Has anybody actually put a 200r4 into their car? I'm considering going to one since it sounds like it is much stronger than a 4L60, and has a better overdrive ratio, and is a little cheaper.

Anybody done this?
Results?

 

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Well while they can be built strong ,Im not sure I would say they are stronger than the 4l60e at least not built in a way that would give them any reasonable cost. And the OD ratio is very very close .67 verse .70 . Personally I dont know that I would go that route , You would be trading tunability for a TV cable and a govenor setup that requires the removal of the pan just to ajust the shift points. You would need a special converter with a spacer adapter . You would need a special adapter for the VSS to get the speedo working because the 200r4 speedo is a gear driven design these are semi expensive from what I have seen. You would have to change the torq bar to a chasis mounted set up since the 2004r has no provision for it. And you would need to make your drive shaft three inches longer than the auto 4l60e version Im not sure on the M6 shaft. The only real advantage I can see in this swap is the closer 1-2 ratios not so much of a jump from 1st to 2nd but this can be covered well from what I have seen with the right stall with the 4L60E.
Dont get me wrong the 2004r is a good unit but I would not say the swap is better and certainly not cheaper than a 4L60E Since many of the parts needed to make the swap from m6 to 4l60e would be readily available in a salvage yard where the 2004r swap would require more specialty parts and creative thinking. Just my observation of the swap for what its worth.

 

I will let you know how good it works in a few more weeks. I am in the process of doing that now. I have an Art Carr tranny thats built for 600hp so it should stand up to anything I will be running. Magsensors sells a VSS that will screw onto the speedo cable hookup. Bowtie Overdrives has the Tv-Ez setup for the throttle valve cable.

 

I see. Thanks for the info. I was thinking it sounded good after reading on the Performabuilt site, and on here. Thought I'd buy a built one from you. I guess not.

I really want to go auto, but I need overdrive 100% without a doubt. And I can't afford a Gear Vendors unit. So that leaves me with the 200R4, 4L60e, and 4L80e. I can't seem to find much on exactly what to do on a 4L80e swap. And it is such a power robbing beast! But I know it wouldn't break.

And the 4L60e... well, I've seen too many of them around here on cars that are just as slow as me, and they all break sooner than later. I can't see that being an option.

What can I do?

 

I would agree and disagree , Yes they all will break sooner or later all not just 4l60es but any and every transmission, The 2004r is a good trans but you stated cheaper and the ratio as the difference and the first well is not the case and the later OD rato is minimal .
You dont read much about 2004rs on here because we people dont run them here, But they do fail like any other trans, On here you read about 4L60Es failing Truthfully though thats a bad representation since the fact is there are far more 4L60Es out there working perfect for many many years than even a small percenatge of what you here about on here, Simple fact people who do not have problems do not post. No one is going to come on here every few weeks or month and say how great there 4L60E is doing , We only tend to say anything when something goes wrong then we post we tell about it we ask about it and we complain about it. So since only the people who have a problem are the ones posting looking at the threads it would appear that 4L60E transmissions just are not any good.And thats just not the case. What I wrote earlier was to let you know that the 2004r is not a cheaper swap , Its not and easier swap and its not nessesarily any better or worse that going with the 4L60E. I did get your IM before I posted and I addressed you here because all I wanted to let you know about would not fit in and IM and I saw the post here. My job at Performabuilt is tech and sales but we also pride ourselves on advising our customers and potential customers truthfully first. If you want a 2004r then you can have one, I just wanted to let you know all the facts and issues involved in the swap the pluses and minus to help you be informed before you jump into something.

 

I guess when I said cheap, I meant that compared to multiple 4L60e's like I see around here. I can say that out of about 30 local auto F-bodies, I think 2 have 4l60 transmissions. The rest have broken. I'm just very very scared of them right now. And then to read that my slow car makes enough torque on spray that I'd have to buy the top level tranny, it's just disappointing.

What's your take on the 4L80e swap? I drive my car A LOT. So I can't have something break. That's why the 80e seems to be worth checking out. I guess at least I'd have something I can romp on frequently and not worry about trashing.

Oh and I meant it. I honestly value your input more than you know. Sorry I missed your message. I had to run some errands.

 

Well first based on your sig you should be fine with the level 2 with a 12 second car we have faster running the level two not to say that not impressive, And most of the people i see breaking there 4l60e trans are either 1- trying to run the power through a stock unit and or a high milage unit 2-running though one built by a local shop but not a shop specilaizing in performance. From what I read here daily there are many people running high power 4l60es very successfully wether ours or one of the other sponsors too.
But on the matter of the 4L80E while we dont presently offer them they are definatley the strongest of the overdrives. They do have alot of drag. The swap again is rather expensive as is the unit and many of the mods I mentioned for the 200R4 would still need to be done and they are quite heavy, On the plus side a properly built 4L80E is near indestructable but you will need to make a bit more power to make up for its mass and get the same performance. typically the units run without a core from what i have seen in the 3000 to 4000 and up range built and then you need a contoller or your pcm reflashed to run it, wiring harness . torque arm adapter to frame again. different drive shaft length , different cross member and converter.
I would still have to say for a reasonably powered LS1 within the power ratings of the units we have , wether again its ours or someone elses the 4L60E is the most practical/ reliable and cost effective swap for and M6 person wanting to do a swap to and automatic overdrive.

 

Hrmm... local racer who builds trannys has a fresh 4L80e he just rebuilt for $1400. How bad would the loss be between it and a 4L60e?

 

stock rebuild or built up?

 

I know Jon at TSP had that tranny in his 10 sec camaro.

 

Look in a Popular Hot Rod mag. dated June 2001 we did a full install on the 2004r in the 2000 f-body it has 6 pages of info

 

I know someone running one locally. Car is single digit capable and he says it works flawless, but I don't think it is a cheap build either.

 

Not sure. Let's be on the safe side and assume it's stock rebuild. Will it hold up okay? Mods are in sig, but add a 150 shot to that. I haven't run a 150 shot yet, but I'm not ruling it out.

 

I did it back in 2002 only used it for a short time and sold the car. Thinking of using it again in my next project.

 

Can a 200-4R be converted to a vacuum modulator ??Anyone on here done it , and would you recommend it ?

 

A 2004r is very different and uses the TV cable to control shifts and presure, There would be no need to install a vac mod even if you could,

 

if your wanting to get away from the tv cable go with a MVB.

 

Ummm , MVB ???

 

Manual valve body.