I have an 82 that I recently put a 383 Stroker in with about 400 HP and 475 Ft/lbs Torque. The car had the original 700r transmission in it, which lasted about 400 miles after I put the engine in. The transmission wasn't in the best shape to begin with, but I think the shop that installed the engine didn't correctly adjust the T.V. cable, let alone even have the proper geometry. The new engine is carbureted and the car no longer has a computer. I don't know what they did about the lock up kit. They said they left it as it was, and since the transmission will now only go into 2nd, I can't test if the tranny is locking up. I'm going to buy a rebuilt 700r-4 that can handle the hp and torque with a 2000 stall converter and I was wondering what lock up kit I should use. Like I said, i don't know what is on the car now, and I don't really trust it. I would like to just get a whole new lock up kit if I am going to spend the money on a new tranny. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice on what lock up kit I should use. Part numbers or links would be highly appreciated. And of course I am going to get the correct T.V. cable corrector bracket before I install the new tranny. Thank you,

Nathan

 

Bowtie should have everything you need.
http://www.700r4.com/faq/faq.shtml
I'm using their lockup kit and converter on a 700r4 my buddy put together with no problems.

 

I am fully aware that my 700R is a **** poor excuse for a transmission. But I hear the 1988 and newer 700r's are a decent little tranny. The 700R I am buying is a newer style built to hold 500HP and Torque. My question is just about the lock up kit. I looked at bowtie overdrives and they list a "complete brake switch kit" "complete relay circuit kit" and just a "brake switch kit" and "relay circuit kit". I am wondering which of these I need? Or if anyone has used any lock up kits from other manufacturers they can give me a link or part number for. Thank you,

Nathan

 

Once you get a stronger 700R4 tranny the next failure point is the clutches in the lockup converter.

Higher power 700's use a bigger pump which adds more clamping power. Art Carr also installs a 1/2 inch solenoid and line to the converter lockup. Stock type converter lockup clutch surface area is very small. Something like 19 sq. inches. The only way to increase the holding power is to increase the number of clutches. I used the 5 clutch and it has something like 54 sq inches.

Thes only are sold in higher end 9.5 inch Tc's Vigilanty, Art Carr.........

Even with these multi clutch and max pressure you can only shift into lockup with your foot off the gas. So I just lighted manual toggle switch (50 amp)

 

It sounds like I am talking to an Art Carr Salesman. Assume I am not going to buy an Art Carr transmission, seeing as I already said that I have found the built 700r-4 that I want. I am absolutely positive that the transmission I am buying will be able to hold the hp and torque that I am running. Therefore my question is concerning the lockup kit I should use with my (non Art Carr) transmission. I don't want to use a manual toggle switch if at all possible. Does anyone else have any suggestions of what lock up kit i should use. Thanks,

Nathan

 

I love my "newer" 700R4 and it shifts VERY strongly and So Far So GREAT!

 

Here's what I got from Bowtie:
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...php?ITEMID=572
http://bowtieoverdrives.com/catalog/...php?ITEMID=332
The applicable kit here:
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...AT&CATID=LA2A2
TV systems are here:
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...BCAT&CATID=WA3
The key thing with the TV cable is that it is fully acting on the plunger at W.O.T. The bracket is sort of self adjusting in that regard.

The only other thing I used was a vacuum switch that releases the lockup in 4th under a moderate load without downshifting to 3rd. It acts like a 3 1/2 gear. IIRC it was from a GM dealer but I don't have a part number for you.

Good luck.

 

Sorry:o

When you order your tranny you should just ask about the bigger pump and lines........ It is such a PITA to install and pull the 700. I bought the big block handling 700R4 from Jegs originally and I had it in and out 3 times because it would fail behind a 355 ci. Each time they put in parts that should have been there the first time. I wasted a summer shipping trannys back and forth under warranty. I also never installed the last improved one.

I've seen the Bowtie OD kit and it is a nice install. The pressure gauge is for setting up the TV cable.

U can also buy governors that can be precisely set for what ever RPM you want the 700 to shift at for WIDE open throttle

 

gkull Thanks for the info, it has absolutely nothing to do with a lockup kit, nor does it include any part numbers, links, or even general advice about lockup kits, but surely you meant well.

 

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...00+150+400012+

 

Did you actually read any of the posts above this one? Would you like someone to come to your house and put it in too? You would think someone asking for help would be a little more....thankful? Go to BowTie overdrives (use Google) and look at their lockup kits. You may also try Street and Performace or Howell (or Summit or Jegs have Painless kits). If whomever built your new trans used the stock plug and wiring then any of these will work.

 

I did read the above posts markdtn, and I do thank jdmick especially for all of the links. I was just a little put off when I asked for help with a lockup kit and there was nothing about lock up kits in gkulls answers. (thanks for the summit link gkull) In retrospect I do apologize, I am thankful for the time spent trying to help me.

I noticed there are a few different kits out there and they all seem to work a little differently. I was hoping someone could give me a little insight on which kit would work best. I am thinking about getting the "relay circuit" kit from bowtieoverdrives. Apparently I need to hook 1 wire up to ground, another to the tranny, and the third to the "cold side" of the brake light wires. Can anyone tell me where exactly I should connect to the brake light wiring? Thank you,
Nathan

 

Typically the kits look for 4th gear in the trans, there may or may not be a pressure switch inside the trans depending on year-but can be added to all. It is wired to 1 terminal, and has a ground when the trans is in 4th gear. Then most kits have a need for a closed circuit ignition hot with brake not pushed (normally open switch). This requires a different brake switch as the C3 brake switch is open )normally closed switch) with pedal not pushed (or you could use a relay). I got mine from a 90s GM something or other in a junkyard. Lastly, some kits have a vacuum sensor. It looks for good vacuum and closes. The function of the kit is as follows: when you have 4th gear you send a ground to a relay coil to activate the relay. If the brake pedal is not pushed you have 12v so the relay closes. If the vacuum switch is also closed, you apply 12v to the converter clutch and it locks. If you push the brake pedal, downshift, or lose vacuum (accelerate, go up a hill, etc.) then the circuit opens and the clutch unlocks.

 

Thanks for the explanation markdtn, that really helped to explain things. The manufacturer of the transmission I bought said that he installed all of the internal wiring, but the transmission isn't here yet so I can't check. I think I am going to use the relay circuit kit from bowtie overdrives which splices into the brake light wiring. From what I understand from your explanation, using this kit, it will lockup in 4th, however there is no vaccuum switch so it will stay locked up until I downshift or press on the brakes right? But going up a hill or accelerating won't cause it to un lock?

 

I have an 82 and when I checked into lock-up kits I found B&M had the best one at the time (last year). They include everything including brake switch, vacuum switch, speed sensor, ect... P.S. you can't beat the gear ratios offered by the 700R4! That 1st gear is brutal and overdrive is sweet

 

Yes, I like the vacuum switch to be there because you don't want the converter locked when you are wanting power.

 

Do you know when exactly it will lock up using the bowtie overdrive relay circuit kit? Will it lock up as soon as it goes into 4th? Also, is there an easy way to add a vacuum switch to the relay kit? I wouldn't know how to go about doing that.

 

I went with th B&M lock up control because it runs off the speedo so it will not lock up unless you are going over 40mph (can be adjusted to your setup) and will unlock if you go slower.
B&M control unit

 

The BTO kit locks up pretty much whenever the transmission is in 4th gear and the brakes are not pressed. Is this a bad system? I suppose if I am in 4th gear I am probably not going to be doing any hard acceleration since it will downshift to third in that case right? Will this cause the car to slow down quickly in 4th gear when I let off the gas not allowing me to "coast"?

 

haveing the same problem. I bought a kit from PATC it uses a vacumme switch, for the forth gear lock up. The problem is I keep loosing vacume and then the switch breaks open and it slips out of 4th gear. thinking about going to a kit that comes off the brake.