Good Article from Holley on History of GM Transmissions from the ‘40s to Present

[john_pifer]

I always enjoy reading about transmissions, and this was an interesting article. Our own Clinebarger probably won’t learn much from this, but I certainly did. It’s not an extremely tech-heavy piece or anything, but it provides enough surface detail.

I know that the ZF 8-speed units that are so ubiquitous these days in so many different applications get a lot of attention both in the automotive press as well as here on this forum.

One of the things that interests me the most is the different methods that different manufacturers choose, in order to meet the same or similar design and performance requirements.

I‘d be interested to learn how this new generation of Ford/GM jointly-designed 10-speed autoboxes differ in design from the ZF 8-speeds, and their advantages/disadvantages.

Holley Article

 

[john_pifer]

@clinebarger

Does Holley get everything right here?

 

[supton]

Something I've never understood: why is 700-R4 but 200-4R?

Flipping through that article, I did not realize the 200-4R came first, but the fact that only a year separates them makes me think that GM was real consistent back then!

 

[MolaKule]

Holley Article

Thanks John as that is a good, concise historical summary.

I had two PowerGlides in my early and late 60's Chevy sedans, both powered by V8's, and I never did have to rebuild them, even under my heavy youthful foot.

I did have to rebuild the 700-R4's that were in my '87 and '90 Suburban's. However, these vehicles towed tons of wood between Missouri and Kansas so I thrashed them well.

The '87's 700 tranny was rebuilt twice and the '90's 700 was rebuilt once.

 

[CorvairGeek]

Something I've never understood: why is 700-R4 but 200-4R?

Flipping through that article, I did not realize the 200-4R came first, but the fact that only a year separates them makes me think that GM was real consistent back then!

GM always called the 700 a 4 speed automatic but the 200 was a 3 speed with overdrive. I've always assumed it was because of the evolution of the 200 from a 3 speed, while the 700 was new.

 

[simple_gifts]

Good stuff.

I believe I had a 700 in my 84 Impala; was told to leave it out of OD around town and just engage above 45; i followed that advice, and sold it for $200 with about 218K miles on it; best darn car I had save my echo. Had one carb rebuild due to MBTE and just exhaust, brakes, etc

I don't think i ever serviced the transmission.

 

[clinebarger]

@clinebarger

Does Holley get everything right here?

*They miss some ratio's here & there.....But the chart at the bottom is correct.
*The 30 spline 700R4 debuted in 1985 not 1987, '87 is when the Auxiliary Valve Body which houses the Forward Clutch Accumulator was added.....Around this time was when the name was changed to 4L60.
*The 4L60E debuted in the C/K/S/T/M/G (Trucks/SUV's & Vans).......Passenger cars B/D/F/Y didn't get the 4L60E 'til the next year (1994)
*The 300mm 4L60E debuted in 1998 in LS1 F-bodies (Camaro/Firebird), Then was used in the 1999& up GMT800 LSx powered trucks/SUV's. 300mm is the diameter of the converter, Not the Input Shaft.....In fact it also uses the same diameter 30 spline shaft as the '85 & up 700R4, But the Lock-up O-ring was moved further back on the shaft & enlarged to keep it from shrinking. Funny thing is that the Corvette kept the old style shaft 'til the 6L80E debuted in 2006.

*The 200-4R is based DIRECTLY on the TH200 & the TH200 was the First GM unit to use a TV Cable. I never understood why people like to distant these 2 units as Hydramatic literally added a Overdrive unit to the front of a TH200 & added a high capacity variable vane type pump.
*The 4 speed Hydramatic & 4 speed Jetaway used TV Linkages & had no Modulator Valves.

 

[john_pifer]

*They miss some ratio's here & there.....But the chart at the bottom is correct.
*The 30 spline 700R4 debuted in 1985 not 1987, '87 is when the Auxiliary Valve Body which houses the Forward Clutch Accumulator was added.....Around this time was when the name was changed to 4L60.
*The 4L60E debuted in the C/K/S/T/M/G (Trucks/SUV's & Vans).......Passenger cars B/D/F/Y didn't get the 4L60E 'til the next year (1994)
*The 300mm 4L60E debuted in 1998 in LS1 F-bodies (Camaro/Firebird), Then was used in the 1999& up GMT800 LSx powered trucks/SUV's. 300mm is the diameter of the converter, Not the Input Shaft.....In fact it also uses the same diameter 30 spline shaft as the '85 & up 700R4, But the Lock-up O-ring was moved further back on the shaft & enlarged to keep it from shrinking. Funny thing is that the Corvette kept the old style shaft 'til the 6L80E debuted in 2006.

*The 200-4R is based DIRECTLY on the TH200 & the TH200 was the First GM unit to use a TV Cable. I never understood why people like to distant these 2 units as Hydramatic literally added a Overdrive unit to the front of a TH200 & added a high capacity variable vane type pump.
*The 4 speed Hydramatic & 4 speed Jetaway used TV Linkages & had no Modulator Valves.

Thanks for those corrections/clarifications!