Installing a 200-4R in a 1970 GS, A Tutorial/Pictoral

Wow! It's been a while since I've been able to get out there. Well, I did the wiring today for the lockup converter. All you need to do is take a wire from the fuse box or other 12 volt source. Run it to a simple toggle switch and put an in-line fuse in it (was told a 10 amp would be fine by kit manufacturer). Then run a wire from the toggle switch through the firewall (the holes where the vacuum lines go works great), and run it to the passenger side of the trans and connect to the two pronged pressure switch (it doesn't matter which one you use). Then run a wire from the pressure switch to the tran's main wiring harness plug on the driver's side. Splice into the upper left wire. Then splice into the lower left wire and run as a ground.

That's it your done. Pretty simple, just a little time consuming.

Here's where I chose to put my toggle switch. In the glove box through the light hole. The light is almost never on, so no worry about heat buildup. It's totally hidden, but easy to get to when I want to turn it off at the track. You just have to remove the dash pad to install it. And best of all, no holes had to be drilled in this entire operation.

 

Here's the pic of the throttle cable and TV cable all connected also. As I had said before, I did have to cut the Holley bracket to line up properly with the Holley given my setup with the spacer and being on an SP1. As you can see I did have to "trim" a bit off of the original bracket tower.

You can also see in this picture the red wire coming through the fire wall grommet for the lockup switch. Going through that vacuum line grommet was very easy.

Now just hook up the trans lines to the new cooler and I should be all set.

 

TV Cable

Maybe it the angles in your pic but that TV cable setup looks wrong to me. I don't think it will work that way. The pics below show how it should look.

 

another ...

 

One thing I haven't seen mentioned that I do on all my tranny installs including the 200 I put in last year and again this year:

Remove the pan and connect the shifter plate to the trans case then verify that the detent fully engages in each slot (1-4 if you have the 4 position unit on the shifter) while going through the gears from inside the car. Obviously it takes two sets of eyes to do this and is an easy adjustment from under the car. Bad news if you get between slots 1-2, etc. and could cause trans damage.

I also had to modify the TCI bracket for the Qjet. I had to cut the throttle cable slot off and add about 1" of metal horizontallly to move the mount back so the stock cable would reach the hole in the TCI unit. Looks like it will work fine and WOT is right there. I didn't get it plated but settled for a scuff and shoot black.

There are lots of different TV setups out there. I didn't care much for the TV Made EZ even though I touted it last year. I had to use spacers and extra gaskets since it goes under the carb. The TCI plate bolts to the back two bolts on top of the carb mount so just have the stock gasket and no spacer. I did have to nut under the plate for it to clear the B4B intake but no big deal.

I've seen diagrams for the TV, extensive pressure tests during setup and a simple push and pull by other folks. Can't say which is best but I'll do the Bowtie pressure thing. It's more technical but gives a bit of peace of mind when you get what they're asking for.

If you have access to the pressure test from Bowtie it's probably a good idea as well. I've done it enough it's almost 2nd nature now but still refer to my notes. They also have a drive test after the pressure test. Cruz of it is to be sure the trans will kickdown 2-1 at very low speed and throttle, then confirm a shift 3-1 and 4-1 at low speeds.

China Mike: I think we both have the CPT trans. No lockup on mine and I haven't had hunting problems 4-3. ??

I'll be strapping the core support and all back on the car tomorrow night and after filling fluids and bleeding brakes will be on the road this weekend. Wish me luck.

And yes, good info Phil.

 

Thanks Phil !!!!

Hey Phil
Thanks for taking the time to share this info on your new addition to your
car :laugh: The 200r4 is alot of fun on the highway. :bglasses: Specially
with gears. Please post your time slips when available your in for a surprise.

Nick White
69 Skylark 494/200r4 355eaton 12bolt
72 LeSabre 355/200r4 342s cruiser.
70GS455 convert soon to get 200r4 . :beer

 

The bracket, if mounting it to the back carb stud, put it way too close to use the throttle cable by a bunch. That is why I put it where I did. The pic is a little devieving, but the TV cable does line up nicely and appears to function properly.

 

Phil asked for this so I'll post it to all.

All you need is a transmission pressure gauge (0-300psi) and a fitting for the test port on the driver's side of the transmission. I built an extra long hose for my gauge so I could have it in the car with me while doing the test.

I can post successful test results later.. gotta run.

 

OK. So what are we looking for with these pressure tests? What numbers mean we're ready to go.

 

What torque converter are you going to use and what stall?
Lock up or non lock up?
Thanks for being the ginny pig on this transmission change.
Will be interesting to see if the money and time spent is worth
the effort and the reliability and just how much you knock
off your ET.
I have been thinking about doing this for some time now
but have been reluctant to changing out my BB turbo 400
that has worked flawlessly for 15 years on my numbers
matching 70 GSX Stage 1.
Can't wait to see if you think its all worth it!
Thanks, Eric

 

I'm using a CK Performance 9-11 lockup converter. If you look up a few posts, you'll see the pic of the toggle switch I mounted in my glove box to turn it on and off manually.

I didn't do this to improve my ET, just to make it more enjoyable going down the highway. But I did get an article our of the GSX-tra from someone and they took a 1970 Stage 1 that had previously run a best of 12.68 and put in a 200-4R trans and took it back out with no other changes and ran a 12.41. We'll see if it happens with my car at Norwalk. I ran my best there last year about 9:30 in the morning when the weather and car were both cool.

 

Long day Phil.

To explain, these number are from my 200 a year ago. The chart and test procedures are from Bowtie Overdrives and I hear they are now proprietary and not on the website without a "customer number".. not sure. At any rate, even though my trans wasn't from BT I did have them modify two Qjet linkages and bought their TV Made EZ kits so they were VERY nice about interpreting these numbers. As far as I know there is a range of numbers that are good but BT doesn't state what that range is but request that you call them in after TV adjustment and pressure testing. They respond yeah or neah. Ask for Steve if you call them.

So the numbers here are what I had on one of my several tests and that were a "yeah" from Steve, "Good pressures".

Also, they recommend that you check for "instant pressure" when completed. Meaning just a touch of a pull on the TV cable at idle (pull just the cable by hand, don't operate the throttle) should show an "instant pressure" rise.

 

Thanks. Do you have a pic of the gauge you put together to do the testing while sitting in the car?

 

Phil,
When I did mine I just ran 1/8" copper line up and under the windshield wiper and put a small guage at the end of the line. I drove the car for a few days this way with no problem and could monitor pressure for a while. I think I modified a compression testing guage to do this so the only things I had to buy were a couple of compression fittings and scrounge up a bit of copper line.

 

I just replaced the hose that came with the gauge (I think the gauge was $30) with 10' of blue silicone hose, ran it clear of the exhaust after connecting to the trans and into the driver's window. I only tested on jack stands, not on the road.

The readings will not be rock solid but fluctuate a bit so don't make too much of that.

 

Well, I finally got all my parts and got the car started. There is a slight whine from the trans when I rev it up. I was told by the guy who built the trans that they got some billet shafts from PTS that did not have one end chamfered and it will "wear" into place and be fine. I'm a little nervous, but he built it and he recommended what to do. So we'll see. He said to put 100-200 miles on it and see if it goes away.

Unfortunately, my Petronix Ignitor 2 seems to have crapped out, again!!! I contacted the Ignition Man and he told me what to do with points/condenser to get me through Norwlak. Then it's the distributor off to him. GGRRRRRRRR!!!!!! Nothing like everything falling apart at the last minute.

 

Where can I find one of those pressure switches that is pictured?

 

The pressure switch came as part of a lockup kit from the place that sells the Raptor transmissions if I remember right.

 

hope this dosent sound like a stupid question but how and when do u flip the swith. is there a wrong time to flip the switch? not trying to ruin the trans \

thanks fellas

 

I think the idea is to have the lockup off when your going slow, have a heavy load ect. And to turn the lockup on only when at high speed or low load so you don't bog your motor under 1000 rpm. Lockup on will lower rpms by around 5-10% I think.