90BlackGTA

iTrader: (1)

Hey I know another 700R4 rebuild thread but bare with me. Anyway i'll be having it rebuilt soon and I plan to go with a local transmission shop that a few f-body guys recommended around here and so far the people there are very knowledgeable and willing to answer my questions. There also the only place in my city that rebuilds torque converters. Anyway this process is all new to me and I don't know much about transmissions but so far i'm having them put in a TransGo 700 2/3 shift kit, might go to a corvette stall converter instead of stock, and then the 700R4 rebuild. I know they already plan to put in a corvette servo as they said they use the highest quality of parts,etc but what else should I make sure to have done for my rebuild. My GTA is my DD in the summer, mainly stock and I don't drive it hard but I would like it to be able to withstand anywhere from 300-400HP max for the future if I do any mods. I know people will start recommending a kit from Dana at Pro-Built and while I was going to go that route, it seems most shops won't offer any warranty unless you use their parts supplier which in this case is TransGo. I'm 21 years old, have limited money, and not very mechanically knowledgeable so having a warranty is kinda necessary instead of taking a bigger risk by having a shop rebuild it with a kit from Pro-Built and having no warranty and no knowing of if they followed Dana's instructions. Anyway what are some other parts,etc that I should make sure they do for the rebuild so that this 700R4 can handle some mods for the future. Sorry for the rant and thanks, Josh

tyrvidar

I've had lots of shops tell me they are using the highest end parts for the rebuild... Which may be true... but they are often using stock rebuild kits that only cost 100 bucks on the market or so.

I don't know what other guys recommend but I went with this kit a couple months ago:

http://racetransmissions.com/store/p...roducts_id/408

I also had the stock sunshell replaced:

http://racetransmissions.com/store/p...roducts_id/692


I went with this Transgo reprogramming kit also (I guess it's the jr kit?)

http://racetransmissions.com/store/p...oducts_id/1025

It all came in pretty fast, It's the best performing automatic tranny I've ever had.

Mine was rebuilt free though... Would they rebuild using parts you take them? It should knock off the cost of their parts, and give you sound mind that you KNOW what is going into your tranny instead of what a shop tells you is "high performance".

KNBlazer

planetary gears... tell them to explain the warranty to you... what is and what is not covered... I had a local shop sell me a heavy duty tranny then 4 months later a planetary gear broke and declined my warranty due to their belief that I raced my car... yeah go figure... a muscle car and they're voiding my warranty...

90BlackGTA

iTrader: (1)

yeah they said its a 1 year 20,000 mile warranty but doesn't cover abuse. They listed some things that they consider abuse but I know nothing about transmissions so I didn't know what they were really referring to lol so who knows.

Floor guy

The warranty length suggests that you are dealing with a reputable shop. Some only give a 30 day warranty, believe it or not.
As far as parts selection, you really should be discussing this with the trans builder only. His experience will allow him to select the best parts for you, and must meet the quality he needs to support the warranty.
If someone came into my shop with a box of parts (or a list of specified parts) sourced from the internet,(and requested I build their trans with them, to their specification, and guarantee it), I would throw them out.
My build and warranty=my preferred parts and specs.Food for thought.

90BlackGTA

iTrader: (1)

yeah I see what your saying floor guy about the person building the transmission....what does everyone who purchases at kit from Pro-Built do? Do they all have mechanical knowledge and do it themselves or know of someone? If not then can be a difficult situation whether or not to trust the shop with no warranty. I'll probably just be sticking to using the shops parts and hoping for the best. What I want to know though is what upgrades should I have done besides a corvette servo, and transgo 700 2/3 shift kit so that my transmission is future mod proof for between 300-400HP? Thanks!

LXS

Sorry for the necropost, but some good info here! I'm looking to rebuild the 700R4 for my '91 Z28 and was hoping to find a/some reputable shops in the LA/SoCal area....but now I'm kinda thinking/debating building it myself?! I've never rebuilt a tranny before, but I'm no mechanic noob. I've built a few motors, worked on suspension, brakes, etc., so I feel pretty confident in attempting this!

TZFBird

I'm no expert, but have learned quite a few things.

I've done a 700R4 and 2 4L60e. As far as upgrades, since you are taking it to a shop you are at their mercy. If they are using a Corvette servo, you will be good there. But maybe suggest the Beast Shell. Breaking a planetary is a big thing I would think but anything can fail when it feels like it.

I built mine with the Pro-Built shift-kit you have listed plus the beast shell, vette servo, and 13 vane pump. I'm very happy with it and have done some stupid stuff that should have left it on the ground.

As far as a warranty,make sure they setup the TV system and find out in writing if that is covered in the warranty. As far as I'm concerned that is the only reason aside from higher than stock torque levels that these transmissions fail. They either work correctly or they don't after a rebuild. Other than that they just wear out.
I just got done rebuilding a '93 4L60E which is as close to a 700R4 as you can get. It had almost 320K miles on it and was in a farm truck used for towing/pulling before turning into a DD. Failed only because of normal wear which eventually led to it tearing itself apart.