Transmissions and DrivetrainNeed help with your trans? Problems with your axle?
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I am going to buy a used tranny from a local f-body salvage yard here in Miami and I'd like to know how to identify the early 83 - 86 vs later 87 & up tranny. My car is a late 86. Does anybody know when the switch was made to the newer design? Is there anything I need to look out for? Thanks
The new version of the 700R4 appeared very late in the '86 model year.
From the F-body FAQ:
Quote:
The auxiliary valve body is on the drivers side, just behind the trans valve body (opposite the accumulator housing). Four bolts hold the a 6 x 2 inch block in place with a tube a tube connecting it to the front-side of the main valve body. You can tell if you've got the auxiliary valve body without pulling the pan. The later tranny has a slightly deeper pan to accommodate the auxiliary valve body. To make certain identification, GM changed the pattern of markings on the pan bottom where the magnet is located. These markings are visible from the underside, near a rearward corner, forming a square shape of size 1.75 inches or so. The later pans (accommodating the auxiliary valve body) have unequal length lines (one set is longer than the rest) unlike the earlier pans which have all lines equal length. Also, behind the torque converter, look for a casting number on the front pump. If the last three digits are "732", then you have the new, improved version of the 700-R4.
Actually, the auxiliary valve body appeared in 1987. I believe the trans was strenthened up a bit for 85/86 as opposed to '84.
My 85-86 pan has no such rectangular markings; it uses the circular magnet, the center of which is indictated by a dimple in the rear driver's side of the pan bottom.
There's also a serial # that should be present on the passenger side. It's towards the front of the fluid pan, right above the gasket flange. In that # there's a year coding; I don't know how to read it without my manuals though. If you go to a parts store and flip thru a Haynes 82-92 f-body manual, or their Transmission Rebuild manual, it's in there.
I only know this because I had to identify my tranny before I installed my shift improver kit today... that serial number that TomP mentioned, he has the location correct but this is how to decrypt it...
Ex: "9 YK M-Y-XXXXXXXX-267 A"
First number is the model year 9=89)
YK is the model
M stands for THM700R4
The X's are the serial number
267 is the Julian date or day of year produced
A or B = First shift/C or H = Second shift
Although this is straight out of my shift improver kit directions THIS is what I got off my '91 700R4: 1FTM058A ... so I can see that meaning the '91 year, model FT, M=700R4, 058th day of the year and first shift-no serial number, whatever. That should be a more concrete way to identify it if I do say so myself! Good luck!
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'91 Firebird
305/TBI/700R4/T-tops
Mods: Catco high flow cat - Taylor 8mm Spiro-Pro's - ACDelco Rapidfire Plugs - K&N Air Filter - Trans Am tail light conversion
Stereo: Pioneer DEH-P8200R - Pioneer 6x9's - Kenwood 8" Tube '91 Pics
'87 Firebird
2.8L/MPFI/700R4/220K Miles on its original, never been rebuilt engine!
Car being parted and sold, just ask what I have. '87 Pics
