200R4 trans question....

[aggie97]

So I was taking the kiddo to school this morning in our Grand National and on the way back home, I was manually shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and the car lost all drive. It will go into park and nuetral but nothing else. I have had just enough time to get the car home on a trailer and get back to work but was wanting to narrow it down before I crawl under it tonight to look it over.

Seems like it's probably a linkage issue to me but wouldn't the thing not go into park/nuetral? Trans is an Art Carr built 200R4 and was working perfectly till that second.

Thanks for helping narrow it down for when I get to get dirty later.

[shumpertdavid]

If you have the ability to hit park, and you feel the detents of the shifter pawl as you move the shifter then your linkage is most likely fine. Generally anything I've worked on with a linkage problem resulted in an easy to move shifter with no detents felt. I'm afraid you have something internal going on since it's a hydraulic\manual valve body (no electronics needed other than for lock up function). It could have stripped the converter splines or input shaft or had a major break internally. Other than something that caused a massive fluid loss, which I think you would have noticed looking under it, I'm thinking the trans will be coming out for inspection and tear down.

[scootro]

google search "200r4 transmission VS 700r4" you should get some interesting reading

[aggie97]

ugh...no fluid...no noise...not really on the power either. Not really sure about the detents....it was difficult to find reverse detent and forward or neutral detent...


I am now hoping for something simple like converter bolts sheared or backed out.

Sadly, I think I broke my wife's car.....and I'll be the one fixing it.

May need a 200R4 trans guy soon!

[greenbullitt]

art carr is likely the problem

[Woods Racing Transmission]

Sounds like the in-put shaft may have broke. But, it could be the linkage rod that connects the shift arm to the manual valve. I see your in College Station, give Mike Kurts a call @ Century (866) 869-8120 centurytransmission.com

[aggie97]

Honestly, I think it's the linkage. I wasn't on the power as the engine didn't over-rev and shut off like something gave up. I was lifting off the gas and bumping it to second which makes me think the linkage came apart. When I had the trans out after we bought the car doing engine work, I remember that entire linkage being a MESS and wondering how the hell it all worked reliably.

Thanks for the info guys and I'll report back after I dig into it later tonight.

Matt

[Woods Racing Transmission]

Honestly, I think it's the linkage. I wasn't on the power as the engine didn't over-rev and shut off like something gave up. I was lifting off the gas and bumping it to second which makes me think the linkage came apart. When I had the trans out after we bought the car doing engine work, I remember that entire linkage being a MESS and wondering how the hell it all worked reliably.

Thanks for the info guys and I'll report back after I dig into it later tonight.

Matt

There is a nail that holds the linkage from moving in and out of the case. If the shift leaver moves in and out the rod can fall out of the manual valve. This can be fixed without pulling the trans.

[aggie97]

There is a nail that holds the linkage from moving in and out of the case. If the shift leaver moves in and out the rod can fall out of the manual valve. This can be fixed without pulling the trans.

but the pan must come down?

[Woods Racing Transmission]

but the pan must come down?

Yes.

[aggie97]

Well, crawled under it and nothing obvious. Don't want to start it and circulate more shit through the converter or cooler.

Read up on the 700r4 and it's a hassle with additional parts. Considering a Turbo 400 that's built for hell so I never have to screw with it again. Won't really miss the OD as we only drive this around town.

I did some research on Turbobuicks.com and found a guy reporting the EXACT issues and sounds I experienced and his turned out to be a fubar'd front pump. Others said the front drum cracked...

So, looks like I'm going to do it right and buy something with a steel drum and hopefully built for 500+ ft/lbs of torque but we never dyno'd the car and don't know what it puts down. Guess I should figure that out first as a guess.

[greenbullitt]

i wouldnt even consider the 700...200 is more desireable. Weve done 200s behind big blocks in multiple cases

[lowthreeohz]

i blew my 700r4 up 3 times behind a very mild TPI 350.. dont do it.

[VaderTT]

Rossler 6L90E swap.

[aggie97]

Shumpertdavid....I have a question maybe you can answer while I am waiting for my password at turbobuick to be reset...and save some embarrasment.


We never got this thing on the dyno and I need to figure out how much HP it's making so I can pick what level I want the new trans to be built.

std 109 block .030" over so nothing special
stock compression
a slightly larger cam...not sure what one
ported stock intake
GN1 aluminum heads
Stock'ish turbo with some mods to exhaust and BOV...no waste gate.
Front mount with custom tubing.
60lb injectors with Tune...I forgot who but came highly regarded on buick sites.
15 to 17lbs of boost depending on how the bleed valve is set.
Some sort of torque converter that is welded together...no other info.

bought the car as a basket case with great interior and paint....fixed a few things and put good parts in it but left the trans alone.

anyway, any idea what kind of power and torque this thing might be making so I can figure out if 500 ft/lb rated trans will be enough?

From a 10mph roll it outran a stock'ish 99 Mustang GT without ever shifting from 3rd and then blew past at about 60mph. unsure of weight but probably 3500lbs with me in it.

Damn I wish we dyno'd it before this happened. I'd hate to spend money on too much trans, but would also hate to spend too much on not enough trans.

Thanks.