700R4. Love it or hate it?

[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.

[6772owner]

Also love mine, made a huge difference in drivability and highway comfort. I have not had any issues at all, but TV Cable set-up is critical, and mine has been rebuild. I would contact Bow-Tie overdrives for all info, parts or a complete trans. Awesome people and product.

[468BIGBLOCK]

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

[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

[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.

[weircc]

well this thread has helped me decide on the route im gonna go i have been looking at 700r4 to purchase for awhile.i have been looking on ebay and there seems to be some reasonable pricing on there. so i think but not sure they are selling up to 500hp 600 pounds of torque for like 850.00? deal or no deal?

[pmpski_1]

Originally Posted by weircc

well this thread has helped me decide on the route im gonna go i have been looking at 700r4 to purchase for awhile.

My hope was to help me decide one way or the other, happy to see it's helped others too!

[Dying2Live]

I have a 700r4 behind the 350 in my S10, with 3.73s. I love it, but I was happier with it with the 3.08's in it because it held 2nd gear longer. My only gripe about the 700r4 is that it won't upshift into OD at WOT. In fact it won't upshift past about 75% throttle. On police cars they do, but not the others. They make an aftermarket valve body that allows them to upshift at WOT, I just haven't bought one yet. Other than that I love my R4.

[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.

[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

[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?

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by 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?

The TH350 is horrible on the freeway. I can't cruise more than 65 really. Of course I can go faster if I wanted, but as far as cruising, I'm in the slow lane... In fact I get far better city mileage than highway. But I also have 4.10-ish gears..

[72chevyk10]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

The TH350 is horrible on the freeway. I can't cruise more than 65 really. Of course I can go faster if I wanted, but as far as cruising, I'm in the slow lane... In fact I get far better city mileage than highway. But I also have 4.10-ish gears..

thats usually me but last weekend i drove 50miles at about 60-70mph and i got about 12.5 mpg. i was shocked! i got 4.10ish gears too (and 35in tires probly helped with that)

[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!

[Andy4639]

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

Why do you have it locking up in 2, 3 rd gear? I only have mine lockup in drive when I'm going over 45MPH. I have a manual toggle switch I can leave it out of lockup if I want also.
This is why your truck is always searching for gears it's bumping in and out of lockup.

[Hertzdaddy]

FYI, here's an article about the 200-4r that supports what some have already said here.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...ild/index.html

Couldn't find this article right away but here it is now. Some conflicting opinions.

http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=426&SID=6

Eric

[Critter]

Originally Posted by Critter

A little off subject, but I remember something about the 200r not being able to mate with a transfercase, aka, a 4x4 application. Am I making this up or IS it possible using GM parts?

Originally Posted by Hertzdaddy

FYI, here's an article about the 200-4r that supports what some have already said here.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...ild/index.html

Oh that's right, 200-r4 don't have a removable tailshaft. I knew I wan't loosing my mind.