[nh68gto]

I’d like to find that write up.

[Steve C.]

After I installed the 505 in my car I read the High Performance Pontiac Magazine article about installing the 200-4R transmission. It garnered some interest.
So I looked into it further and went to a fellow here in Texas that had a good reputation for building them in Buick V-6 Grand National race cars.

This was in 2007 and I purchased one from him. I had a minor issue with it at first but I found with my set-up I did not like the lock-up converter.
It was about that time this comment regarding a lock up converter was made - "I didn't really like it much, as it would "lug" the engine in 4th gear at low vehicle speeds, and clunked in and out like a factory TCC cruising around 35-50mph when we were on and off the throttle."

This was my issue with my set up. I didn't like it so I called Cliff Ruggles and he set me up with a non-lockup unit from Continental, about 3400 stall.
Drives great on the street and couples up nice out on the open highway with about 200 rpm slip. With 650 ft.lbs torque, street car not raced, so far it has not exploded

Side topic: I can highly recommend the Bowtie Overdrives TV and Throttle Cable SYSTEMS. That is we used on my 200- 4R
http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/


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[nh68gto]

I think that is party of my confusion as well.
Don’t understand the lock up and what it does and doesn’t do. Is this a converter thing or trans as well.

[Cliff R]

Cheap doesn't make it with this sort of thing.

Had a customer recently buy a very expensive 200-4R then put a "shelf" converter from one of the big "box stores" in it. It grenaded the converter on the first test drive and lunched the transmission pumping it FULL of ground up needle bearings and hunks of busted up sprag material. It also voided the warranty on it you he was left with a big pile of bovine excrement that he had to pay to have completely torn down and repaired on his nickel.

WAY back in the early 1990's I built a 4L60 for my 1967 Impala SS and bought a cheap converter for it. I loved that swap over the PG that was in the car, until I raced a Rustang away from a traffic light and lunched the converter on the 2-3 upshift. Same deal, it DESTROYED the transmission pumping it FULL of ground up material from the converter. I completely rebuilt the transmission again having to replace most of the bushings and many other items then bought a high end converter (switched to non-LU) from Precision Industries. It not only worked a LOT better than the POS shelf unit I bought the first time I went on to put over 30,000 pretty hard miles on it and it never grumbled once.

You don' t have to get a second mortgage for a 200-4R converter but for sure I'd go with a reputable company and avoid any of that bottom of the barrel crap........FWIW.....

[nh68gto]

Thanks Cliff.
I started a post asking what is recommended.
Could you comment

[DonnyD]

Originally Posted by nh68gto

I think that is party of my confusion as well.
Don’t understand the lock up and what it does and doesn’t do. Is this a converter thing or trans as well.

It simply locks the converter and it turns all as one unit, as far as I’m concerned. It is more efficient, saves gas and runs cooler. If you are making big HP or drag racing, a non-lockout converter will rob some horsepower but be a lot stronger and less parts to break.