TH-400 or stay with 200r4

[turbocody]

i want the car to be realiable to 6.80's and i want the lockup. i know the 200r4 has lockup and the th-400 doesn't, but if i can get a lockup in a th-400 that would be awsome. my stock tranny is about to give out as it has 250+ track passes on it and it's bone stock with 54k on it with me going numerous 7.50-7.40 passes on it. so what you guys suggest? and where/who to go to?

 

[Kip]

It should be easy to obtain your goal with a 200. You can do a lock up with a 400 but it is pricey.
Take care, Kip

 

[turbocody]

ohh, and i forgot to mention that i will be doing 20# transbrake launches, if that changes anything.

 

[BADASS86GN]

Hey Cody, long time no see. I'm going to a T400 in about a week to go together with my new stuff. I say, buy a T400 and sell your 2004r and be done with it. 20# launches... T400. I'm getting mine from Poston. I'll let you know my new combo when i'm done...it will probably be a while.

Craig

 

[GN/GTO]

I'm doing the swap now (2004R to T400) just tired of staging the car a thinking "is the trans going to hold?"... well it didn't... 20lbs launch you're gonna break it, go for the T400. The lock up isn't going to make much of a difference, the overdrive is what you'll miss if your cruising the highway. But cars did it all day long and took families on vacations and so on without overdrive for many years. Try driving around in drive and you can see what its going to be like. Watch rpm when converter locks up only about 200 rpm change. Good luck what ever trans you use..

 

[JDSfastGN]

Hey Cody, met ya at Noble this year. Anyways in my opinion it depends on how the car is driven (its not a daily is it?) and what the money situation is. The 400 will cost half as much as a 200 built to take that kinda power, but if you have the money, the less weight, better internal gear ratios, lockup option and OD would make me want to stick with a 200. If its mostly a track or cruise the weekends car then stick a 400 in and beat the hell out of it. But if its a car that sees lotsa miles and and you have the funds for a full billet tranny/w trans brake setup then go for it.

 

[Rickracer]

I've done lotsa cars for myself and others....

...and I tend to echo JDSfastGN' comments. If it's a car that sees lots of street driving, you will miss the OD and lock-up. Just about every combo I spec out now has an OD trans in the combination.

 

[broke1]

CK offers a lock up th400....

 

[TurboTR]

...and FWIW, the 200R4 is not less weight. They are about the same. We've verified it. As for gear ratios, my opinion is that the taller 1st gear in the TH400 probably actually helps a high hp car (less wheelspin).

TurboTR

 

[JDSfastGN]

Originally posted by TurboTR
...and FWIW, the 200R4 is not less weight. They are about the same. We've verified it. As for gear ratios, my opinion is that the taller 1st gear in the TH400 probably actually helps a high hp car (less wheelspin).

TurboTR

Well from my experience there is a 40-50 lb weight penalty depending on what convertor is in both trannys, gear ratios, i disagree but have nothin to back it up other than the fact that i would rather work the suspension to put it down rather than compensate with a gear. The reciprocating weight of a 400 is also much much more than a 200 and will soak up more power. I'm not saying one is better than the other, no doubt a built 400 will out last a built 200 at those power levels, but both are capable of getting the job done and they both have their drawbacks, he just has to decide on which drawbacks he wants to live with

 

[D.K.]

I have done both. The 400 is heavier and consumes more power to turn it. It will cost you 2 to 3 tenths and the same in MPH. If you make huge power, I would go with the 400. If you are happy with an 11 sec street car and drive it alot, I would stick with the 200.

Dave

 

[TurboTR]

Sheesh, what TH400 transmissions do you guys put in?? A regular, HD built BOP or what? On my own scale, holding them in my own hands (<grunt> <groan> lol) the trans were ~ the same weight. So are the converters, that is non lu vs non lu. A lu is heavier of course. But if someone else sees a 50 lb weight penalty with theirs then so be it I guess! (?) Maybe I have a special lightweight model or something.

TurboTR

 

[turbocody]

well, i think i have decided on a th-400 w/trans brake. and a 3000-3200 stall. i really appreciate everyones input on this. so all i need to do the switch is a HR poly trans mount, bend fluid lines a little, modify shifter bracket, new drive shaft and yoke since i'm beefing it up anyway, any others?. and i need the short tail shaft one right?

 

[S2V6RACER]

Originally posted by JDSfastGN
Well from my experience there is a 40-50 lb weight penalty depending on what convertor is in both trannys, gear ratios, i disagree but have nothin to back it up other than the fact that i would rather work the suspension to put it down rather than compensate with a gear. The reciprocating weight of a 400 is also much much more than a 200 and will soak up more power. I'm not saying one is better than the other, no doubt a built 400 will out last a built 200 at those power levels, but both are capable of getting the job done and they both have their drawbacks, he just has to decide on which drawbacks he wants to live with

I am trying to convince Top Gun to try out a 200 next year in TSM I got one in the garage he can use. Even if the trans only lasts a outing, he should be able to pick up something in the proccess.


How about a 20# T-brake launch??

 

[GNVAIR]

Even the 400 has its limitations with those being the amount of power being produced and the fact that you will lose ET/MPH with it unless ofcourse you are making so much power that you can make up for the difference. I read on this board a year or 2 ago that Joe Lubrant ran one down to the lower 9's in an almost full weight car (3700lbs?) and then started breaking them.
Just somethings to consider.

 

[703crewchief]

Hey Guys, The TH400 with a switch pitch convertor, a lower first gear, and a T-brake is the hot set-up. And if you have the funds, later down the road you can add a Gear Vendors Overdrive on the tail of the 400. Its more weight, and its expensive but it can handle something like 1200 lbs-ft of torque. I would put that combo against anybody's built 200.

 

[TurboJim]

Originally posted by 703crewchief
Hey Guys, The TH400 with a switch pitch convertor, a lower first gear, and a T-brake is the hot set-up. And if you have the funds, later down the road you can add a Gear Vendors Overdrive on the tail of the 400. Its more weight, and its expensive but it can handle something like 1200 lbs-ft of torque. I would put that combo against anybody's built 200.

I was thinking the exact same thing!

BTW: where ya been hiding Todd?? Its been ages! Hows everything?

Jim

 

[GNVAIR]

Originally posted by 703crewchief
Hey Guys, The TH400 with a switch pitch convertor, a lower first gear, and a T-brake is the hot set-up. And if you have the funds, later down the road you can add a Gear Vendors Overdrive on the tail of the 400. Its more weight, and its expensive but it can handle something like 1200 lbs-ft of torque. I would put that combo against anybody's built 200.

Only thing you are forgetting is that with a 400 and a brake you lose the automatic shifting as all the brake valve bodies for a 400 are manual.

 

[TurboTR]

Yeah but it's actually fun to shift manually for the most part with a nice ratchet shifter. High hp, weekend warrior type car at least.

Jim I've been doing well, thanks. Back to working on the T after a long hiatus 9/11 was rough on alot of people

TurboTR