Shane4524

From what i am told the transmission in my '86 Camaro is going bad and I would need a rebuild soon. I was told to get a decent rebuild it would cost around a grand. I was wondering if it would be better just to buy a manual transmission with all the converter stuff and just stick that in instead of getting the automatic transmission rebuilt. I do prefer having it a stick shift. But if I get suggestions on ways to get the transmission rebuilt and be even better then that's what I will do.

Give me your suggestions!

Shane4524

Suggestions please... Or opinions...

mooch1

for me it is manual...i had an automatic and converted to manual...it was killing me to drive the car with an automatic!!..i can't believe that a rear wheel drive V8 camaro firebird with an automatic transmission ,,to each their own though, some poeple love automatics...not me,,,having said that , do you drive the car and push it hard?..do you drag...because this will make your decision easier to make ...for me it's a weekend cruise car and i love it manual now,,,you feel the car and what it can do...just my 2 cents...

supr_fly03

iTrader: (2)

I havent finished my conversion yet, but every vehicle I own has manual trannys except my camaro. Once I get the 5spd in it I will be good. I will have just under $600 in the conversion. That will include buying a new flywheel, new clutch kit, and a new slave cylinder.

If I was racing, I would keep the auto, but for everyday driving, you cant beat the enjoyment of shifting gears.

Tobias05

I have one of each, and they're both good at different things.

I'd say if its a regular at the race track I'd go with a stalled auto. If its a weekend warrior I'd prolly want to bang the gears more.

...when I get tired of the stalled auto, i just hop in the Z28, lol...

Shane4524

I am definitely more of a weekend gear slammer. Its a daily driver and I like to be in more control of how the car drives. That's why i want it manual. I haven't taken it to any tracks near me. Ones it's all in top shape I might take it there for fun once in a blue moon, but I am more into just cruising around with it.

Cflick

I'd rebuild the auto.
Parts wouldn't be but a hundred and a half or so.
They're NOT that complicated !

I'd stay with the auto regardless, and for two reasons :
1. A manual requires unloading and disconnecting the engine from the wheels to shift.
An auto continues delivering power through a shift, so the auto will always be faster, everything else being equel.
2. Slamming gears, side-stepping clutch, and such, imparts huge shock loads to the entire drive train, including motor mounts !
An auto imparts none of this, so is less wear and tear on everything.
3. ( OK, I can't count ) I'm lazy !

Tobias05

I'd get a probuilt.

Bman92rs

It also depends on what types of races you do. If its a drag race, dead start, autos are better. Drags with a rolling start the manual gets a better launch, but the auto shifts perfect every time. In rally, autocross, road racing, and drifting, the rpm control of the manual gives it a huge advantage. Another positive of manuals is that a lot of ppl can't drive em, so manuals are good antitheft systems. Autos do do better in stop and go traffic though. Id go with the manual, more control over the car, I'm not big on computers controlling everything about my car.

Stalker7d7

What do you mean by a 'stalled auto'?

Shane4524

What is a probuilt?

Also, couldn't I just get my 700r4 rebuilt for not that much?

Shane4524

Are you saying to rebuild it myself?

mooch1

i have seen shops that rebuilt 700r4 to stock specs , it cost between $1200 and $1500...not cheap ..then there are the hi-perforamnce rebuilt 700r4 that can reach up to $2000+!...

Shane4524

Damn, really? I was told I could get the 700r4 rebuilt to hold about 500 horse for about a grand. My source works for BMW so i thought he would be a good person to ask.

mooch1

go for it then...

Shane4524

I don't know if anyone could answer this, but can someone describe manual valving the transmission.?

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

Manual valving is just a way to get the transmission to hold whatever gear its in, forcing you to manually move the lever between the gears. It's basically a stick shift for people who can't use a clutch

I have to vote for the manual myself, as mentioned above by someone there is no point to owning a go-fast car with an automatic. To me, it just takes some of the fun out of driving it.

You said yourself you prefer manuals, now is the time to do the swap. If the auto was running fine I would say to put your money into other things the car needs/you want to do to it. Since you need a transmission anyhow, there is no reason not to do it.

Shane4524

Very good argument. I agree, it is what I really want so why not? Right?

Cflick

If you really want a manual, then you will never be satisfied with an auto, no matter that it is or isn't "better" in anyones view.
If the auto is sick, and needs to come out, then now *is* the time to do the swap.

Shane4524

Yea, good idea. Ever since I bought the car I have wished it was a manual and now is my chance to make it how I want it.

Thanks everyone for your opinions! If others still want to disagree and give other facts or opinions they are most certainly welcome!

KNBlazer

on my mildly built 305 I went through 5 700r4 (burned clutches) (2 broken planetary) and this last one is a high performance/bullet proof tranny which I don't have a diagnostic for, the torque converter crapped out and a couple months later I lost 1st and overdrive, possibly a plugged servo or governor... not driving it now so doesn't really matter.... I've gone through 7 different tranny builds... they've all been 700r4 trannies... the first five trannies I paid an average of 600 dollars per rebuild, the last two trannies, on one I paid 2200 and the last one which I'm having the trouble with I paid 2800 dollars...

If you plan on upgrading to the LSX platform in the future, you should consider the T-56... I am set on using the T-56 with Viper internals for the LSX platform...

solorunner

It means instead of having a torque converter it means having a stall converter like a vega. if the cam is big enough if you just sit at a red light or something with just a torque converter it will die unless you hold your foot and the brake and the gas. a stall converter you have to get it up to like 1500rpm or higher before it will even start moving.

UNCLE TOM

iTrader: (1)

playing with the gears is so much fun . anything else is just "shiftless" , a third gen is just meant for a 5-6 speed . what ever you decide , good luck .

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

A fun car should be fun to drive. That said, when driving a manual, I feel like I'm driving. When driving an auto, I feel like I'm just riding. As others have said, if what a manual is what you really want, now is the time to go for it. Put the money you would spend on the rebuild toward a conversion to a 5 or 6 speed and have some fun.

tajoe

iTrader: (1)

and the winner is.....stick shift all the way!!! Yeah! besides, god gave you a left leg for one reason only. THE CLUTCH!!!

Sandslot

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure where you heard your trans might go bad....maybe from a bunch of us guys that beat our hardware every weekend on the streets and track! Make no mistake, the 700R4 is a great trans. I've had them apart and they are very robust. You just need to take care of it. If its a daily driver, keep your filter changed and your fluid level on par - and remember, HOT engine RUNNING & level ground when measuring the fluid level.

If its a drag car or track car, you will need to do something & your concerns are warranted. There are some good posts here to follow in that case.

Cflick

Every torque converter has a "stall" speed. That is the RPM below which the converter is VERY inefficient at transferring power. This is done to remove load from the engine until the RPM is high enough to do something. At very low RPM, almost nothing is transferred to the tranny, to sustain idle mostly.
Custom converters can be had with "high stall" speeds. This is done to allow the engine to get into its power curve before loading the engine. It allows you to bring the RPM up considerably higher than stock before launching the car.
A very high stall converter may allow you to get above 3500 before engaging tight enough to allow no further slip, allowing for a very hard launch, as the engine is WELL into making power before the car starts to move. Once the converter "grabs" it also multiplies torque, so you can easily break things if the engine has the torque.
The downside is high slip, and a rather severe loss in economy. A 3000 stall converter will always have the engine at least 2000 above the transmission input RPM. ( absent lock-up )
On the drag strip, where a 9000 RPM mill is geared to go through the traps at 7000 transmission input RPM, it can easily be the difference between winning and losing, due to the exceedingly hard and fast launch.
Something Detroit learned from us, is where there is the value of a high stall.
Newer high mileage vehicles use tiny underpowered engines to obtained mileage, and a high stall converter to get that little engine up where it can actually start to move the car.
They also use lock-up in those converters to remove the high stall slip once the vehicle is moving fast enough for the tiny engine to get into its power band. It's a combination that works VERY well.
High stall is pretty much a waste unless your engine is actually capable of the RPM it needs to sustain at your target maximum speed.

90FirebirdTA

If i was in your situation i would definitely go with the swap..especially if you got the funds to do it. I've been wanting to make mine a manual since i have got it, just dont have the money. So i say GO FOR IT

im a little late haa. i was using the search and found this but didnt see how old it was whoops