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Hopefully I got that right, I have seen it get corrected as both 200-R4 and 200-4R.
Anyway, I am thinking about eventually putting one of these in the 1971 Cutlass with a 350 4 barrel. Thanks to this site, I think I have a good idea of what would be required and that the ones from the Grand National's are the best, 442's and Monte Carlo SS are good too. I have found someone that has one but am unsure of what it is out of. Does anyone know what the numbers on the tag in the picture mean?
Best I can tell the lower stuff says T 65R 403.
The middle number is really hard to make out. I can probably ask him to get the numbers if those don't seem right.
There is a yellow painted code on the valve body. CK performance offers a valve body/servo/govenor package to duplicate the performance transmissions. If your transmission is in good shape, the performance package works well. If the teas needs overhauled, make sure you install a wide band, and maybe a upgraded input clutch housing. Inspect the stator support splines on the pump, the factory part is either not heat treated, or has a lousy heat treat. The splines always wear, sometimes completely disappearing. Once the pump is removed, it’s easy to replace the tube.
Without the tag it will be nearly impossible to accurately ID the transmission; however, you can remove the pan and look for colored markings on the valve body. All the HiPo transmission valve bodies will have pink or purple markings on the valve body:
MonteCarlo SS: coded CQ, CZ, CZF
Buick GN: coded BQ, BR, BRF
Olds 442: coded OZ, KZ, KZF
Pink or purple markings will confirm a performance trans and it will be easier to build a firm-shifting transmission if you have one of these coded transmissions.
Here's some other TH200-4r information I have collected over the years:
That is good to know that even if it isn't one of the performance rated versions that it can be made into one with a few extra parts and some work. The Cutlass it would be going on is basically stock and mostly driven gently so I don't think it has to be built into anything too extreme.
Now I just have to do some research into rebuild instruction books and special tools. I was very surprised how smooth and easy the TH350 rebuild was with the help of some online resources (mostly this forum, lol) and a book by Cliff Ruggles about rebuilding the TH350. Hopefully there is something similar for the 200-4R.
The 200R4 is much more involved than a TH350, it’s not one for a novice. There are some tools that are almost required, but are easily fabricated. CK performance printed a book several years ago with lots of build tips.
Once done, I think you are going to really be pleased with putting in this 200r4, especially if you like highway driving for extended periods of time. I put one of these in my blue 79 Cutlass Calais back in 2004 due to first installing a 3:08 posi and blowing up the Metric 200 that was originally in the car. My Olds 260 is as you know anemic when it comes to power, but with the 3:08's and the Overdrive I can leave it in 3rd around town which improves the pick up from horrible to barely livable. But the best part is getting out on the highway where I can drop it into overdrive and run about 1850 rpms at 65 or so and thereby getting back my 22 mpg.
You stand to do even better with highway speed drivability if you have the standard 2:73's in your car. I think you can get away with a stock rebuild on the 200r4, but if you have a higher HP rating on your motor be sure to have that in mind when you get the 200r4 rebuilt; these transmissions were used for low horsepower motors back in the mid 80's. You would do well as mentioned if you wound up with one that came out of a 442 as they generally were set up with 3:73's.
In case it is of any help, a link to the thread where I documented my 200-4R swap is in my sig. I kept the column shift since I had just re-covered my bench seat and didn't want to swap to a floor shift until I could install buckets and a console. I have "some plans" for my SBO, so I used a CK-built trans so I don't have to worry about it. With the OD of the 200-4R, the final drive ratio w/ my 3.90 posi is slightly taller than w/ my original 2.78 open rear.
Got a 200r4 from an 84 Cadillac in my cutlass, with a stock 350 , I didn’t do anything to it. It was already a gm rebuild everything was clean and nice . I used the TCI kit and a tranny cooler. No issues but I don’t beat on it anyway. Running 3:08 gear soon to be 3:90.
I was actually reading some stuff last night where people were saying it is no TH350 in terms of rebuild simplicity. They then went into detail about the hunt and cost of tracking down the better parts to make it stronger. It sounds like when it is all said and done this could end up being fairly costly and with only one rebuild under my belt, and an easy one at that, I think I have some more research and figuring out to do. If in the end this is going to end up costing about as much as a professionally rebuilt transmission minus the professional touch and warranty, perhaps I am better off finding a reasonably priced professional rebuild.
Anyway, great information and help from everyone here. I have to say that I rather enjoyed doing the TH350 and was almost looking forward to doing another transmission. I just want to keep budget in mind as well as not getting in over my head. I would hate to get the thing torn down and really far into it with parts all over my basement only to realise I am screwed, have wasted lots of time and money and have to go buy a professionally built one anyway, lol.
Last edited by 71OldsCut; February 5th, 2020 at 09:31 AM.
Get a ATSG overhaul manual, read it cover to cover. Like I mentioned earlier, these are more involved to overhaul than a 350 or 400, but as long as you have time to study and a little ingenuity, it can be done at home.
If the trans came out of a running car, you might get lucky. Pull the pan, see how much crud is covering the magnet. If the fluid isn’t burnt, put a shift kit in, install a new filter, and roll the dice.
Looks like I got lucky - the guy just sent a picture through with the tag. Based on one of the links provided by cdrod it looks to be out of a 1982-1985 Cadillac which is what the guy thought it was out of.
Now I just have to do some research and figure out if this is something I am willing and able to do, and if not, is it worth the money paying someone to do. A local trans shop can rebuild it with the better parts and a new converter for $1650, so that plus the $200 to get it would be a minimum of $1850 plus tax. Then I have to track down the cable, mounting hardware and TH400 parking brake cables... and likely some other things, lol.
Luckily the car works as is, so no huge rush sorting this out. Thanks for all the tips and useful links.
That transmission probably came from a Coupe deVille or a Fleetwood Brougham both of which came with a 4.1L V8 boasting a whopping 135HP and 200 ft-lbs. of torque. You should plan to beef up the internals if you want it to survive behind more HP and TQ. These cars also came equipped with a 3.42:1 rear gear so you'll get the best performance if you swap out the rear gears in your Cutlass to a 3.42. I had 2 good cores to choose from when I had my transmission built; a BQ core from an '84 Buick Grand National and an AA core (like yours). My transmission builder told me the AA trans was a good core to start with but did not have the performance valve body like the BQ core so I built the BQ and sold the AA core.
If you have any mechanical ability and the desire I would reccomend doing your own over haul. Paying $1650 to an unknown quality builder could be just throwing money down a hole. This builder might be the second coming but odds are they aren't any you will be buying headaches.
Your car, your call. But I have an AA in my car and it works fine.
February 4th, 2020, 03:12 PM
