Rebuild the 200 or go straight to TH400.

[DougsfastZ]

After slapping a TE-45A on the car, the stock, 89k mile tranny is starting to show its age. After many 1.6x shorts (1.56 being the best), the 1-2 shift hasn't gotten really soft and slow. At WOT it's smacking the limiter, and around town it almost doesn't feel as if it shifts.

The goal of the car in the future is to run bottom 10's (hence the TE45A), driven about 1000 miles a year and at the track at least once a month. Buying a built 200 is just out of the question, don't have $2500 in the budget. I was thinking initially to just either build myself a TH400 or buy a built once since they are so much cheaper. Or, I have a local tranny guy that will build the 200, with all the parts supplied by me, for around $300. If I go that route, what parts would I need to get a solid, streetable tranny in handle 10 second blasts? I don't need a T-brake (it would be nice though), don't need a full manual valve body, just want it how it is now, stab and go.

Thoughts?

 

[GARY HARVEY]

stick w/the 200

the only reason that makes sense to go to a TH400 is having more HP than a 200 can handle.
I've got a TH400 behind a S2 and miss my 200.
Up to about 500 HP a 200 should and will handle the abuse and survive without spending too much
but $300 won't build the one you need.

 

[jasjamz]

Switching to a 400 is not so cheap either...
BOP Th 400
Rebuild
New converter
New driveshaft
New trans mount to work with your cross member
New yoke
Check valve for vac line
You pick the grade of parts and tally that up.

Bottom tens with a 200 that will last is not cheap either...

 

[JDSfastGN]

With a good front pump and a billet input shaft/ forward drum you should be ok as long as there are good clutches and bands inside(its racing so anything can happen). This is a pretty simplified answer but for around 300 for clutches/rebuild components, 420 for a forward drum and 300 for an input shaft + 200 for a good shiftkit/servo it should survive at that level. 300 for labor for the rebuild is a great deal as well if he has a clue as to what he is doing. If you are locking it at WOT that is pretty hard on the OD setup but so is racing in general. There are some that say you don't need any billet parts but I won't build a tranny without a billet forward drum if its going in a 12 second or quicker car. I also highly recommend dual feeding for a longer lasting direct (2-3) setup.

 

[bison]

You should be able to get it done with the current combo and no billet parts. You most likely sucked air on launch so you lost the 1-2. The 2-3 is the weak point in the trans. Id go for a decent build with a deep pan and bottom sump filter.

 

[quickt]

After slapping a TE-45A on the car, the stock, 89k mile tranny is starting to show its age. After many 1.6x shorts (1.56 being the best), the 1-2 shift hasn't gotten really soft and slow. At WOT it's smacking the limiter, and around town it almost doesn't feel as if it shifts.

The goal of the car in the future is to run bottom 10's (hence the TE45A), driven about 1000 miles a year and at the track at least once a month. Buying a built 200 is just out of the question, don't have $2500 in the budget. I was thinking initially to just either build myself a TH400 or buy a built once since they are so much cheaper. Or, I have a local tranny guy that will build the 200, with all the parts supplied by me, for around $300. If I go that route, what parts would I need to get a solid, streetable tranny in handle 10 second blasts? I don't need a T-brake (it would be nice though), don't need a full manual valve body, just want it how it is now, stab and go.
Thoughts?

Low 10s is an easy job for a 200. The 400 swap is not as cheep as you might think. If you drive the car much you will miss the 200. If its a track car make the switch. I have a new 200 drum I want to try out. If you are game would make you a deal you cant refuse on a 200. Drop me a PM if interested.

 

[murphster]

I recently switched two of my cars over to TH400s. One of them I switched with a friend who wanted a 2004R and the other I bought. Newly built TH400s can be found online for low 1000s. I got mine for $1000 after someone scratched their stage 2 project. Its an 8 second build and even has an Ultrabell and an HR tranny mount adapter (and of course a pro tree transbrake). But, like mentioned, you need other parts for the switchover. I searched and found a used converter with the stall I wanted for $250. I bought a 1350 pinion yoke for $140 from Dennys. A 3.5" driveshaft and tranny yoke from Dynotech Engineering runs about $360 I think. Luckily, I already had an aftermarket shifter that worked well with a TH400. A Dedenbear transbrake button runs about $37 on summit.

So this is my cost:

$1000 TH400
$ 70? HRparts trans mount that I got free
$ 250 converter
$ 140 1350 rear pinion yoke from Dennys
$ 360 driveshaft and tranny yoke from Dynotech
$ 37 Dedenbear transbrake button
$ 180 estimated cost for a good shifter

$2037 Total

The setup is easily good for 9s and much stronger than a $2000 2004R rebuild. Not to mention that you should upgrade the driveshaft and yokes on a 200 setup when you start making serious power too, especially on a tbrake, which would add even more cost on to a good 200 setup for a fair comparison.

Worst case, a new TH400 and converter can be had new for $1800 from CK and probably similar cost from Lonnie. That would bring the total cost to $2587 with everything brand new. And don't forget the money you could get back from selling your stock tranny, shifter, driveshaft, and yokes. Should easily bring the cost down to less than $2000 with a new TH400, less than $1500 if you find a deal on a TH400 and converter.

Having already spent $2000 plus on my good 2004R tranny, I didn't feel like spending more money as it was already showing signs of needing a freshening and I wanted a stronger tranny for my white T. On my other car, the stcok tranny needed a rebuild. The 400 is definitely way cheaper for what you get. I may miss the overdrive on one of the cars since I drive it on the street frequently, but with NJ traffic its not like I got to use overdrive much anyway.

 

[Scooter3800]

I was in the same situation - I was done fooling around with the 200-4R and wanted something that would take some abuse, and give me a piece of mind at the same time. Here is my cost break-down, and yes I can hop in the car and stab the gas, no manual shifting is required.

$60 TH400 BOP bolt pattern from junk yard
$500 Rebuild kit/speed parts from Jake Shoe
$0 Rebuilding the transmission myself
$400 Dynotech Engineering aluminum driveshaft
$500 2800 PTC converter
$0 Stock transmission mount can be modified
$30 Parts to make the vacuum modulator work

$1490 Total

 

[Alky V6]

Very good info by murphster. A transmission problem is something I no longer worry about. Too many other things to keep track of with my project.

Don't waste your time with a 200-4R without, at the very least, installing a billet intermediate shaft.

 

[Boostnitup]

Switch Pitch Turbo 400

Do a google... "Switch Pitch Turbo 400 Transmission"

Some of you are spending way too much money on transmissions! :biggrin:

4000 stall / 1,400 lock up

As much as some of you are dropping for a converter alone... you could buy a transmission you will NEVER break... oh... and you get a lockup high stall converter with it too!

 

[Alky V6]

Do the switch pitch converters hold up? I've seen the inside of one and the adjusting stator is not what I would call racing tough.

 

[Boostnitup]

When I break it... I'll let you know.

I have had this transmission in my toy since 1998. Looks like I got my dollars out of it, and then some.

I'm not running in the 10's either... but even then you could put together a turbo 350 transmission for a bunch cheaper than the 200R4. I know some of you are vendors... and this is akin to pissing on your bread and butter... but seriously it verges on theft what some of you are asking for a built 200R4.

Opinions... are "opinions".... :biggrin:

 

[Alky V6]

So what's the deal with a switch pitch in a car with some real power? Do they hold up? Just curious?

 

[norbs]

Ive had a Switch pitch setup. They work, but around 500-600 hp is the limits of all the components. The converters don;t have ballooning plates and are 11-12" diameter. By going to the high stall mode you lose efficiency quite a bit. I went to a normal PTC 9.5" converter and the car felt about 1 second faster right away and drives quite tight around low speeds. I would not go the switch pitch for a low 10 or 9 sec car, in my opinion.

 

[DougsfastZ]

Just a little update FYI.

Spoke with Lonnie @ Extreme automatics at length and decided to go with his stage II build for an incredible price. I'm going to test out a heat treated forward drum and see how the tranny performs.

Should have it in a week or so.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Just a little update FYI.

Spoke with Lonnie @ Extreme automatics at length and decided to go with his stage II build for an incredible price. I'm going to test out a heat treated forward drum and see how the tranny performs.

Should have it in a week or so.

Thanks for the input guys.

You made a good decision. Deren

 

[charlief1]

X2 and make sure to report back when you get done.

 

[DougsfastZ]

Been driving the car for several days now with the Stage II tranny from Lonnie, and I'm very impressed. The upshifts are spot on and crisp at partial and WOT. The shifts are much firmer, but not annoying when driving around partial throttle.

Lonnie was top notch during the complete transaction. Couldn't of asked for a better tranny or price.

I'll be to the track soon with the car, shooting of over 30 psi.

 

[ttaowner]

Been driving the car for several days now with the Stage II tranny from Lonnie, and I'm very impressed. The upshifts are spot on and crisp at partial and WOT. The shifts are much firmer, but not annoying when driving around partial throttle.

Lonnie was top notch during the complete transaction. Couldn't of asked for a better tranny or price.

I'll be to the track soon with the car, shooting of over 30 psi.

so is it a 200 or a 400? i don't know what the stage 2 is ?

 

[SSedan64]

so is it a 200 or a 400? i don't know what the stage 2 is ?

2004R http://www.extremeautomatics.com/transmissions/2004r.html