200R4 VS TH400 Which one

200R4 OR TH400

  • TH400

    Votes: 30 44.8%

  • 200R4

    Votes: 37 55.2%
  • Total voters
    67
  • Poll closed .
C

CHANCE

No longer a Buick guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joined
Jul 13, 2001
Alright since I can seem to make up my mind I'll see what you guys say.
Here's the deal I want to be able to run 10's in the quarter and have it last for awhile behind 600-650 hp. No real hwy driving but maybe once in a great while it will see it. What do you think?

Also one other thing I've been thinking about if you have a TH400 with a reverse valve body how does the computer know how much timing to give per gear?
 
I use Turbo Tweak Chips and it reads the MPH to make changes. I used the 400s for years. For 2010 I decided to get a 200 and a PTC converter. I was looking for a change of pace. The constant shifting of the RMVB, the 3000 rpm at like 65mph and the thrust bearing issues were not going to be missed. I went to a well known builder in the area and asked for a bench job after giving him the information about the car. Took some trial and error, adjusting and valve body swap to get it how I wanted. It was a love-hate start to the year. It now has like 30 track passes on it in the 118-127mph range and plenty of street fun. I did drive the car more than years before since I had the OD and no 200* temp issues after being on the highway for extended periods trying to keep a decent pace. I think the 400 may find its way back in since its cheaper to build, maintain, and will withstand more power per dollar spent. I just don't have the same trust in the 200 as I do the 400. My old 400 was inspected and freshened even though it looked nice inside.
 
For 10's, a 200 will be fine. After that, it is hard on a 200's clutches. My brother has been running 10.8's for 2 years on a stock 200. But, in 2 years, it has been to the track 2 times.:D
 
I switched over to a TH400 a couple of years ago. I have'nt had any regrets so far. Of course I do not put my car on the interstate just short trips. As far as handleing power it's going to take quite a bit of $$$$ to get the 200 to preform. Spend about half and get alot more for your $$$$ on the 400
 
IMO, 650-700 bhp is the fine line for a 200-4R. Even with all the tricks they're throwing at the unit to make the direct clutches live, there is only so much room to pack that greatly needed total friction surface area in there. And, throwing 300+ psi at it presents other problems.
I like what GN87.Rickie stated. Get much more durability for much less dough.
 
CHANCE said:
Alright since I can seem to make up my mind I'll see what you guys say.
Here's the deal I want to be able to run 10's in the quarter and have it last for awhile behind 600-650 hp. No real hwy driving but maybe once in a great while it will see it. What do you think?

Also one other thing I've been thinking about if you have a TH400 with a reverse valve body how does the computer know how much timing to give per gear?
Click to expand...

For you goals do the 200. It will be faster and you still get O/D:biggrin:
 
Get a 400 and do it once, or get a 200 and do it over and over, I've seen it with most EVERYONE I know. These 200s will not take the abuse of a sub 12 second car, I don't care what anyone says, I've SEEN it too many times (been into these cars since '92).. but hey, its only money :D (amazing all the people who say 200s are fine, don't mention HOW MANY TIMES they've been out of the car.) Spend time reading this section and you'll have your answer. edit - you already look to have the answer in your sig., "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
 
well of course I have to chime in here:cool:. high 10s should be a walk in the park for a 200R4.. Sorry but if ya can't make a 200R4 work in a 12 sec car you have issues :p We beat the hell out of all my cars !! Thats why we have them. I did have one customers car here that had a 400 manual shift rev pattern . To me it was the biggest piece of ............... No way could I live with that. Another thing we do a lot of highway driving so now way I would give up OD. :cool:
 
I have a Janis 200 that went many low 10's at 9 sec MPH going strong in a very low 11 sec car. If you are looking for 9's, go 400, if you want 10's and limited track time, go 200. If you plan on racing every week, go 400.


A stock transmission with a shift kit will go 11's if used properly. The problem is with the TV pressure. During a burnout and launching, you want to be in 2nd for the line pressure. There is alot of power going through the trans at part throttle during the burnout and staging, and with the shifter in D, the line pressure is low. In 1,2 or even R, the line pressure is up to almost WOT pressures. This will make the clutches live longer.
 
williamsGN said:
Get a 400 and do it once, or get a 200 and do it over and over, I've seen it with most EVERYONE I know. These 200s will not take the abuse of a sub 12 second car, I don't care what anyone says, I've SEEN it too many times (been into these cars since '92).. but hey, its only money :D (amazing all the people who say 200s are fine, don't mention HOW MANY TIMES they've been out of the car.) Spend time reading this section and you'll have your answer. edit - you already look to have the answer in your sig., "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. There are alot of people out there that really shouldn't be building transmissions. I run a 200 in my car. I purchased it in 2005 when the car ran 10.50's. I race every weekend when weather permits. The trans made it three years until I broke the ring & pinion, the shock from that damaged the sprag in the trans causing it to finally fail. At that point I was running 10.1x's. I had the hard parts replaced & the unit freshened up & it's on it's 3rd year now. The end of this year I made about 35 mid-low 9 second passes (9.30's-9.50's) and last year It went 9.70-9.90 every weekend. It's all about getting someone that knows how to properly build a 200. My tranny came from Brian Hofer.
 
One of the best things I ever did was switch over to 400s in my two faster cars. Like stated above, more durability and cheaper price. I don't make long trips on the highway, so not having overdrive is not a big deal.

I like shifting myself. It shifts at exactly the rpm I want it to, every time. I can't believe people complain about the shifting, but the same people probably never liked stick shifts either. At least its sequential and there is no clutch.

The best thing is having the electric transbrakes (which are pretty common on the 400s for a reasonable price). Combining that with the Bob Bailey 2 steps that came out recently and its the best thing since sliced bread (without having to put tons of $ into it).

Another nice thing about the 400 is that if it breaks, there are probably 10 shops within driving distance who could fix it to live up to 10sec power. For a 200, you're pretty limited by the number of people who you'd trust so you'll likely be shipping it unless they happen to be local.

I do like the 200, but the money I'd have to spend on one for high 9 sec power with an electric transbrake isn't worth it to me.
 
williamsGN said:
Read the latest...
Click to expand...

I have read it all. I have bought 5 tranny's from Brian & installed them in 5 different cars. All were set up properly & work great. The slowest car runs 11.0's. The tranny's need to be not only built properly but installed correctly paying close attention to the TV cable adjustment. They also need a good CLEAN tranny cooler and converter. I don't know the story behind any trannys that failed, but I would suspect improper TV adjustment or leftover crud in the cooler or converter. Brian's trannys are all built the pretty much the same with the exception of billet internals. Why would a low 11 second car tear up a tranny yet mine performs flawlessly at 9.3x?
 
johnplogii said:
I have read it all. I have bought 5 tranny's from Brian & installed them in 5 different cars. All were set up properly & work great. The slowest car runs 11.0's. The tranny's need to be not only built properly but installed correctly paying close attention to the TV cable adjustment. They also need a good CLEAN tranny cooler and converter. I don't know the story behind any trannys that failed, but I would suspect improper TV adjustment or leftover crud in the cooler or converter. Brian's trannys are all built the pretty much the same with the exception of billet internals. Why would a low 11 second car tear up a tranny yet mine performs flawlessly at 9.3x?
Click to expand...

John, YOUR car runs awesome with a tranny that came from him 3 years ago. This MAY be the issue at hand, new builder in the last 3 years? I don't actually know, just a guess. I went with him because members here gave his tranny's such high praise and also gave him high marks for customer service. So much for either of those recommendations. I installed a new cooler, new converter and adjusted the TV just as his instructions say, 1/4 ". Also had several people in NC check it as well due to it hunting 3-4. The transmission lasted less than 40 miles! These were highway miles with zero track time. Total loss of 3rd and 4th gears. He decided he didn't want to deal with me and gave me only $1000.00 back. Who does that? TOTAL BS move from a supporting vendor in my eyes. Brian may be having some personal/financial issues but hiding from the people here is not going to fix them. I am sure he knows he is in the wrong here. I also hope that he is well and gets his life back on track from whatever problems he is having. I have no ill will for him.
Just my .02

Bryan
 
I certainly don't know the whole story here. Did Brian refund you $1000 and you kept the tranny? If thats the case I would call that more than fair as you could pay someone to R & I the unit, and take it elsewhere to have rebuilt. Most of the cost in these trannys is the billet parts.
 
johnplogii said:
I certainly don't know the whole story here. Did Brian refund you $1000 and you kept the tranny? If thats the case I would call that more than fair as you could pay someone to R & I the unit, and take it elsewhere to have rebuilt. Most of the cost in these trannys is the billet parts.
Click to expand...

Not the case...HE kept the tranny after shipping it back to him. I would not be so pissed if he had sent it back. Like I said I hope he gets his life back on track for those of you that are wanting to continue using him.

Bryan
 
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