Drivetrain Order Question

[Car'n'Guitars]

Okay so I noticed our trucks were ordered with many of them having the 305/700r4 combo. If both of these are so hated why were so many ordered this way? What has changed since these trucks were new to now that makes people dislike this set-up?

[Zane M]

Originally Posted by Car'n'Guitars

Okay so I noticed our trucks were ordered with many of them having the 305/700r4 combo. If both of these are so hated why were so many ordered this way? What has changed since these trucks were new to now that makes people dislike this set-up?

I'm going to take S.W.A.G. and say this was a popular combo under the guise that the gas milage would be better.
Reality is in most situations the milage gains you get out of the 305 don't justify the lack of power in relation to the 350.

Now the hate for the 700r4 I don't necessarily get. Arguably it is a weak sister compared to the 350 or the 400, but driving down the highway at less than 2900 RPM has its advantages.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

The 700r4 has a throttle valve cable that if not adjusted right blows the trans. It controls the pump pressure pretty much. Many confused this as a passing cable and many still do and don't quite understand the way the transmission works. Many also towed in overdrive and killed the trans.

The 305 was designed to replace the 350, basicly do the work of a 350 but with less gas. An in my opinion it did. In a performance setting the 305 could only be built up so much, with valve shrouding issues an the like its good as its Intended purpose and that's about it. With the gas prices high and the 55mph speed limit cap (55 is peculiarly highlighted in some gm models) the 305 made sense and was cheaper. In the late 70's and 80s gm was planning to do away with the v8 a lot of reasearch was going into smaller engines and more efficiant designs. The Buick regal gnx and type T cars were the brainchildren of this philosophy and met with great success. Even the great corvette was designated to give up its v8. When the boys at bucks performance division got the turbo v6 to out do the corvette the gnx program was promptly and quietly shut down. The lesson? Don't embarrass your flagship vehicle with grandmas car
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[86c20]

the 700r4 is a good trans but like was said it was behind mostly 305 low power. when guys started to put them behind high hp motors it showed it weekness. it is closer to a 400 i think but with less clutches??? i do know a few guys that have them with 800hp big block chevelles and impala's and lovethem but they are all built for the power.