xMrFacex

Hello friends,

I have an 81'. I will be getting my 200-4R from Transmission Depot in about 2 to 3 weeks from now, and I just wanted to make sure from the O'Wise Ones that everything I need will be in the kit I bought as it stated that it would have everything I would need to switch from a turbo 350 to a 200-4R.

Additional information: I know nothing about transmissions so this will be an experience for me. I will be pairing it to a 383 stroker, engine dino at 480hp

The options I selected on the website:

Billet input drum
Transtar Special Blend: Dexron IIIŽ; / MerconŽ Automatic Transmission Fluid (12 Quart Case)
Holley carb style

Actual Tire Size and Rear Diff Ratio:
255 R15 Diff 3.08 (wasnt to sure on the diff, had it checked out 8 years ago but I'm 90% certain that's what it is)

Below is the link to the kit I bought for reference.
https://www.transdepot.net/2004R-Sta...R-4_p_379.html

Haggisbash

I found with our blanket 60 mph speed limit that with a 3.08 diff ratio, lock up TQ on 4th gear was often unusable as the engine RPM was too low (I changed to a 3.55 ratio). You may be okay with the extra torque of your stroker engine what is the rpm range of your cam? I had to get the exhaust pipes reshaped to go around the end of the transmission so they would go through the holes in the cross member. I would recommend getting the upgraded GN governor as well, a lot of the standard governors will give a low rpm upshift point on full throttle ( this may or may not be an issue for you it depends on how you drive).
I will check my paperwork, my 200R4 may have come from the same vendor as a stage 2 kitted version (this was a few year back) the bang shift from 1 - 2 made street driving pretty horrible, the full throttle upshift occurred at about 2500 RPM and it came with no speedometer drive at all.
Tried to contact the vendors but they never bothered to reply so I ended up getting a complete valve body and kit from another vendor to cure the above issues and had to shop on e bay for a speedo drive then find the correct gear combo to make it read correctly.
If the lock up kit for the TQ doesn't include it I would consider fitting a vac switch to automatically disengage the lock up under heavy throttle or uphill work, the lock up clutch in the TQ was never designed to take the full power from the motor.

carriljc

Wow. I'm going to follow this. Looks like it comes with a torque converter AND a tranny cooler. Is that tranny cooler to operate independently of a radiator? I'm going to compare with that art carr website.....
Following....

Did you find, or do you have, a bolt-on yoke for that 200-4R?

xMrFacex

My Crossmember does not have holes for exhaust. I don't know the rpm range of my cam but the video of it being dinoed was stopped at around 6000 to 6200 rpm. kind of too late to get the upgraded governor I've already put my order through and really dont want to spend the extra monies at the moment, would this be easy to install at a later time?

xMrFacex

I've read of someone running this cooler in conjunction with the radiator. As far as the yoke goes, I've read that you can use the yoke from the turbo 350 with the 2004r

Haggisbash

You can change the governor fairly easily but you do have to drop the pan, so it would make sense to do it at a scheduled trans oil filter service.
As far as oil coolers go my vette came with a small external trans cooler so I upgraded this to the biggest plate version I could find here.

carriljc

So... can somebody that knows more about transmissions than I do provide a comparison with this:

https://cpttransmission.com/2004R_trans_400hp.htm
12021- 200 4R Transmission 400-600 Horsepower
Price:$2899.99
TH-2004R TRANS BUICK/CHEV/OLDS/PONT/CAD V-8/400 TO 600 HP, SPECIAL LINED SECOND GEAR BAND, 7 PACK 3RD, 3 PACK 4TH, HEAT-TREATED STATOR SUPPORT, HEAT-TREATED INPUT DRUM, ALL THREE PLANET ASSY. HAVE NEW WASHERS, SHIFT KIT, ALL NEW BUSHINGS AND SEALS, NEW WASHERS. WE SUPPLY NEW METRIC BOLTS, LARGER SERVO. DYNO TESTED, INCLUDES CORE CHARGE


I would need to get a flexplate also since I'd be going from a Manual tranny..... I can figure that out but from initial review it's starting to seem like the Transmission Depot might be the better deal???

carriljc

xMrFacex
Why did you get the Billet Input Drum?

Is 2300 rpm lockup torque converter an "adequate" torque converter for just running around and cruising? I'm not going to racing nor hot-rodding other than some occasional fun bursts.....

-------------------------------------------------------
Separate from the questions above I wrote to www.transdepot.net and got the following answers (had to cut and paste since I was texting):... my comments are in ITALICS and their responses I BOLDED.

________________________________________ _____________________________________
Looking at the 2004R Stage 2 Conversion Package & have a couple of questions: 1) does it come with a lockup torque converter? 2) what is the difference between the Holley, Edelbrock, and Quadrajet style concerning the tv cable? Is there an image somewhere?

The conversion packages are build as lock up
And Include Lock Up Converter

thanks for that answer. If I'm reading it correctly then it is a 2300 rpm lockup torque converter. wow. thanks.
.

image.png489.9KB
Download


wow! great response. thank you.

Different geometry on the bracket so need to know when ordering
Hey thats what we are here for
By the way .... top pic holley, bottom edelbrock


many thanks..... I have research that part since I'm planning on attaching to a RamJet 350 that I already have.
.
Oh OK ~
Well sometimes you might have to MAKE bracket on custom applications because not every piece is a "cookie cut"

Yes. I can do that. Just putting my plan together and some guy on the corvette forum mentioned that he ordered from you so i started looking.
.
No Problem ~ We've quietly been around a long time

Another question. Is the cooler provided sufficient to cool the transmission? I'm planning on converting from a manual and my radiator does NOT have tranny cooling provision.

I might still recommend getting a radiator out of any automatic car for the additional cooling.
2004R is very susceptible to heat damage.

Ok, I understand -- that cooler would be "in addition" to the regular rad type cooler flowpath.

Correct.

xMrFacex

Billet means it was machined from a solid block of metal instead of being melted down metal and casted. Its just a beefier input that is used for higher powered engines and mostly used for big block engines. Though my new engine is a 838 small block, I got it for longevity and as insurance if the regular wouldn't hold up to the extra HP I now have.

I did call them and asked about their lockup stalls a couple days ago. Basically with a higher stall I would have to be on the gas a lot more just to get the car going and would loose traction more often because of how light the car is. They ensured me that the 2300 stall was plenty for cruising and sometimes playing around; just like you, it's what I will be doing. In a nut shell, if its a track/drag car go with the higher stalls, if not go with a mild one like the one they provide.

carriljc

Thanks for your feedback. I wrote to them today because they have 2 different prices for the Stage 2 conversion kit on their website...... just to ask which one is correct.

carriljc

Haggisbash
So are you using BOTH the external corner AND the radiator tranny cooler both? I ask because since I'm going from a manual tranny I need to figure out what to do...... thx

xMrFacex

Yeah not a problem, though I do wish someone would answer my original question for this thread lol.

also I meant that I have a 383 not a 838. lol that would be a hell of an engine.

augiedoggy

Not sure where you have looked thus far but for the stage 2 build with a $40 transmission cooler and stall converter normally they sell for around $500 less on average, From all the research ive done so far, 3.08 gears with the .67 overdrive will not work ell at all. this is why I went with 3.55 gears myself. EDIT even when you add up the stuff that comes with the "KIT" its still not a better value than buying the stuff you specifically need separately.

OP you also will want the shifter adapter kit for your year corvette.. these are available from summit. and you may need to get creative with connecting the cooling lines as they are flipped around and oriented differently than the existing trans I believe.

xMrFacex

according to the reply that you got from trans depot, they recommended that you run it through both the radiator and the cooler they provide due to the potential heat damage.

Funny thing is that i already spent about 100 dollars on a cooler for the tranny before I ordered the 2004R, now I will have 2. Probably going to by an oil filter adapter and run the extra one for engine oil cooling, giving me the ultimate cooling setup, except for having electric fans, will probably have someone install those for me..

augiedoggy

This https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...model/corvette

augiedoggy

I'm currently using both with my old th400 since I installed a hayden cooler and filter to prep for my 2004r... The coolers are between 30-40 bucks and very easy to install.

gkull

You really need 3.73 or even 3.90 to make OD transmission work in your engine efficiency range

Running at lower rpm causes the engine to lug. Then you have more throttle blades opening

xMrFacex

If I were to change this at a later date, what on the transmission would I have to change to make it compatible

augiedoggy

My 84 corvette had 3.31 gears with an overdrive 700r4 from the factory with a lot less power and it worked well on the highway and got great mileage.. I think the 700r4 had .70 OD instead of .67 but still..

augiedoggy

the speedo gears.