700R4 rebuilding

[tcianci]

I am going to install a 1989 Chevy 700R4 ****** in my 40 Ford pickup. It will be mated to a stock 4.3 Chevy TBI engine. The transmission was working when I pulled it from an Astro van that I had. The engine came out of an S-10
with 54K on it so all it got was a casting number verification, a compression test (wet/dry) and a Krylon rebuild.
I'm thinking of rebuilding the trans myself. I have rebuilt many engines, and done everything else to cars including rebuilding manual boxes, clutches all the way to body and upholstery work. I have managed to not have to work on an automatic box except for the changing of fluid and filters. I know the box came out of a van that had over 150K on it and it had received the worst of care/maintenance. I'd rather overhaul it now than to pull it out after the truck is done. I got a price of about 500 bucks with a converter to have it done by a guy who does only transmissions out of his house. He used to have a ****** shop but was badly injured in an automobile accident, so he gave up the shop and when he was well enough, he started dong them out of his house for all of the garages that used to sub out to him.
I'm sure his price is fine, at least to the quotes I got from places like AAMCO and such. I'm looking at this as an educational experience. Maybe its an experience I don't need?

 

[Keep]

I just did the same thing last year. I figured for the price of parts $150, and the book $15. I would give it a shot.

If you take your time, make sure everything is really really clean. Make a couple homemade tools to help. Its not that bad. I would do it again. If you search google for 700r4 builds there is a website that shows the special tools you will need and how to make them. I cannot remember the site offhand

 

[tcianci]

Did you have any problems with the ****** once you built and installed it? If I can do it and have it come out right, that will be cool, if it's wrong, I will be kickin myself.

 

[Bender78]

Start with getting a copy of the ATSG service guide for your particular transmission. Lots of valuable information in there.

I have been collecting information on transmission rebuilding for a 2004R rebuild for my Corvette project. It will be my first time too.

 

[krusty the clown]

transmission building is easy.......and you'll wonder why we charge so much for it. untill you get that one, you know the one, the one that just will not be fixed, the one that takes all of the profit from the last two weeks of work. it happens to the best of us.

 

[kvom]

I helped a friend rebuild a 700R4 a few weeks ago. We were following along with a video. We did not do the pump rebuild part, but the rest took about 3.5 hours. Once we'd done that one we estimated that a second one would likely take only about 1.5 hours.

We did have the advantage of a stand that allowed compression of the springs for inseting the snaprings.

The upgrade parts from Summit cost about $170.

 

[Bfoughty]

I talked a friend into rebuilding the one for his son's 4X4. it has worked flawlessly since the rebuild. he said he would do it again for sure. If anyone knows the website about the repair tools that you can make yourself could you please post it.

 

[brownbagg]

on extreme 4x4 tv show, couple weeks ago, they showed how to rebuild a 700r

 

[ProGun3400]

I got a price of about 500 bucks with a converter to have it done by a guy who does only transmissions out of his house. I'm looking at this as an educational experience. Maybe its an experience I don't need?

Pay the $500. This guy does it for a living and has the advantage of experience and being able to spot wornout, unrebuildable parts. Hell, seeing that he does it out of his house, ask if you can spend the day with him while he rebuilds it? They require specialty tools such as pump pullers, bushing drivers, clutch spring compressors, a way to clean up your parts just to metion a few. If you try it yourself and flub it up, it'll cost you more in the long run. Or you could ask somebody to walk you through it over the net. Good luck.

 

[930dreamer]

Not trying to pimp anything, but a friend retired from his transmission shop and has all kinds of transmission stuff. Tools, parts and manuals. 930

 

[Keep]

Did you have any problems with the ****** once you built and installed it? If I can do it and have it come out right, that will be cool, if it's wrong, I will be kickin myself.

Well I do not know yet...lol Its for my t-bucket that will not be on the road for a year or so.

I keep meaning to ask the trans shop if they can test them. I am curious myself.

 

[Keep]

Link to homemade tools

http://www.mez.co.uk/Chevy700r4pg5.html

I used the Haynes manual when I rebuilt mine.

 

[72chevy]

on extreme 4x4 tv show, couple weeks ago, they showed how to rebuild a 700r

It's still viewable online. Get it while it's hot.
http://www.powerblocktv.com/site3/index.php/watch-full-episodes/ep?ep_show=XT

 

[coppermouse]

They had a rebuild of one of those on Spike TV this weekend, Horsepower or Extreme 4x4 or one of those shows

 

[35mastr]

Pay the $500. This guy does it for a living and has the advantage of experience and being able to spot wornout, unrebuildable parts. Hell, seeing that he does it out of his house, ask if you can spend the day with him while he rebuilds it? They require specialty tools such as pump pullers, bushing drivers, clutch spring compressors, a way to clean up your parts just to metion a few. If you try it yourself and flub it up, it'll cost you more in the long run. Or you could ask somebody to walk you through it over the net. Good luck.

I would also go this route. That's not a bad price plus if you can help him out it would also be a learning experience.

 

[tcianci]

Funny that several of you mentioned working with him, I did ask that, I wasn't looking to contain costs or anything, just wanted to be in on ****** 101. He said no, because if he were to be distracted while trying to educate me, neither of us would be happy. Point well taken.

 

[krusty the clown]

Funny that several of you mentioned working with him, I did ask that, I wasn't looking to contain costs or anything, just wanted to be in on ****** 101. He said no, because if he were to be distracted while trying to educate me, neither of us would be happy. Point well taken.

this reminds of of the shop spectator thread........

that is one reason, add the additional time it will take AND the fact that it really isn't our jobs to teach people how to do OUR jobs.

just something to consider since i have invested lots of time and money in training.

 

[Falcon67]

I'd say you have two options - 1) if you just want to move the project along and fiddle with things later, pay the man and get a trans or 2) if you want to learn and don't mind fixing your own screwups, get a kit from somewhere like bulkpart.com and a manual, dump the parts in the floor and get after it. I build my own C4 race transmissions - and I've fried a LOT of parts on the learning curve. When I started, the first one didn't make it around the block. Now if I don't get 500 rounds out of one, I wanna know what the hell. I still refer to the basic manual to help prevent little oopsies BTW. If you like detail work and maybe making a few special tools, you'll like redoing an auto.

 

[Daedalus]

Earlier this year I took a trans rebuilding class at the local CC. I think I paid $60 for tuition, and it was taught by an old timer who spent his entire career as a tech, including several years of doing nothing but trannies all day long. He could disassemble and reassemble 'em like they were ham sandwiches. 1 classroom and 1 shop session per week for 14 weeks. In that time I disassembled and reassembled 3 trannies, including a 700r4, plus I rebuilt a 5-speed that I brought in from my own garage with parts bought online. The class provided all the junker trannies and had a fully stocked tool room, plus the instructor knew damn near everything lol. Well worth the time and money IMO.

 

[G-force]

I'm also looking to put a 700r4 in a '54 pickup I'm working on. I found a local guy on CL that rebuilds them, has a shop and is ASE certified. He told me to come by sometime and that he loves to talk about 700r4's and 350 sbc's, which is the combo I will be using. He seems cool and I will probably be stopping by to shoot the **** with him and get a quote for what I want. I like doing things myself, but realize that building motors and trannies that there is no video that teaches experience.

Just imagine what your specialized field of work is, and someone trying to come in and do it as good as you after only watching a video or reading a book. It would be nice to learn and

I will probably ask if I can watch him rebuild one, but I wont expect him to let me. If he does, great!

The class sounds like a great thing too, but scheduled time is hard to put aside for me.

 

[tcianci]

G-Force, I'm a remodeler...half of what I do is fixin stuff that the guy with the video thought he could do! I got a big smile out of that one, Thanks!!

 

[lametec]

I rebuilt the 4L60E (basically a 700R4 with electronic control. The new name for the 700R4 is 4L60, btw) in my gf's '99 Blazer a couple years ago. It stripped the teeth on the sun shell like they like to do.

Never having had a ****** open other than to modify the valve body a bit, this was all new to me. Still, I bought the ATSG manual and checked out some threads on the net with pictures. Got a master parts kit on eBay and went at it. It's still shifting just fine to this day.

 

[tcianci]

All of this is very encouraging! Admittedly, 500 buck is lunch money to pay for a professional overhaul with a converter, I was just curious as to how to do one myself for the experience. Maybe I'll try it.

 

[zmotorsports]

I would go ahead and give it a try. Transmissions can be overwhelming at first but just break it down into sub-components and do one component at a time then move to the next. As already mentioned get a ATSG service manual and it will walk you through it fairly troublefree. Key things to remember are end-play, clutch clearances and be careful not to nick the lip seals when assembling clutches. Most can be bench tested with air pressure to ensure no leaks before assembling everything into the case.

On the 700R4 (4L60/4L60E) transmissions I have had good luck with the Trans-go and the B&M shift improver kits as well as installing the Corvette servo to improve the 2nd and 4th gear shift characteristics. These are simple and fairly inexpensive tricks that I do on every 700R4 because they are well worth the money. Good luck and remember on transmissions cleanliness is next to Godliness, keep your work are clean as the valves are very sensitive to anything foreign. Mike.

P.S. one more thing, keep the red shop towels away from transmissions, I have seen way too many with red lint stuck in them. Use brake cleaner/solvent tank and compressed air to clean components rather than wiping parts off with towels.

 

[1971gsfan]

chose this as my first post, go for it! I rebuilt my first one with a few questions to a pro, a book and a video. ****** worked great too bad I threw a rod about 6 months later. My buddy still has that trans. in something and it shifts great with the shift kit I installed. I was very proud at the time and I'm going to be doing a 200r rebuild for my big block 71 GS as soon as I find the right core. my humble .02 to you guys at GJ