Will GM 200r4 work with factory floor shift location?
Transman,
WOW!! Great information. Everything I've read tells me that the Turbo Grand National used a 1800-2000 stall converter recognized by the D5. But you know what they say about information found on the internet. I would rather listen to someone who knows transmissions in the real world.
I've been looking at prices hadn't decided on lock-up or nonlock-up. I had a 700R4 built with a nonlock-up converter and I modified the valve body myself and had the trans guy put in a plug in the front shaft (I believe) and many other upgrades. That transmission worked great.
Not sure if I should do the same with this 2004R. Thanks for you input/suggestions. I really don't know how much the nonlock-up will effect my cruising RPM. If I remember correctly isn't it something like 10-15 percent that you lose??? Also I really didn't want to spend money and time putting in the LOCK-UP switches then having to mess with them as I drive. If it doesn't hurt my cruising RPM too much then I'll probably go with the nonlock-up. I had done a lot of reading (bought a few books on 700R4) on the 700R4 before I had it rebuild and the one thing that grabbed me was the fact that when the trans goes into lock-up mode fluid pressure is taken from the system leaving less pressure to keep 4th gear fully engaged. 4th gear is usually the thing that goes out first in a 700R4, once it starts to slip (because of a lack of pressure and load) it starts to wear, puts trash in the system and tears up the rest of the trans.
Now don't beat me up too bad here, I don't claim to be a trans expert. But the books I read convinced me to use a nonlock-up converter on my 700R4 (years ago). The question is, " Does the 2004R have the same weakness?", if it does then I'll go with the nonlock-up converter. Of course I'll be using the HD front pump so that should help with the pressure.
SCHOOL ME TRANSMAN!!!
Treblig
OK Treblig, lets see if I can be of some help to you.
The lockup or lack of lockup will not effect your cruising RPM. The transmission is what give you the 15% drop in engine speed when it goes into overdrive, not the converter. All the lockup was designed to do was to make the converter more effiecent with the addition of the lockup piston/cluch. It was installed to lower the slippage all converters have.
If you're not going to go with the lockup, make sure you order your converter as what we used to call a dummy lockup. The converter had the lockup piston removed. The big weakness in the early 700R4 was the input shaft. The early 27 spline was problematic. When they changed the shaft to a 30 spline unit the problem seemed to go away. The 2004R has always had the 27 spline input shaft and because they were never put into any HP vehicles, they seemed to be trouble free. By the way, we built high stalls as small as 10" and retained the lockup.
I see that you've mentioned a HD pump. Don't get caught up to much with this. Some will tell you that the 13 vane pump is a HD/HP unit. This is open up to a lot of discussion. What I've been told by very knowledgeable people in the industry, and have heard in person, the reason for the increase from 7 to 10 and then to 13 vanes in the pump was to lower the whining noise these pumps created. One very smart builder told me that without increasing the overall size of the pump rotor area, there is no way to get more volume or pressure out of that pump. Again this is open to debate. There are items you can get for the pump for HP use. Your local parts supplier will have these items listed from companies like transgo, superior and sonnax. There are other items for this transmission available to make it a heavier duty unit. Think everything out carefully and you should comeout with a good unit. I know there are some HARD CORE race parts out there that will make that 2004R live behind a lot of horsepower, but at what cost.
Good on you for getting the ATRA manuals, make sure you get one for the 2004R.
I don't want to give you the idea that I'm a builder, as I'm not. I worked in the transmission parts and converter industry for almost 30 years,and did pickup some good pointers from some darn good builders.
The thing to keep in mind, is GM put this series (TH200 & TH2004R) in low horsepower/torque vehicles. Only the turbo V6'S had much in the line of HP, and were low on the torque curve. I know that the Grand National boys have got their cars to run in the 9's using the 2004R, but the transmission they are using is far far from stock. Read lots of $$.
Hope I've been of some help, and if I can help you again, either post here or send me a PM.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
