700R4, Doesnt anyone like overdrive?

[suprabad]

I hate to poke my nose into what's turning into a pretty angry thread but, for what kinda horsepower we were originally talking about here (400 or so) I can personally attest to the fact that a well built a340e, will hold up just fine.

No, you can't build a trans brake into it, but come on, how many people (who aren't jacking themselves off) need one?

 

[supra_ed]

The 700R4 is one of the biggest pieces of shit ever made, that is why.

It is as bad as the Ford AXOD found in the Taurus and Mercury FWD cars.

The 700R4 went through so many updates it was renamed the 4L60, even though it was the same trans. Bad idea to swap to it. The A340E is a much better unit in almost every way.

In fact, the 700R4 is the reason people leave their transmission in 3rd, because O/D fails so much.

i agree with this guy. i went through 2 700r's (one of them was built) in a 86 camaro with a 383. not to mention they a sluggish and tempramental. always go with turbo350- thats wat i learned. screw the economy

 

[89turbosupra]

i agree with this guy. i went through 2 700r's (one of them was built) in a 86 camaro with a 383. not to mention they a sluggish and tempramental. always go with turbo350- thats wat i learned. screw the economy

You can still have economy and th350 strength. If you attach a gear vendors overdrive to the end of the tranny it gives it a .7 4th gear. You can also split gears with it so you have a 6 speed auto. It can also handle 1000hp so it should hold to what ever a street car can throw at it.

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Intentions were never for economy, if i wanted economy id buy a civic or CRX. I like bieng able to cruise at 70 turning 2500rpm rather then 4000rpm.

I still dont see the problems with the 4L60's/700r4's seeing as they put them behind 400 horsepower cars from the factory and warranty them. anyone have any actual proof of this phenomenon of breaking 700r4's/4l60's?

That gear vendors overdrive unit is a great invention, but at 1500 bucks i could have the stock tranny built AND get a converter for just the cost of the overdrive unit, Add in the additional cost of the 700r4/4l60 plus a converter and bell housing adapter/flex plate and i could build the stocker 3-4 times. its not cost effective unless you have something like a camaro with an existing th350/400 and your just adding it on.

 

[Isphius]

a TCI 700r4 is 1500$ I believe. And thats rebuilt with high performance clutches and an upgraded torque converter. The same th350 is 900$. So there is a difference in price, but the overdrive is nice. My GFs 3rd gen camaro has a super high first gear, its a 2.8 with 135 hp and its faster than my 150hp cobalt till about 40 mph, it will still lay some rubber, and at 60 mph, it cruises at 1700 rpms, which still leaves room for a higher axle ratio. and it will get 24 or 25 mpg running around town with a lot of stop and go and 40 mph roads in there. So im sure it would be similar on a supra. The problem with 700r4s is poor owner care. The trans fluid breaks down over time from heat and age and clogs up the torque converter. This lowers the pressure the trans has to squeeze the clutches. Then in overdrive the clutch will slip, allowing it to get hot, the fluid starts to break down when it gets hot, and it starts a chain reaction which eventually fries the OD gears and the rest of the trans down the line. And that can all be avoided by changing the fluid on time. The best trans to get would be out of an 80s or early 90s gm truck or van with OD. They have 700r4s with heavy duty TCs, clutchs, and come with a higher first gear. and also a nice trans cooler would help it out a ton.

 

[Isphius]

I still dont see the problems with the 4L60's/700r4's seeing as they put them behind 400 horsepower cars from the factory and warranty them. anyone have any actual proof of this phenomenon of breaking 700r4's/4l60's?

They put this transmission in RVs, A 454 powered truck, F-bodys, c4 and c5 vettes, the GTO, RWD Impala, and a bunch of other cars with massive low rpm power and in other very heavy vehicles, so its pretty tough. The H1 with a 6L diesel even has a gm 700r4

 

[TurboStreetCar]

They put this transmission in RVs, A 454 powered truck, F-bodys, c4 and c5 vettes, the GTO, RWD Impala, and a bunch of other cars with massive low rpm power and in other very heavy vehicles, so its pretty tough. The H1 with a 6L diesel even has a gm 700r4

that what i don't understand, in stock form they are behind a 300 horsepower ls1 without issues, so a built one with a good cooler cant handle 500? :dunno:

 

[Isphius]

it should. Ive never personally seen it, but it should have no problem as long as you get an upgraded TC, OD clutches, keep it cool and keep the fluid changed up to date. Look around some 3rd gen camaro forums to see what there doing.

 

[joliroger4]

So a TH350 will handle 685ft lbs no problem?

Yes, and beyond. Coan or ATI will have no problem exceeding what you need. MSP was running an ATI TH350 into the 7s. The weight difference between the the 350 and 400 is negligible. The biggest issue with a TH400 is it eats a lot more power, but making power with a supra is a joke, so I would be more concerned with what is going to stay together longer than freeing up every last bit of horsepower for a street car.

I would personally go for a TH400 in a street supra though mainly because the weight of a supra will be murder on the trans. The TH350 you will have to buy that will stay together for a reasonable amount of time will far outprice the TH400 and it also wont last as long in a street car. The 400 is ridiculously stronger than the 350, but the 350 can be built to handle big power if you have deep enough pockets. My truck got a 350 because it is a 2800lb race car w/driver with the only mileage it sees being 50 passes a year or less. I wanted a serious drag car.

Nate, get in touch if you are serious about this.

 

[Isphius]

I was always under the impression the 400 weighed a lot more. But i guess you would know better than me. I saw that truck run at e-town, didnt know it was a gm auto. That is one badass truck youve got tho!

 

[joliroger4]

You're talking about 20lbs roughly depending what's in the trans. In a 3500+lb supra that's not in competition, no big deal. Thanks!

 

[HommerSimpson]

Nose.. I will be going 700r4 soon as my tranny slippin bad when cold now,so im sure its on its last leg.. glad you started this tread.. lota good info.. and it didnt change my mind.. I plan on using supra for long hauls and want it at 2500 @7k to...trannys are 49 bucks at LKQ when they run special on saturdays... soon as i get time im going to snag one out of a truck it looks like from info in thread :}
Any progress ?

OOPS old thread sorry

 

[Doward]

Yeah, ancient thread man!

Still, good info here. But um... there is no BOP 700r4 that I'm aware of. Also, any transmission that is 'sluggish' behind the torque of a 383 is a bad transmission, period.

I'm building a 700r4 for a 383 myself right now (going into an '88 Camaro, lol)

I will say this - if you want to stay automatic, I HIGHLY suggest a built a340e vs pretty much anything else. The a340 is no weakling of a transmission, bolts right up, and you can get parts for it.

 

[HommerSimpson]

what all year make model cars did that tranny come in ?
And what kinda money for rebuild kit... I do plan on high hp one day and im sure i could hit 350 -400 now but have yet to turn boost past 7 due to fact i know what happens when a tranny decides to go.. YOU STOP right there.. and thats no fun...and overdrive is a absolute must..

 

[Muzy]

Quite a bit of 700r4 bashing, each to their own. I run one, have for 3 years in a BB chev
4x, 4.56 gears and 35 tires. Mud snow highway. Works good. Even used it for pulling out
trees, bushes, moving crap that weights 5 times as much as the truck. Got it pretty hot
a couple times, still working well. Will say if you don't get the TV cable right with good
geometry on you linkage, you will blow the seals on the 1-2 shift. Then your f___ed. muzy

 

[Isphius]

This is an ancient thread...but oh well it is full of usefull info. The 700r4 came in every F body with overdrive, corvettes, Any overdrive pickup or van, most of the full size cars, and well really lots of other stuff. Check this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo-Hydramatic

A 4l60/4l60e is also a 700r4, but you need a controller for the electronic(e) version. Watch out for the G body overdrives, the 200r4. Its a little weaker although there is a pretty good knowledge and parts base because of the monte SS and the grand national. Overall i would say stick with a toyota unit, but if your mind is set the 700r4 is not a bad deal. The gear ratios are a little betterthan either a th350 or a340 with a taller overdrive and im sure its much easier to find a shop/person with 700r4 knowledge

 

[mdr40z]

The 700R4 is one of the biggest pieces of shit ever made, that is why.

It is as bad as the Ford AXOD found in the Taurus and Mercury FWD cars.

The 700R4 went through so many updates it was renamed the 4L60, even though it was the same trans. Bad idea to swap to it. The A340E is a much better unit in almost every way.

In fact, the 700R4 is the reason people leave their transmission in 3rd, because O/D fails so much.

right on

 

[Isphius]

right on

The only thing wrong with them is the factory torque converter can get clogged easily(and 99% of the time it is) and the overdrive doesnt have like a lock feature, so its constantly shifting in and out of OD when you let off the gas or decelerate. This causes it to get really hot. Thats why people drive around in D

 

[877m]

the 700r4 trannys suck if u ask me personally my buddy has one in his pontiac with a 350 h.o. and he keeps blowing threw them they are only good for about 300 hp where a turbo 400 is a great tranny that can hold alot more power

 

[877m]

Quite a bit of 700r4 bashing, each to their own. I run one, have for 3 years in a BB chev
4x, 4.56 gears and 35 tires. Mud snow highway. Works good. Even used it for pulling out
trees, bushes, moving crap that weights 5 times as much as the truck. Got it pretty hot
a couple times, still working well. Will say if you don't get the TV cable right with good
geometry on you linkage, you will blow the seals on the 1-2 shift. Then your f___ed. muzy

oh the 700r4 is great for a normall car really it is a great tranny for that but when u start pushing some horse power around that your trying to race with it dont hold up so well. but it is very reliable for a normal car like what it came in.