Hi guys, someone is asking $400 for this 2004R near me and I've been shopping around for a running one of these to swap in place of my TH350. I also plan on upgrading to 3.42 gears to match (have 2.73 open rear now), and maybe a higher stall convertor if I can. This is for a 1970 Skylark with a 350. For some reason this trans is missing it's ID tag making it tough to tell what it really is unless I was to go over and drop the pan to see if I could find the valvebody stamp. Here are some pictures that the seller sent me. Can anyone tell if this trans would be worth the price? They claim it was removed from a running vehicle but don't know the history. What is that thing bolted to the tailhousing?
IMO, from my own past experience, unless you got to drive the car it came out of or get a warranty on it, I wouldn't pay much over $200 for a transmission. You will probably end up rebuilding it, plus some extra goodies like a new apply servo (which you should do either way, doesn't require disassembly). And I'm hoping that is grease they smeared around the input shaft seal to keep water out and not something more permanent. They haven't plugged the cooler lines either, if they've pressure washed the case and/or left it out in the rain several times that could be a minor concern.
Well sorry to waste a thread, but after doing more and more research I've determined that this trans will only fit a Chevy engine Post #2 in the following thread clued me in: http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/transmission/32608-200-4r-tips-tricks-saved-tools-i-learned.html Glad I didn't go for it!
Interesting, that is the first 200-4r transmission I've ever seen with a Chevy only bell housing. Mine has distinct ears for the upper mounting points which are missing from that one. The ad's:
Yeah same! The weird shifter bracket looking thing on the trans looks like something for a truck, but I have no idea what it is. They do make bellhousing adapter plates but I'm wondering if I should just look for a dual pattern or BOP trans instead.
It appears to have a "694" 2nd gear servo. This the one put in the 86-87 turbo regal 2004r. Could have a good vb/gov combo. As Mr silver Buick points out, it probably needs to be "gone through" if you want it to last a while. Water hurts the insides and that unit has a lot of open entry points . Does it come with a torque converter? Do you know the history of it? I would regard it as a core. Even with the decent servo(aftermarket has larger ones) I wouldn't pay more than $100 unless it has the performance vb and gov in it. Not sure on the bracket, probably for a shifter.
I've ran the BOP adapter plate to bolt a 700-r4 up to a Pontiac engine and have one on the shelf for when I install a 4L60e in my Firebird (to replace the 200-4r). Using one in your application wouldn't bother me at all.
You are all correct, and I think $400 is too much for a trans that I don't know the history of. I'm going to pass on this one, but I'll probably end up getting something similar (owner claiming it runs) for hopefully less and drop it in to see what happens. I've read Ken's thread on the install so I know there are other things I'll need to get it hooked up. For some reason these transmission don't seem to be very common on my local craigslist.
Go to your local wrecking yard and head for the Cadillac section. You want one with the AA code on the tail tag. Pick up the ds yoke, dipstick and tube, tv cable, converter, and tv carb and manifold brackets for install on your ride. I can let you in on what I did to the one in my car. It shifts about 4800 rpm and has nice crisp shifts after some vb and pump mods.
How much did a trans from the wrecking yard run you? I just found another 2004R near me pulled from a "running '71 Olds 88", guy wants $350 for it including convertor. If that falls through I will try a pick and pull!
Ya, I just picked up a pair of 200-4R transmissions, one being a the KZF code '87 model for a 442/Hurst Olds of that vintage. the other was a generic OZ code from 84.. that's a parts trans. Paid $160 each for them from a private seller. Most of the wrecking yards want 250-400 for them. So watch craigslist in your area, they come up. The 87 will be rebuilt and beefed up, and will go into the TSP test car in phase two, where we will be investigating the swap, the benefits, timeslips and durability of that trans, as well as different converters for it. The 455 will be stock to begin with, then we will do some mild mods at first.. I expect good life up to around 500 HP.. It will be interesting to see at what level this particular unit will need the upgraded hard parts.. while turbo cars have gone 9's with this trans, they load the trans very differently than a 455 car will, because of how they "spool up" and make power. Instead of just throwing the kitchen sink worth of hard parts at it from the get-go we are going to do just the stator shaft and sun shell upgrades to begin with, along with the direct dual clutch feed mod.. and then fix it as required as the 455 and our torture test of street and drag racing breaks it. JW
Jim, if you dual feed it without a billet shaft forward drum you will have park and six neutrals in short order. Just my experience. I didn't dual feed the directs but like you feel it might be needed behind a BBB. That kz should do you well. I paid $100 for the Cadillac cores but this has been years ago. I do know you need to bring cash and make sure you are negotiating with the decision maker at the yard. Toward the end of the month they have bills due and you might catch them needing the money.
Rich, Yes, I have certainly read/heard that if you accomplish the dual feed by leaving the drum and support sealing rings out, and welding up the hole in one of the center support bolts for reverse, that they tend to start breaking parts. As a long time fan of Gil Younger and his company Trans-go, I will be using their HD-2 kit to acomplish the dual feed, they actually have a case mod that controls the apply pressure, which lessens the possibility of that breakage... at least it has so far on the few units I have done. It has provided good firm shifts, without being too aggressive. I have read where some of the more well known R4 builders shun that kit, but I experienced that in the TH-400 world too.. and often it was more about personal preference and money, than any real issue. It's also been my experience in 400's that when you start defeating circuits instead of tuning them, you often end up with harsh shifts and broken parts. And if it does not work, and they are right, then we will find that out too.. that's really part of the deal here, and failures are often more instructive than successes. I am certainly not going to claim to be some R4 expert here.. just a guy trying to identify the limits and when you have to buy the big buck parts. That is what the TSP test car is going to be all about.. let's really put some numbers and experience to these parts, on a car that I am not afraid to break. Should be fun, the od trans stuff won't happen till next year, I am trying to find the time now to go thru the 70K mile 455 and BB trans that we will start out with, and put the car together. JW
Call up sonnax and talk to them about "flipping the feed" . Also not near the violence and can be done without the fancy parts though it does require a bit of work. There is much more area with the dual feed than just using the rev side. I'm not sold on it but yall are the experts. I'm very interested in seeing how it works out for you. My next one will get the billet shaft and cheap dual feed mod. For now I'm going on two years with the one in there. Fancy red raybestos direct clutches and a carbon band. I'd also recommend a call to david Husek at turbo Buick performance. He was very generous with his time when I talked to him .
That kind of testing would make for some GREAT TV!!! Make sure you make videos of your escapades with this test vehicle!! Can't wait to watch on YT. Would be a great video series, make sure to include video of the trans being assembled and disassembled when broke and how you fix it, and video of maybe engine build and mods done to up the aunty. Lots of video potential, I for sure would watch it. Derek
Actually I did make a mistake, but it's out of an '87 Old 88! I agree! This sounds like some excellent test and would be great to watch! :3gears: Oh and my plan is to put the 2004R behind a very mild 6psi turbo 350 (using Mark Burton's twin turbo kit). Hopefully a stockish 4R wouldn't bite the bullet immediately behind this setup, but we'll see!
Have you been over to check it out? Maybe pull the pan and look at the vb to see what is in there. With that 694 servo, who knows it could have a brf vb. Then make the seller an offer. If it does have the brf vb and gov I might drop $400 on it but I'd start off at half and see where the negotiations go. He might need the cash or the wife is on him to get rid of it. Not a vid but I included a bunch of pix on my build thread. http://www.ihadav8.com/forum/index.php?topic=3729.0 if you are interested.
Thanks for the link, lots of good pics! I haven't been to see either trans, but hopefully I can get to it next week. The guys with the Olds is being super flaky :af:
