99 GMC 1500 - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

tfpfreak · 05-18-2005, 08:25 AM

Ok Fellow TFP'ers. Once again, I need some helpful advice. I own a 1991 GMC 1500 single cab pickup. 293,000 miles. New motor put in at 210,000 miles. My problem is I am now on my 6th tranny. This is the old 700R4 electronic tranny that comes stock in these trucks. I had the original rebuilt twice, bought a reman off the net, it choked, rebuilt it. Now this rebuilt lasted about 7 months and choked again. The truck runs fine, it shift out of first gear hard at about 50 mph. I am looking at swapping to a Turbo 350 or Turbo 400. Any advice, whether I should swap or not. If I do swap what all is involved with the electronic side of the old 700R4? Thanks!

BadNick · 05-18-2005, 10:02 AM

I can't answer your question, but if you don't mind I have a couple ?'s

Do you tow with it or do something to load the trans more than "normal" ...like off-road? Do you have a tranny cooler?

tfpfreak · 05-18-2005, 10:04 AM

I do tow a boat but it is only about 3 miles from my house to the docks. No off-road. There is a tranny cooler in the radiator. I put an external cooler on a friends truck and it took forever to get the lines out and rerun.

Scorps · 05-18-2005, 10:24 AM

Go for a turbo 350...I got a TH400 and it runs great but I think the 350 would be better for a truck. My buddy has a Turbo 350 in his 95 GMC 1500 and it runs great and fast.

lt1s10 · 05-18-2005, 12:55 PM

Do you know what parts are breaking internally and causing you to have to rebuild it? If you're breaking internal parts or burning clutches and the band then it's usually easier to build a TH350 strong for less money then the 700. But if it's the electronics (shift solenoids) that's giving you trouble you should be able to trade your electronic core for the non electronic version and rebuild it one last time and be done with it. And still retain overdrive.

Lots of people run high horsepower/high torque through the 700r4 they just need to be built to take it. It doesn't cost a lot more to upgrade parts during a rebuild since the labor is the same and usually the expensive part of the job. Also if you want to add an external trans cooler you can run it in line with the radiator trans cooler. And that makes hooking up hoses a lot easier since it's all up front and you still retain the factory hoses coming off the trans.

Edit: You may need to check on how your speedometer works with the trans sensor and the instrument cluster. If it's electronic you may need to get a converter to use the TH350 since the TH350 is a mechanical gear driven speed sensor.

merkerguitars · 05-18-2005, 02:27 PM

Get a jasper brand transmission www.jasperengines.com My dad has a 1995 Dodge Ram with the cummins diesel, we went through 4 transmissions, the last one we put in was a jasper brand one and haven't had an ounce of trouble. They have an awesome 3 year/75,000 mile warranty and if it fails they will pay a shop to install a new one. They have even called my dad a bunch of times to make sure he was happy, that is a company you can trust.

Scorps · 05-18-2005, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merkerguitars

Get a jasper brand transmission www.jasperengines.com My dad has a 1995 Dodge Ram with the cummins diesel, we went through 4 transmissions, the last one we put in was a jasper brand one and haven't had an ounce of trouble. They have an awesome 3 year/75,000 mile warranty and if it fails they will pay a shop to install a new one. They have even called my dad a bunch of times to make sure he was happy, that is a company you can trust.

Damn, if I need a new tranny thats where I would go

thx for the info!

tfpfreak · 05-19-2005, 10:28 AM

Thanks for all the help. I am running a 2500 stall converter in here. It is all internal stuff that keeps breaking, bands, clutches, etc. Nothing electrical yet.

Nimisys · 06-04-2005, 04:56 PM

first off its a 4l60e not a 700r4. second off there is no way 1st gear will run you upto 50mph... it doesn't have enough gear without burying you past the redline. finally 7 trannies in 300k is quite unusual. i could see looking at your third but not the 7th. who is doing your rebuilds? i have yet to see any bands or clutches break on their own in these trans and i have seen a lot of them. if you are smoking the 2-4 band or the cluthes inthe input clutch housing, whats been the cause? i have seen a few forward clutch pistons with blown out seals, but 99% of the time the failure can be attributed to a bad foward clutch piston housing and a bad pressure control solenoid. seen a few input carrier sets exploded as well and most of the time that comes form bad TCC or an owner never allowing the the truck to lock up the tcc. out of curosity any f the rebuilt units you have installed been GM SRTA units, or all aftermarket companies?

05-18-2005, 08:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
tfpfreak Crazy Location: MS	91 GMC 1500 Ok Fellow TFP'ers. Once again, I need some helpful advice. I own a 1991 GMC 1500 single cab pickup. 293,000 miles. New motor put in at 210,000 miles. My problem is I am now on my 6th tranny. This is the old 700R4 electronic tranny that comes stock in these trucks. I had the original rebuilt twice, bought a reman off the net, it choked, rebuilt it. Now this rebuilt lasted about 7 months and choked again. The truck runs fine, it shift out of first gear hard at about 50 mph. I am looking at swapping to a Turbo 350 or Turbo 400. Any advice, whether I should swap or not. If I do swap what all is involved with the electronic side of the old 700R4? Thanks! Last edited by tfpfreak; 06-09-2005 at 11:58 AM..

05-18-2005, 10:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
tfpfreak Crazy Location: MS	I do tow a boat but it is only about 3 miles from my house to the docks. No off-road. There is a tranny cooler in the radiator. I put an external cooler on a friends truck and it took forever to get the lines out and rerun. __________________ Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be. ~ Clementine Paddleford

05-18-2005, 12:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
lt1s10 Crazy	Do you know what parts are breaking internally and causing you to have to rebuild it? If you're breaking internal parts or burning clutches and the band then it's usually easier to build a TH350 strong for less money then the 700. But if it's the electronics (shift solenoids) that's giving you trouble you should be able to trade your electronic core for the non electronic version and rebuild it one last time and be done with it. And still retain overdrive. Lots of people run high horsepower/high torque through the 700r4 they just need to be built to take it. It doesn't cost a lot more to upgrade parts during a rebuild since the labor is the same and usually the expensive part of the job. Also if you want to add an external trans cooler you can run it in line with the radiator trans cooler. And that makes hooking up hoses a lot easier since it's all up front and you still retain the factory hoses coming off the trans. Edit: You may need to check on how your speedometer works with the trans sensor and the instrument cluster. If it's electronic you may need to get a converter to use the TH350 since the TH350 is a mechanical gear driven speed sensor. Last edited by lt1s10; 05-18-2005 at 12:58 PM..

05-18-2005, 02:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	Get a jasper brand transmission www.jasperengines.com My dad has a 1995 Dodge Ram with the cummins diesel, we went through 4 transmissions, the last one we put in was a jasper brand one and haven't had an ounce of trouble. They have an awesome 3 year/75,000 mile warranty and if it fails they will pay a shop to install a new one. They have even called my dad a bunch of times to make sure he was happy, that is a company you can trust. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

05-19-2005, 10:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
tfpfreak Crazy Location: MS	Thanks for all the help. I am running a 2500 stall converter in here. It is all internal stuff that keeps breaking, bands, clutches, etc. Nothing electrical yet. __________________ Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be. ~ Clementine Paddleford

05-18-2005, 10:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
BadNick Riding the Ocean Spray Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa	I can't answer your question, but if you don't mind I have a couple ?'s Do you tow with it or do something to load the trans more than "normal" ...like off-road? Do you have a tranny cooler?

05-18-2005, 10:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	Go for a turbo 350...I got a TH400 and it runs great but I think the 350 would be better for a truck. My buddy has a Turbo 350 in his 95 GMC 1500 and it runs great and fast.

06-04-2005, 04:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
Nimisys Crazy Location: San Diego	first off its a 4l60e not a 700r4. second off there is no way 1st gear will run you upto 50mph... it doesn't have enough gear without burying you past the redline. finally 7 trannies in 300k is quite unusual. i could see looking at your third but not the 7th. who is doing your rebuilds? i have yet to see any bands or clutches break on their own in these trans and i have seen a lot of them. if you are smoking the 2-4 band or the cluthes inthe input clutch housing, whats been the cause? i have seen a few forward clutch pistons with blown out seals, but 99% of the time the failure can be attributed to a bad foward clutch piston housing and a bad pressure control solenoid. seen a few input carrier sets exploded as well and most of the time that comes form bad TCC or an owner never allowing the the truck to lock up the tcc. out of curosity any f the rebuilt units you have installed been GM SRTA units, or all aftermarket companies?