TBucket 200-4R Transmission Project

[busterrm]

You mean those pieces of scrap I practiced on came in handy! That is cool! Glad to have you back Rick! I am still in a stalemate with my 400 but there's light at the end of the tunnel. The retailer refunded my money, but because I wrote a check, one of very few I ever write any more, I have to wait two to three weeks. So when the money gets here I am going to order a set of lifters from Lunati.

 

[Indycars]

You mean those pieces of scrap I practiced on came in handy! That is cool! Glad to have you back Rick!

I just had to cut one side flush with the other piece at 90° since it was wider.

It good to be back, I was really more interested in working on the car than being on vacation!

 

[busterrm]

indycars wrote:
It good to be back, I was really more interested in working on the car than being on vacation!

Something seriously wrong with us guys, when we would rather work on our hotrod than go on vacation! :lol:

 

[Indycars]

Something seriously wrong with us guys, when we would rather work on our hotrod than go on vacation! :lol:

I really don't understand what you mean by......"Seriously Wrong"......What the hell are you
saying about me, I'm mentally deranged ??? :lol: Ok NO argument from me. :roll:

 

[87vette81big]

:roll:

 

[busterrm]

Something seriously wrong with us guys, when we would rather work on our hotrod than go on vacation! :lol:

I really don't understand what you mean by......"Seriously Wrong"......What the hell are you
saying about me, I'm mentally deranged ??? :lol: Ok NO argument from me. :roll:

No Rick I am saying that about all of us! hahahahahahahahaha!!!

 

[DorianL]

Something seriously wrong with us guys, when we would rather work on our hotrod than go on vacation! :lol:

I really don't understand what you mean by......"Seriously Wrong"......What the hell are you
saying about me, I'm mentally deranged ??? :lol: Ok NO argument from me. :roll:

No Rick I am saying that about all of us! hahahahahahahahaha!!!

Concur. I am going on vacation soon and I'll be missing my new project. :mrgreen:

 

[grumpyvette]

my wife thinks IM insane when we travel on vacations, she wants to visit casinos and Disney world,or vegas ... and I want to stop at places like that huge summit auto parts store in GEORGIA, or the corvette museum , or the Smithsonian in Washington, or spend a week camping in a tent, in the Rockey,s in some place thats barely on any map

 

[DorianL]

my wife thinks IM insane when we travel on vacations, she wants to visit casinos and Disney world,or vegas ... and I want to stop at places like that huge summit auto parts store in GEORGIA, or the corvette museum , or the Smithsonian in Washington, or spend a week camping in a tent, in the Rockey,s in some place thats barely on any map

LOLOLOL DID that!!!!! Went to Vegas - didn't spend a cent on gambling - went to outskirts of town to get a lockright locker and a pro-ratchet shifter to smuggle back home :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Indycars]

Installing the Lo/Reverse Clutch Housing (ID 646) was my problem child. The
first attempt created a couple of burrs on the aluminum case and would NOT
go any further. So I removed the clutch housing, flipped the case so that it
was pointed down and any fillings would fall on the floor. Sure could have
used one of those aluminum magnets!

On my next attempt to install the clutch housing it would go almost all the
way in and then stop 1/16” from being all the way in. Leaving about half the
snap ring groove blocked. Then I had a hell of time getting it back out again,
not sure what made it so hard other than it was getting cocked sideways. They
make a special tool for removing/installing this component, but I don’t have
one. Should have used a little ATF fluid or Vaseline before installing.

No way to know for sure, but I think one of the thrust bearings that I converted
from a thrust washer, slide out of its pocket and was preventing the clutch
housing installing completely.

Pay attention to the snap ring, it's beveled and the bevel needs to face the
front of the transmission.



On the third attempt it went in and cleared the snap ring groove. Total
time was about 1.5 hours. I was ready to climb Mt Everest, nothing could
stop me now.



Next I turned the trans so the pan side was up to install the Rubber
Cup Plug (ID 46).





Dropped the cup plug in the hole and it fell in almost flush with the casting.
Using a 1/4 inch rod I tapped it in until it contacted the clutch housing (ID 646).





Performed the air test where I applied air pressure to the cup plug to
check the piston (ID 649) movement in the clutch housing. Everything
looks good until I spot something inside the cup plug, looks like a piece
of rubber. Sure enough some rubber was stripped off during installation,
but I was able to cut it free and remove it.





Also for good measure I flatten the piece of SS wire to .017” and tried to
insert it between the clutch housing and cup plug to confirm that it was
fully seated …..looks good no gap.

 

[87vette81big]

I am not a 200R4 expert Rick. Learning from your 200R4 buildup.
GM 700R4 transmissions test your assembly skills too.

The hardest part of subassembly work on my 700R4 rebuild was the Reverse input drum piston.
1St attempt I cocked the reverse clutch piston.
A small piece of rubber shaving appeared at the top.
Similar to the .017 rubber shaving your showing present.
Took the Reverse piston back out. Sure enough I took a 1/3 rd of the outer rubber seal off.
Best transmussin lubricant to use is. the special Green, Blue, or Gold automatic trans grease.
Napa sells it. About $7 for a quart tub of it.

!Not saying what to do.
But there is a 5 alarm fire bell going off in my mind seeing that piece of .017 rubber.
Came from somewhere .
Your workmanship has been immaculate .

Brian

 

[87vette81big]

Never mind. Rubber coated cup plug.

 

[busterrm]

Hey Rick, where will you be the week of the 4th on your tranny assembly? I am thinking of take a few days of PTO and going for a ride up to OKC. Will you be free that weekend?

 

[Indycars]

Thanks Brian for those kind words...much appreciated!!!

I've been using Vaseline, but at 95° F in the garage, it's viscosity really drops
and it looses it holding power to keep thrust bearings in place. Would the Green,
Blue or Gold work better in this respect. And whats the difference in the
three varieties???

I'm pretty sure the rubber came from that cup plug. You can tell it's still attached
in that one photo where I've go a hold of it with the wire.

 

[Indycars]

Hey Rick, where will you be the week of the 4th on your tranny assembly? I am thinking of take a few days of PTO and going for a ride up to OKC. Will you be free that weekend?

I hope to be finished by then, maybe still working out the details for the lockup converter.

I will be here. My brother has a big BBQ that weekend for his birthday on the 4th, but you are certainly welcome to come. It would be like 4-9 pm, but I have to worn you that there will be roughly 30 some people there if you are up to it. Or if you just want to hang out at my house that works also. But he has not said anything for sure about this year yet, there is always a chance that he might not have it.

 

[87vette81big]

I used the Green transmission assembly lubricant on my 700R4 buildup .
It was during late July - early August 2010. Was around 90-95F.
Hot too during assembly.
Blue & Gold are for cooler temps I have been told.
Lubeguard makes the auto trans lubricant assembly Goo.
Good stuff. Try it. Think it will make assembly easier for you.

I converted my 700R4 to full Torington needle thrust washer throughout also.

Brian

 

[Indycars]

Did it require a lot of machining to convert to Torrington bearings for
the 700R4 ?

Looks like several companies make this stuff in different colors. Green
seems to be the stiffest of the all the colors.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detai ... &ppt=C0207

DR. TRANNY ASSEMBLEE GOO is formulated for use as an assembly aid and lubricant for virtually any assembly application (including engines!). It provides lubrication and helps facilitate the assembly process, by holding components such as needle bearings and hydraulic seals in place. Simply apply to O-rings, seals, bearings, gaskets, sealing rings, bushings, thrust washers and much more. Dr. Tranny Assemblee Goo remains smooth and stable. It will not melt at shop or work bench temperatures and provides either light or firm tack for your assembly requirements. Yet it dissolves and becomes soluble in transmission fluids at operating temperatures without clogging filters or solenoid valves. Dr. Tranny Assemblee Goo eliminates misdiagnosing leaks and is NOT harmful with prolonged skin contact.

1. Provides your choice of tack strength, firmer (GREEN) great for summer months and lighter tack (BLUE) great for winter months
2. No water/soapy residue to contaminate new automatic transmission fluid
3. Dyed green or blue to prevent misdiagnosing leaks
4. Will not melt at shop temperatures
5. Not harmful with prolonged skin contact
6. Will not clog filters
7. Dissolves quickly at operating temperatures
8. Proprietary green formula contains rust inhibitor
9. Compatible with all transmission fluids

 

[87vette81big]

Some machining work required.
Custom machined the 2-4 servo apply pin in my 87 vette 700R4 myself to specific length I needed.
On a South Bend Lathe.

Lots of hand fileing & Diamond lap fileing.

If you have access to a lathe, polish all valvebody valves with 2000 grit wet & dry sandpaper @ 2000 rpm spindle speed. Makes a mirror smooth finish of 1-3 RA Finish.
Your 200R4 will upshift flawless @WOT LIKE MY 700R4 DOES.


GREEN TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY GOO IS GREAT STUFF IN SUMMERTIME.
GET SOME RICK.

BR

 

[Indycars]

Things are moving faster than I can document right now, so I need to get
this posted before I forget what I did.

Next to be installed was a thrust washer that I converted a Torrington
Bearing or Thrust Bearing.



Then comes the Input Drum, this piece is aftermarket for the hardened
spline that strips on most 200-4R transmissions. When the Input Drum
goes in it has the Rear Sun Gear (ID 642) already attached, like you see
in the insert.



Next goes the thrust bearing (ID 637) with the 3 fingers installed pointing down.



Now the Front Carrier Assembly and another thrust bearubg. This thrust
bearing was already of the Torrington type.



On top of that goes the Front Internal gear, thrust washer and Selective
Thrust Washer.



Last be not least in this section is the snap ring. Most references will tell
you this is where you need to measure the Rear Section End Play, but the
CKP book recommends doing this on the bench. I completely agree it's
much easier there then working down inside a hole. Therefore I have
already done this and adjusted the end play to 0.006 inches.



I have over 900 photos of this transmission so, if there is something that
is NOT clear in any photo, I bet I have another photo where it will be clear.
And I'm not talking about the camera focus, but the perspective and what's
inside of something else or touching, etc etc.

So just ask if you need a different photo!!!

 

[DorianL]

Make sure that one is fully seated. Mine popped off the minute I put it in reverse...