junk I buy, always has a "rebuilt" engine or trans.
...But no receipts. I just assume they are lying to me.
If you know this person well, $400 is hard to beat, for a good, working, low miles, 1992, 700r4 with a TC.
If you don't know or trust this person, 700r4 cores go for about $150 in my area.

dont know the person. and yes, i dont trust anyone typically. thats earned, not given...however...sometimes you have to take a plunge. which i dont do often without over-researching the crap out of everything. DavisChevy gave me a really good lead on a guy that rebuilds/installs (also found me a great '68 steering wheel too!), but again, with a 700r4 being a 'non' necessity item...it was more about timing and just finding what appears like a good deal.

[freezmcnally]

Originally Posted by davischevy

I would go for it. Like you said, you are going to have to buy a core anyway.

thanks

[nlped]

I did the same thing you are contemplating...bought a 700r4 from a guy 2 hours away from an add in CL. I looked over the trans, checked the fluid (clean as a whistle) and just kinda mulled around the guys home shop and I felt comfortable about the purchase. I paid $250, so I felt like I was more than safe if the thing took a dump. The thing worked flawlessly and I used the truck I put it in, i.e. towing, hauling etc, without any issue.

I say, for $400, go for it

[freezmcnally]

Originally Posted by nlped

I did the same thing you are contemplating...bought a 700r4 from a guy 2 hours away from an add in CL. I looked over the trans, checked the fluid (clean as a whistle) and just kinda mulled around the guys home shop and I felt comfortable about the purchase. I paid $250, so I felt like I was more than safe if the thing took a dump. The thing worked flawlessly and I used the truck I put it in, i.e. towing, hauling etc, without any issue.

I say, for $400, go for it

good to know that there are good experiences....you tend to only read about the bad ones sometimes on these boards...so its always a difficult decision. I've been doing the same thing....i dont generally do a one email thing...i try to establish a bit of a relationship (as best you can on email) to see if its a real person or a scam artist.

thanks for all the opinions...the more the better.

[Big Kev-O]

davepl's advice on getting the TV cable setup correct is spot on. I killed the first 700R4 I owned by messing with the adjustment when I was too young to know what I was doing. If you have a aftermarket carburator you will need a geometry correction bracket or TV cable kit. I prefer the TV Made EZ kit.There is a good explination of how the TV system works on the Bowtie Overdrives TV Made EZ site.