700r4 - hydrolic or electric?

[guyryan100]

Trany shop recommends that I get a hydrolically controlled tranny to avoid wiring whoes. Seems I read somewhere that the electricly controled version was the only way to go. Any suggestions?

[sam's 72]

I have a 700R4 in my truck. It is set up hydrolicly. If it were me. Thats the way I would set it up. I like mine a lot. No wires to fool with. Just the TV cable, my tranny guy doe that for me with a set of his gauges.

[64fleetside]

Mine was set up hydraulically, but I took the check ball out & hooked it up like sorta like GM did using a brake switch + vacuum switch. I like it a lot better but I am picky, it is now set up to lock up only in OD & unlocks under high load/braking. Brian

[guyryan100]

Does the hydro setup not unlock on braking? What about on downshift for accelerating?

[gabet40]

isnt the only thing electrical on the 700r4 the lock up TC? i was under the impression that the electronically controlled trannies were a completely different part name, the 460L or something like that, but with the same gear ratios.
or maybe i missed the whole question all together. if ur askin whether it should lockup with hydraulic or electric, then id definitely say electric. cuz if its hydraulic then its automatic and you wont have as much control over it compared to if it was electric. i love being able to turn it on and off at will

[sam's 72]

My tranny is a 700r4. Can not remember what it is out of. It is not computer controled. The electronics on it was for TC only. They were removed, and the tranny locks up hydrolically. I can not tell you how my tranny guy set it up cause I did not ask. But when it was behind my 305 it worked great. shifted firm at all shift points, no wiring to fool with. To me. In my opinion, this is the way to go. This is just for the TC. Dont get this confussed with a computer controled tranny, cause it is not. It is a regular 700r4 like what came in a 96 vette or what ever it came in during that error.
Sam

[gabet40]

ok thats what i wanted to clarify. so if you dont want to mess wit the two wires that come out of it, one to your hot switch and one to ground on the frame, you should do hydraulic.
but how bout some input on control over the hydraulically controlled TCs? do they ever lock up too early and take any desired power away? does it ever lock up and other times that you dont want it to?

[sam's 72]

Mine locks up around 45 mph. Have not really paid attention to what mph it unlocks. This is all up to the tranny guy, how he wants it set up. I just had my tranny freshened up. I put a new 383 in my truck, while I had the tranny out I had him freshen it up and build me a stall converter for it. I have not driven the truck yet since he has done this. But as good as this guy is, I don't for see any problems with it. Once I get the truck back on the road, then I will take it to him for him to make the final adjustment on my TV cable.
Sam

[ChevLoRay]

The critical factor is getting the Throttle Valve pressure set correctly. What I have read, says 60-65psi. There's a port on the driver's side where you can put a gauge. The correct TV pressure is the life of the 200R4 and the 700R4. The 4L60E and 4L80E are the electronically controlled gearboxes. Aside from the signal to lock/unlock the convertor, I don't think there's any other electricals needed, is there?

I'm anxious to get a 700R4 in my '69. How much are you guys seeing in turnkey costs? I've been told about $1300, with the driveshaft work included.

[sam's 72]

I don't know any thing about the 4L60E or the 4L80E. To help keep some of the confussen down on this post, lets just talk about the 700r4 or the 200r4. These trannys are not computer controlled. Only wire they have is for TC lock up and thats it. If you want to get a 700r4 in your truck, mine cost me $ 750.00 turn key job, came with a 24000 mile, 24 month warrenty. My tranny guy did the whole conversion. I would have done it my self, but he only charged me $ 250.00 to move cross member, shorten and rebalance drive shaft, new TV cable, and dipstick. I was not about to jack the truck up in my drive way for this kind of price. I bought the tranny from a friend for $ 100.00 and my tranny guy rebuilt the tranny and torque converter for $ 400.00, the converter is a bullit steal converter. He doe not use rebuilt converters. He builds them himself. You are right about the TV cable, it is very critical to have this set up right. It will make or brake the tranny. As far as what pressure, I have no ideal. When it comes to my tranny, I don't do any thing with it. I leave it completely up to my tranny guy. If I get the truck back and don't like how it shifts, I take it back to him. He can either firm it up or soften it up, depending on what I want. He built this tranny for my 383. It will have around 450 to 460 HP, with around 500 to 525 ftlb of torque. I told him this when I droped the tranny off and he built it up for my aplication. To me with these 700r4's, the whole key is a very very good tranny guy, that knows the 700r4, and knows what it take to build one. Most of the chain tranny shops, are not good. You are going to have to ask around to get a good tranny guy.
Sam

[64fleetside]

The reason I changed mine to electric lockup was no unlock on braking and lockup too soon/no unlock when you accelerate that wiring in a vacuum switch +brake switch eliminates. When mine was hydraulic it locked in 2nd & stayed locked, just gives a truck a funny "freewheeling" feel when braking, & no unlock up hills/passing until a downshift occurs. Seems to "hunt" a whole lot less than before. Brian

[jay6891]

Sam72, sounds like you got a good deal. I paid 950.00 for my 700r, it came with tc,external filters, external cooler, tv cable. Got about a hundred and a half in the driveshaft with new u-joints, one piece. Mine is electric, I like the fact that it will unlock the tc pulling hills. I dont have it hooked to the brake pedal though. I have had it for 4 yrs now and love it. ChevLoRay, I work in Little Rock on the new Heifer project downtown behind the Clinton Library, If you need help on your install, let me know if I can help.

[ChevLoRay]

Hey, thanks for the offer. Right now, I'm caught up in paying for airfare to CA., to see the youngest son (USAF).

Oh, the pressure reading I cited above was a little wrong. It should be 55-65PSI, AT IDLE. There is a plug that you can remove to install the gauge. The August, 2004 edition of Custom Classic Trucks magazine has the article I mentioned. It is very informative.

Sounds like y'all got some good prices. The price I mentioned is turnkey. I trusth guy, too. He's an old drag racer, and still has his '55 Chevy that he has owned for over 40 years.

[sam's 72]

When I pulled my 700r4 out three months ago, I took it to my tranny guy to freshen it up and build me a stall converter for it. He charged me $ 200.00 total, this is for torque converter ( stall that he built ) and for going through the tranny. I went to his shop twice to pick up a couple of things from him when he had my tranny. And he showed me my tranny all torn apart. And what he felt like was going on with it. It was still in good shape, after about two1/2 years. But the way the orginal tranny was built, it would have not held up to the 383 I have in front of it now.
Sam