700R4. Love it or hate it?

[MrC1]

It's also very easy to make upgrades while rebuilding them. Add clutches, increase pump pressure and flow, add a shift kit, increase servo pressures, etc.

[fnoblitt]

i had a 700r4 in my 70 c10 for about 2000 miles before the sun gear broke. the automatics are too boreing for me. i missed rowing thru the gears, so i went back to a muncie 4 speed. coudn't be happier !

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by 468BIGBLOCK

im my opinion the 700r4 is the WORST PIECE OF JUNK that g.m. has ever concieved!!!!!!!!

Everyone gets an opinion, but I would have to argue that GM's attempt to make the Old's 350 into a diesel would take that honor hands down, followed very closely with anything that Zig's.....I couldn't put the 700R4 even close to the top ten, Remember this is the company that gave us the Aztec... JMO

[jbristo67]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

He means the position of the TV cable. It controls shifting on them, and if it is not set properly, you'll lunch one in a hurry.

Tv cable??? You mean Detent cable??

[Andy4639]

468BIGBLOCK,

im my opinion the 700r4 is the WORST PIECE OF JUNK that g.m. has ever concieved!!!!!!!!

Skirkpat,

Everyone gets an opinion, but I would have to argue that GM's attempt to make the Old's 350 into a diesel would take that honor hands down, followed very closely with anything that Zig's.....I couldn't put the 700R4 even close to the top ten, Remember this is the company that gave us the Aztec... JMO

I would have to agree on this one.
468BIGBLOCK, what has gotten you so ripped on the 700-R4's man!
Mine has lasted over 100,000 so far, no it's no race truck but it goes everytime I have needed it to.

[powell72]

Originally Posted by jbristo67

Tv cable??? You mean Detent cable??

No, he means TV cable, as in throttle valve cable, it controls shifts and kick down.

I like my 700, and I would recommend Bowtie Overdrive's tvmadeez kit for anyone thinking of installing one.

[shortbed70]

I like mine but I haven't drove it much but when I did it was NICE compared to my old 350 that wouldn't down shift or up shift into 1st gear and held fluid like a coffee filter. Great with 3.73 gear. I have a 2500 stall,superior servos 1-4 and .500 boost valve and hardened pump rings.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by powell72

No, he means TV cable, as in throttle valve cable, it controls shifts and kick down.

I like my 700, and I would recommend Bowtie Overdrive's tvmadeez kit for anyone thinking of installing one.

Yup.



I just want to clarify my other post a little. I'm not slamming the 700, I'm only saying that I prefer the 200. I guess if you are going to run 3.08's the first gear may actually help out, but there's no way in world I'd run with a 700 with a 3.08 again. I hate the sluggish, gutless feeling they have in OD with 3.08's. The final drive ratio is 2.16 : 1 (it would even less with 200 - 2.06 : 1) It just does not fit my style of driving and I end up using more fuel around trying to "feel" the vehicle under me. It works great for some people though.

[texanidiot25]

How do you think it would do with around 4.10 gears? I could pull a house in 1st.

When my dad was researching the build for his El Camino, he decided on 3.73 gears in back. If I remember the math right, it put his 75mph cruising RPM at around 2600, but the 1st 3 gears were pulling hard, with 1st being a nice short gear to launch.

[2nd_wnd]

i don't really care for mine. it was rebuilt and setup so convertor locks up automatically in 2nd, 3rd, and od.

Plus i only have 3:08 gears . I miss the th350 i had in it. Would trade it out to anybody that has a TH350 and a place to swap it.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by 2nd_wnd

i don't really care for mine. it was rebuilt and setup so convertor locks up automatically in 2nd, 3rd, and od.

Plus i only have 3:08 gears . I miss the th350 i had in it. Would trade it out to anybody that has a TH350 and a place to swap it.

I felt the same with OD and 3.08's.

[ibyourhucklebery]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

Yup.



I guess if you are going to run 3.08's the first gear may actually help out, but there's no way in world I'd run with a 700 with a 3.08 again. I hate the sluggish, gutless feeling they have in OD with 3.08's.

I 100% agree with you..I have 3.08 and 700r4..constantly hunting gears in town..slightest grade on highway and downshift, then upshift..Kills me in gas too. I'm gonna regear to hopefully 3.42 / 3.73. Dunno know if it will fit original pumpkin though. Any ideas anyone? Not to jack this thread but seems appropriate question.

[Skirkpat]

Originally Posted by 2nd_wnd

i don't really care for mine. it was rebuilt and setup so convertor locks up automatically in 2nd, 3rd, and od.

Plus i only have 3:08 gears . I miss the th350 i had in it. Would trade it out to anybody that has a TH350 and a place to swap it.

put some 4.10's in there and I bet youll whistle another tune, and get decent gas mileage at 70mph

[67ChevyRedneck]

3.73 and 700R work very well together. Tire size is a factor too. I run 235/75/15

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by ibyourhucklebery

I 100% agree with you..I have 3.08 and 700r4..constantly hunting gears in town..slightest grade on highway and downshift, then upshift..Kills me in gas too. I'm gonna regear to hopefully 3.42 / 3.73. Dunno know if it will fit original pumpkin though. Any ideas anyone? Not to jack this thread but seems appropriate question.

Changing to 3.73's will be straight forward. The carrier doesn't change until 4.10's. As 67ChevyRedneck said, 3.73's and OD is the perfect set IMO.

[Andy4639]

67ChevyRedneck,
Hope you don't mind me using your picture. Here is a shot of his at work.



Here is mine with 4:10 gears.

[ibyourhucklebery]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Here is mine with 4:10 gears

Hey Andy isnt that your gas gauge moving too!

67 C-30 thanks for the reply

[Andy4639]

Yea it does that. It has a habit of being on empty all the time. I can get about 600 miles out of a tank of gas though if it's all interstate driving and I stay under 70. I drive it to the beach for the spring car show and it's 300 miles one way for me and I can go down and back and forth to the show and then head home before I fill up though.

Oh yea I got a 40 gollon tank in it though!!!

[pmpski_1]

Thanks guys. I have 4.10s out back and I'll probably be running 31" tires. I don't plan on towing anything, but it's nice to know that I can.

[67ChevyRedneck]

That's fine Andy! My speedometer is a little slow, I'm really going about 76mph in that pic.

70mph is about 2100rpms.

[70onB.A.D.'s]

Hey guys another question. How bad is the gas mileage on the highway with the TH350 or should i look for switching out to a 700r4 or will a 4L60 work?

[lowrollin70gmc]

some may not like the 3.08s and a 700R4, but it keeps my car (lighter than a truck) cruisin' at 85 on the 5 (keepin' up with traffic) and on the way to Cali, it never lugged going through the mountains at 75 mph.

I think it'ld be okay in my GMC, as it has more power and I love going 75, feels so natural.

[5150.4.67]

From what I've been told, in stock form the 200r4's weak link is the input shaft and TQ for starters. Ditto for the early 700r4's which carried over these parts. On the other hand, built up and built right, a 700 will easily handle 500 hp. 1987 and later are the best to start with. Here is a pic of how to identify the case alpha-numeric ID.

[vexvader]

Hey guys,

There are a lot of good thoughts here. I will just add a testimony.

I have had a 700r4 in my 1970 C10 for 10 years. The truck originally came with a straight 6 and a 3 on the tree. I put a 350 and the 700r4 in 10 years ago. I don’t know what gear the rear end is but the motor is basically stock with a little cam in it. The trans is stock as well. The trans probably has close to 200,000 miles on it and has been rebuilt once.

The truck will smoke the tires all day in first and will catch second as well. It has plenty of pick up. On the high way at 75 mph the truck is barely idling at about 2100 rpm. I have never had a problem with it (other then it leaks where the speedometer cable goes in). I have also towed several times with it, pulling a lot more weight then I should have. I also regularly haul loads of gravel, sand, couches, etc…

So, what I am saying is I love it and would recommend it highly!!

Vex

[Ol'Rover]

love it. I recoment the B&M stage 2 heavy duty shiftkit tho...makes everything much firmer. Hits harders... and just plain fun!