I have an 85 700 r4 it has 85,000 miles on it. It shifts really really hard. Its stock with 215 hp and when it shifts from first to second from 4000 rpm and up it loses traction and chirps (its a very jerky and shifts hard anywhere), is this normal? and will it wear the tranny out faster? Also when I put it in drive it does a small jerk forward Is this natural? Whats the avg lifespan of a 700 r4?

 

I wish mine did what yours does, I am no tranny expert but it sounds like there might be a shift kit in there to firm up the shifts. I really don't know if it hurts your tranny, but I would think its better then just kind of "slipping" during shifts.

About the jerk forward, I have it in my 700R4 too, but if you first put it in 1st then into D or OD it doesn't jerk, I don't knwo what causes it but it doesn't sound healthy.

The lifespan of the tranny depends on use, if you take it easy some last 200K miles, but I drive mine hard and just blew it out at 97K. But your tranny sounds like its still going strong.

-Max

 

More than likely you have a broken 1-2 accumulator spring. Unless you have really low gears/poor tracion/lot's of power, a true "Shift Kit" won't do this.

Is it harmefull? Well, actually it seems like the earlier ones had an edge on the later ones in that area. You see, it is common to break the Sun Shell, giving you 1st, 3rd and NO Reverse. The harsh 1-2 shift agravates this although it does it in everything including V-6's.

I am doing a performance build for an 350 IROC 700 and I just ordered a new Sun Shell from the dealer (normal part of my build up) before I had it out. Guess what? The old Shell had a hairline crack starting in it!