Have 85 Z28 with new 350 Edelbrock 750 carb. 270 comp- cam. Mild motor and all with 700R4 tranny and 3.73 gears out back. It seems what I've read that I just can't buy a non lock up convt. and install it in the 700R4? With buying a lock up switch, hell you could by a new converter I thought, right? I do have 3 wires going down to the tranny. One green, pink, and either orange and black or brown and black. Do these sound like the wires I need. If so can I just hook up these to a toggle and run the lock up? Man I need help just don't want to blow tranny after $2,500 for motor. Any thoughts on what stall speed I need. Have stock right now. Also still have ALDL plug if I need it. Just no wires and ECM in old TPI system. If toggle able what will it take?

 

There's a tech article on how to rig up a manual switch.

The pink is the power wire (leave that alone), green is the circuit the ECM grounds to energize the solenoid and lock the TC, the last one tells the ECM the tranny is in 4th gear (won't need that one anymore).

 

Well, I have a non-lockup T/C (700R4) in my 84 Z28 and I have to tell you it is fun to drive compared to a lockup T/C tranny. Lock, unlock, lock, unlock ect, ect.

Auggie

 

Ok lets see if I get this right. These wires I mentioned are in the engine bay. These wire are cut, but yes still have the ALDL ran on drivers side. No other TPI or ECM wires. So I can run a direct power wire from the pink. Hook up the green and then I just need a ground right? Then I can just run the wires with the toggle to the drivers side or where I want it. With this non lock up converter mentioned will I loose the O/D in the tranny? The tech. article was for ECM controled ran to ALDL right. that the way I understood it. Also if I was to buy a non lock up then how much do you think I'd be charged to get it done. I'd do it but do not have the right tools need and a jack. Also what brand name should I look for? With this toggle I'm just trying to buy me some time to get a new tranny.

 

Well, if you do go with a non-lockup T/C (and you should) you will need a kit to convert your 700R4's oiling system to be compatable with the non-lockup T/C. This kit can be purchased from Art Carr Transmissions. I drive my car on the street 99.9% of the time so I bought a rebuilt T/C ($100) for a chevy diesel truck that has a 1500 rpm stall to kill the bottom end power to help prevent tire spin. Also with the low rpm stall the T/C dosn't build as much heat at cruising speeds so I don't need a tranny cooler. I also have a built 355 in my car and the stock 305 lockup T/C had a stall speed of 1900 rpm and tire spin was unreal. The only thing I don't like about the tight conveter (1500 rpm) is that it transfers a lot of eng. shake (cam) into the car at idle. If I had it to do it over I would just have bought a stock rebuilt 350 non-lockup T/C. Of course that doesn't sound that great when your talking up your ride but their cheap and they work. Oh, I almost forgot, you will not loose 4th (OD) gear.

Auggie

 

I have a 700 Raptor. They modified it to lockup with only an ignition switched hot wire to the trans. I would contact them on how to do this. It works much better than a manual switch & some other methods I have seen. http://www.transmissioncenter.net/

 

Well thanks for all the input. Seems like going with the toggle switch for now if I can figure out how to wire it up. Then later on with some money just buy a rebuilt/new tranny.