Transmissions and Drivetrain Need help with your trans? Problems with your axle?

Carbed 700r4

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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 11:18 AM
  #1  
gavin.priestley's Avatar
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From: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 305 V8, TBI
Carbed 700r4

Okay so here in the near future I plan to convert my TBI 5.7 to Carbed and I’ve been reading a lot about how this style trans won’t shift into OD right cause the torque converter won’t lock up. I won’t be removing all of the computer components.

What I wanna know is if this tranny is computer controlled at all?

Is it controlled by the TPS? And if so can I buy a carb with a TPS on it and will i have OD with no problems or.....?

Ive read that you can rig up a manual switch to manually turn on and off the lock up for OD but I don’t want that.
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 11:29 AM
  #2  
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Car: 89 Formula
Engine: 383 SBC/HSR
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Carbed 700r4

You can wire the pressure switch on the valve body to automatically lock up in 4th. No computer is needed.

Last edited by heat seeker; Apr 17, 2018 at 12:54 PM.
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 12:30 PM
  #3  
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Car: '83 Firebird (T/A Clone)
Engine: 350 with L-69 components
Transmission: 700R-4, 2000 RPM stall converter
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt/3.73 ..
Re: Carbed 700r4

Monster Transmission sells a non-computer lockup kit for $99.
There's a video on Youtube that shows how to imstall it. Super easy...
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 06:59 PM
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From: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 305 V8, TBI
Re: Carbed 700r4

<div style="text-align:left;">
Originally Posted by T.L.
Monster Transmission sells a non-computer lockup kit for $99.<br />There's a video on Youtube that shows how to imstall it. Super easy...
<br />oh really so I wouldn’t have to use a carb with a tps in it?</div>
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 08:17 PM
  #5  
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Car: 86 Trans Am WS6
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt Torsen 3.70
Re: Carbed 700r4

Originally Posted by gavin.priestley
<div style="text-align:left;"><br />oh really so I wouldn’t have to use a carb with a tps in it?</div>
Nope, install the kit and you're good to go
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 08:22 PM
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From: Perth Western Australia
Car: 1987 Z28 Camaro
Engine: 305 LG4 4bbl
Transmission: TH700R4
Re: Carbed 700r4

After now installing 2 different pressure switch kits i can say that the monster one is excellent as was the rebel wires kit. The toggle switch is a must as no matter what you will occasionally find it engaging when you dont want it to.
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 08:58 PM
  #7  
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From: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 305 V8, TBI
Re: Carbed 700r4

Originally Posted by zed-028
After now installing 2 different pressure switch kits i can say that the monster one is excellent as was the rebel wires kit. The toggle switch is a must as no matter what you will occasionally find it engaging when you dont want it to.
so either way I have to get a toggle switch?
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 09:05 PM
  #8  
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From: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 305 V8, TBI
Re: Carbed 700r4

Originally Posted by heat seeker
You can wire the pressure switch on the valve body to automatically lock up in 4th. No computer is needed.
how would I do that? And then how would it know when to unlock
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Old Apr 17, 2018 | 10:27 PM
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Car: 89 Formula
Engine: 383 SBC/HSR
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Carbed 700r4

Originally Posted by gavin.priestley
how would I do that? And then how would it know when to unlock
It depends on the year of your transmission. If the valve body has a 4th gear pressure port, you can use a 2-prong pressure switch. It will be your 12v apply, which will activate your TCC as soon as hit OD. Some 700R4's have an external pressure port, just depends.

You can have it unlock by connecting the same 12v circuit thru your brake pedal switch. Whenever you hit the brakes it opens the circuit and disengages the TCC. If you don't, you'll stall the car when you slam on the brakes in 4th.
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Old Apr 18, 2018 | 07:38 AM
  #10  
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From: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 305 V8, TBI
Re: Carbed 700r4

I’m learning so much from you all. So one more question, so what if I plan on keep a partial section of the computer harness. Like I’m just gonna disconnect the sensors on the exhaust manifolds and for the TBI. Everything thing else will remain. Will the tranny be fine?
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Old Apr 18, 2018 | 08:31 PM
  #11  
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From: Perth Western Australia
Car: 1987 Z28 Camaro
Engine: 305 LG4 4bbl
Transmission: TH700R4
Re: Carbed 700r4

pretty much the only electronically controlled part of the 700r4 that you need to worry about is the TCC lockout
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Old Apr 19, 2018 | 09:10 AM
  #12  
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From: Bright, IN
Car: '86 Bird, 96 ImpalaSS, 98 C1500XCab
Engine: LG4, LT1, L31
Transmission: 700R4, 4L60E, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73 Tors, 4.88 spool, 3.73 Eaton
Re: Carbed 700r4

Originally Posted by heat seeker
...You can have it unlock by connecting the same 12v circuit thru your brake pedal switch. Whenever you hit the brakes it opens the circuit and disengages the TCC. If you don't, you'll stall the car when you slam on the brakes in 4th.
No need to do that. If you're somehow stalling the car in 4th gear, you've got a big problem on your hands!
Seriously, no need for the brake pedal unlock. The TCC will disengage as you slow down when the trans drops to 3rd gear.
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Old Apr 19, 2018 | 09:13 AM
  #13  
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From: Austin TX
Car: 89 Formula
Engine: 383 SBC/HSR
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Carbed 700r4

I gotcha. I got full-manual, that's why I needed it.
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Old Apr 19, 2018 | 09:16 AM
  #14  
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From: Bright, IN
Car: '86 Bird, 96 ImpalaSS, 98 C1500XCab
Engine: LG4, LT1, L31
Transmission: 700R4, 4L60E, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73 Tors, 4.88 spool, 3.73 Eaton
Re: Carbed 700r4

Originally Posted by heat seeker
I gotcha. I got full-manual, that's why I needed it.
Sorry, I didn't read your sig before.
For the OP, no worries
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Old Apr 21, 2018 | 03:39 PM
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Re: Carbed 700r4

All valve bodies have the 3-4 port that you can use to control torque converter lockup. In some valve bodies this port is 4th only. If you want it trouble free you can get the setup from Painless that will give you the vacuum switch, brake switch, pressure port switch and all the necessary wiring to do this. This will give you the 3-4 lockup at light to medium throttle, will unlock with more throttle, will unlock when you let off the throttle and when you hit the brake pedal. Nothing to think about, trouble free. If you decide to use this setup, shop around for the best price, as the price on the Painless website is high. Some have made their own by copying this setup.

Last edited by Pro Built Automatics; Apr 22, 2018 at 02:47 AM.
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Old Apr 22, 2018 | 08:09 PM
  #16  
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Re: Carbed 700r4

I use the following.
Pressure switches: 4th gear (normally open, closes on apply), vacuum (have used an adjustable but settled on OEM which is closed above [about] 4-6" vacuum), brake pedal (normally closed, opened on pedal apply).
I've also incorporated a toggle switch which opens the circuit and prevents TCC apply.
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Old Apr 22, 2018 | 08:16 PM
  #17  
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Re: Carbed 700r4

Almost identical to what I used to make back in the mid 1990's to 2008, just not the toggle switch.
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Old Apr 22, 2018 | 09:20 PM
  #18  
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Re: Carbed 700r4

What I like about the toggle switch is that it allows me to prevent 4th gear lockup during mid-moderate acceleration. That way the shift into 4th puts a some stress on the converter and keeps the RPMs elevated a little. Then once up to my cruise speed, I can select lockup.
For the record, this had more impact on the old trans that wasn't quite as well thought out as my current iteration.
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