# 200 4R vs TH400



## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

The '68 Goat I bought a few months ago came with a High Horsepower Jim Butler 474 and a Highly Modified 200 4R transmission. After a summer of fun with this car the transmission is starting to slip pretty bad. I was able to pick up a real nice TH400 out of a '69 goat that I'm planning on having rebuilt. I've always heard the TH400 is the toughest tranny and what should be in this car. I realize I'll loose the overdrive but it's not a big concern, the car is only driven about 1500 miles a year. Besides the overdrive, are there any advantage to using the 200 4R? Anybody have any luck with these transmissions? Which transmission would you use?


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

If you aren't concerned with loosing the OD gear, go with the TH400. What rear gears do you have in the car??? The 200r4 has a deeper 1st gear than the TH400.....


----------



## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

The car has a Pontiac 12 Bolt, Moser C-Clip Eliminator Axles 3:73 ratio with Billet Lower Control arms and Adjustable Upper Contol Arms. The information on the 200 4R 

Buick Grand National BRF
Valve Body BR3
Blue Plates & Coleen Steels
13 Vane Pump
Hardend Stater Shaft
Gomez Converter
Art Car pressure regulator valve
Sonnex O-Ring boost Valve .500 & Reverse Valve & TCC Teflon O-ring valve

Someone put a lot of money into this tranny, so now I'm trying to decide weather to rebuild it or go with the indestructable TH400. As I said this tranny backs a Jim Butler 474 with lots or HP and Torque.


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Maybe the 200r4 wasn't built correctly, or suffered a lot of abuse? A TH400 is a very strong tranny, but all depends on the rebuild. IF IT WERE ME, I would look into fixing the 200r4 as I would miss the OD....I am putting a 4l80e behind my 505 cu/in blower motor.....it needs a computer and is basically a TH400 with an OD and is shifted by a little computer. Probably around $3400 from scratch....www.CKPerformance.com built mine. Chris came highly recommended and is a great gut......Just sayin', Eric:cheers


----------



## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

kilkm68 said:


> The car has a Pontiac 12 Bolt, Moser C-Clip Eliminator Axles 3:73 ratio with Billet Lower Control arms and Adjustable Upper Contol Arms. The information on the 200 4R
> 
> Buick Grand National BRF
> Valve Body BR3
> ...


anything can be broken. sounds like it has all the good stuff and had a problem anyway. might not even be a big problem. the 400 is strong but dont let anybody tell you its indestructable.


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

:agree tear it down and see what ya' got!


----------



## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

Thanks Eric your probably right. After talking with my transmission guy up in Michigan he recommends rebuilding the 200 4R. He said mine's got all good stuff in it and the overdrive is worth the additional cost as the 200 4R will be a little more to rebuild. If done right their good for 600+ HP and you have the overdrive to lower engine RPM's at cruising speed. Fuel savings and easier on the motor. I'll probably go that route.


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

:agree


----------



## markdavid (Nov 29, 2009)

I`d try and solve WHY IT DID WHAT IT DID . If not corrected,and just rebuilt , you may be yanking it back out AGAIN in a year. Do you have a Trans Cooler on this ? Hayden makes a awsome electric fan equipped trans cooler that comes on at preset temps,which is great for taking the car on the slow cruises without burning up the convertor or trans.Did the previous owner put the correct stall convertor in it?I`d still consider the 400 depending on where or how YOU drive it . 1500 miles a year? 200r4 trans are decent trans,and they can be built to handle `more` power ,which sounds like what you have,but i still wouldn`t say it can handle `more`than a 400 trans can. I`ve heard that the clutch drums inside the 200 are one the weakest parts . Good Luck


----------



## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

Live and learn. I read up some on this transmission and with a few adjustments have it working pretty well. Adjusted the pressure up with the TV cable and took the electric plug out of the transmission to check it out. The wire came right off when I opened the plug. I got a new pin and soldered it in. Now it's shifting easily into 4th gear and the torque converter is locking up as it's suppose to. BIG diffrence in RPM's at cruising speed from 3,000 to 2,100. Will still smoke the tires kicking it at 30 mph. Still some miles left in the girl I think. I have a new B&M cooler for it along with a fluid and filter change, I'm gonna try to run it for a while and see what happens next spring, about to put it away for the winter now, got other projects planned I can better use the money on!


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

:cheers:cheers


----------

