Sceptical

trbojo

'Stang Stinger
Joined
Jun 7, 2003
I haven't been on in awhile and looking at these trans threads I'm gonna call bullshit. Now all of a sudden we have to take pressure readings, pressure rise, fall, etc. Boost valves getting stuck, rounded edges, etc. How about just building the fucking product right the first time??? We're paying premium dollar for what's supposed to be a premium product. Hey vendors, stop trying to feed us bullshit and stop being greedy and just build the product right like you used to.
 
  1. Ya... Nothing has chage in the past 15 years. I think everyone goes to a 400 now. Prob get a 400 that will take all the v6 power nowfor $800 in cluding a new dacco converter!!!!! Can't beat that !!!
 
Just getting good parts and good cores is becoming very difficult. The stuff that also fits the 700r4 is pretty easy but the 2004r specific stuff like drums that aren't being reproduced and are nla makes putting a good unit together much harder that it used to be. These things are thirty years old for the newest stuff.

A th400 is much cheaper and the 4l80e has become cheaper to with the stand alone trans computers that are out there. Even the converters for the 4l80e are becoming available in higher stalls.
 
I was having my local guy build it and came a point where it wouldn't stay together more than a few runs. Bought a unit from a reputable vendor for top dollar. It lived for 3 years and many passes. When it finally lost second gear, I made a 300 mile round trip to take back to said vendor for a rebuild. It wasn't long before I started having shifting issues again. Made a call and was told to check pressures, etc. My point is, it lasted THREE years the first time and now it's nothing but problems. I've had health issues the last few years, including recently being diagnosed with cancer and don't and should've have to spend a lot of time diagnosing a problem on a product I spent top dollar for.
 
At the end of the day it's a mechanical device. To make matters worse it's a fairly old and very complex mechanical device. To complicate things even more, it's being asked to do a task that it was never originally designed to perform. It sucks to have problems with them but that's part of having an old car, especially a modified one. And it would help the builder to have basic info when something does go wrong. Maybe it's an easy fix that won't require the trans to come out and be shipped. Has it sat without moving for a long period of time? That contributes to things being finicky. Bottom line is these aren't maintenance free cars and maintenance is only going to get worse with them getting older.

I'm sincerely sorry to hear of you or anyone having serious health problems. If you're anywhere near the Kansas/Nebraska border by chance, I'll be glad to show up and help (and bring a half dozen friends).
 
  1. Ya... Nothing has chage in the past 15 years. I think everyone goes to a 400 now. Prob get a 400 that will take all the v6 power nowfor $800 in cluding a new dacco converter!!!!! Can't beat that !!!
Not everyone.some of us are still running killer 200 builds:D
 
Also sorry to hear of your health issues.
What you are saying confirms what I posted about getting things like a good drum. When you have a warped drum, a worn drum or one that someone cut on a lathe and made it thin and easier to warp or just be a smaller diameter and the band has a harder time grabbing it to make a good 1-2 shift.
You are having the probs that lead me to assemble my own trans. I used a cadillac core with the idea that the stuff inside wouldn't have been beat on.
As you either know or are finding out, high performance stuff is expensive and getting what you paid for isn't easy. That is why I do my own work. Is it easy? Nope. Is it quick? Not even close. But I know who will do the "warranty work". Me.
 
Going to a 4l80 for me at this point......pretty sure I broke the input shaft on my current 2004r. Been through countless 200's and they will live when built right but need freshening every 3-4 years when behind 600 or better flywheel hawses. I beat the sh$# outta mine street racing, drag racing and drive it cross country. Hard to argue the difference in clutch and component size of a 400/4l80 in comparison for power handling. I think the 200 has its place and any trans can break but when really built I feel a 400/4l80 can handle the power longer/stay in service with out a freshening vs. a 2004r. Yeah I know the gear ratio, weight and power loss......its a give and take.
 
3/4 years now rebuild ?? That's rediculus. I did the C4 trans in my 66 Shelby GT 350 back in 1974. Just sold the car a few years ago an it still worked flawlessly ! Never missed a beat. I put prob 25 miles on it in all those years ;-/ We will take our 200 apart in the winter to take a good look at it. Yes every year !! You guys want to use them in a 700hp car an want them to live for years ?? OK.. Now do a 4L80 with 700hp. You think it can live 3/4 years without doing anything to it ?? Guys up here have them in some healthy Street/race cars. They still need preventative maintenance !! I am not talking about 200 miles a year. Hell we are 1 1/2 to 2 hours away from the track. Race then go up to the lake another 1 1/2 hours in one day ! OK enuff preaching for the day. Going to the beach :) Damm fat fingures can't type !!
 
I'm not expecting 3-4 years. What I'm expecting is when I go to drive a car that I take out maybe once a month if that is to be able to enjoy it instead of having some bullshit problem pop up every time. The car literally sees about 1000 miles a year.
 
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