couple of questions for ya...

[navybear70]

Hey ya'll, I've got some questions.
1.) My buddy is helping me get my truck back on the road and he owns an '82 Chevy that also looks like it used to be a diesel like mine. He has a struggling 350 with a freshly rebuilt 700R4 w/ a brand new shift kit. He's basically stock except for the headers and MSD ignition box on the fire wall. Oh, and a Edelbrock hi-rise intake and aftermarket 4 brl. He takes the truck to the track and he is extremely proud of his best time of 15.07 in the 1/4 mile. Now... is this fast for a swb truck? I've never raced mine but I told him I would take mine to the track when we get it fixed. I'm pretty sure I'm faster than he is and I'm bone stock except for the dual exhaust. (I've even got an open rearend and cat.'s on both pipes. Arizona truck... sigh)
2.) I've got a Muncie 3-spd T350 (don't know how old) and he's got a 700R4 w/shift kit (fresh rebuild). He wants my tranny for racing and I want his for that elusive fourth gear gas mileage . Which is worth more? Should we swap even, or do I owe him some greenbacks? We will do the swap together, so labor is no issue. Will they swap out? we both have swb trucks. Mine's an 80 stepside, his is an 82 fleetside.
Tanx in advance for tapping your collective, endless pit of knowledge o wise ones...

[87 STEPPER]

15:07 is a resrectable time for a stock truck.

As for the trany swap that's up to you how good of a friend is he ? either way i would say you would owe him some cash what year is the 700r4? if it's a '87 or newer go for it if it's older than '87 i say dont install it in your truck there's a pad on the side of the trany and it will have the year stamped into it.

As for will they swap i assume you are refering to the bell housing's bolt pattern's and yes they are the same.

Also you will need a TCC bypass kit to make the trany work correctly in your truck since it's not a factory computer equipt truck.

And your buddy's gonna have to put the clutch pedle and z-bar and all related equipment into his truck.

[navybear70]

clutch pedal? They are both automatics.
And why not older than '87? Is there a mechanical reason? because its been rebuilt. Whats a TCC? There's no computer in my truck.

[87 STEPPER]

Ok,

You called it a muncie 3-spd and usually a muncie is a manual gear box so that's why i said clutch pedal. And T350 i wasn't shure what you ment usually automatic's are refered to as TH350 or TH400.

Anyway's the older 700r4's had alot of problems internally and would cycle between 3rd gear and overdrive when your cruising at 50 MPH and had slugish shifting. But if it got rebuilt and who ever did it made the proper up grades internally then i would say use it but if your not shure and it's an older unit i would stay away from it.

A TCC is a Torque Converter Clutch and there are kit's out there to buy pass the TCC and make it lock up the converter so you can utilize the overdrive function and with out a computer in your truck to do it you need this kit so the trany will operate correctly.

[SS79chevy]

ok I do beleve that you will have to move the cross member so the trany mount will line up and you will have to trade drive shafts because the tranys are different lenths and if you don't want to have to buy things you can trade your distrbutors because the distrbutor in his truck has the wiring for the 700r4 and your does not and with out that wiring the trany will not shift or you can buy the buy pass kit I'm about %95 sure on this so wait tell other people reply before you do eny thing

[79BIG10]

Originally posted by SS79chevy
ok I do beleve that you will have to move the cross member so the trany mount will line up and you will have to trade drive shafts because the tranys are different lenths

Yes you haev to move the cross member back a couple inches and redrill holes unless you're truck is new enough to have them already there. On older trucks like mine made before the 700r4 was introduced they won't have the holes. On the driveshaft you may not need to get a new one. The TH350 (9" tailshaft) and the 700r4 are so close you can use the same driveshaft. Look here and compare. http://www.classictruckshop.com/GM_A...sion_Sizes.asp

Originally posted by SS79chevy
and if you don't want to have to buy things you can trade your distrbutors because the distrbutor in his truck has the wiring for the 700r4 and your does not and with out that wiring the trany will not shift or you can buy the buy pass kit

I think you're thinking a 4L60E not a 4L60 (same as 700r4). The later 93 and older were the 4L60E and the earlier models were the 4L60 which used hydraulic pressure to change gears. The later models used a computer to shift the tranny. The distributor has nothing to do with the shifting. The 82 should have the wiring for the lock up converter for the 700r4 but here's how to do it on your truck. http://www.73-87.com/garage/lockup.htm

[navybear70]

You're right Stepper, that was my bust on the wording.
My truck was originally a diesel. Does anyone know what trannys came with those in 1980? Was the TH700R4 used then? I wouldn't think that the current TH350 is original since the truck was converted to gas because I was told that the current 350 might have come from a later model car. I'm so confused.
As for the rebuild, I'm sure it was done right, but I am curious as to what year the tranny is.
P.S. thanks Big10 for the helpful info!

[79BIG10]

I doubt the truck had a 700r4 with it being a former diesel. I'm thinking a TH400 on the truck. With the torque of a diesel I bet it would have torn up the stock 700r4 fast.

On the tranny info ID look here. This is great info http://www.highperformancecars.com/crosley/700id.htm

[M1A1driver]

Another thing for you to think about, especially from the drag racing point of view. The 700r4's got a much lower first gear ratio than the th350. That can get you out of the hole much quicker! Also, the 700r4 is actually a very solid and versatile tranny. Not to argue with some people about the strength of the 700r4, however, I personally have seen these things bolted behind big blocks with nitrous in cars in the 11's & 12's. As for the electrical witing part of it, Summit Racing carries a kit that'll work on any non computerized vehicle. (www.summitracing.com) Hope I helped with your dilemma.

[rockman20]

A 700R4 will live behind a diesel nicely. My truck was originally diesel and it came with the 700 and my dad's conversion van has the 6.2 in it and that has a 700 behind it as well. My truck has 110,000 miles on it and the transmission I am pretty sure has never been touched. (Just because it is showing the wear signs my dad's did before his went out.) My dad's van had about 170,000 on his before the transmission needed a rebuild.

And my truck has a 82 TH700R4 and my dad's van has a 83 TH700R4.

[rockman20]

700R4 can be built virtually bullet proof if you know where all of the weak points are and you replace all of those parts. The 200R4 is said to be stronger, stock, then the 700R4's but the gearing is slightly higher then the 700.

If I were going hardcore racing I would go with a 400. I want the speed, power, and durability.

But for a street driven truck that sees highway use, I would stay with a 200R4 or a 700R4.

[M1A1driver]

200r4???? I, before re-joining the Army, was a technician for Chevrolet. I remember those things coming in, at least two a day, with problems. We took to calling it "The Disposable Wonder" because with it's one piece bellhousing/case, it was virtually un-rebuildable. The case was cracked beyond repair 85% of the time or more. I'd still have to agree, though, the 700r4 is the way to go.

[79BIG10]

If I had the money I'd skip a 700r4 and go straight for the 4L80e. Even a manual shifted one at that