700r4 is on its way!

[Ronin8002]

Just ordered my stage II 7004, adapters, and all other accessories. My tranny shop is going to do the install...the parts will get in sometime next week and the whole thing will hopefully be done by valentine's day weekend!!! I'll post comments on how it works out for me.

-James

 

[410Fortune]

By Valentines day? hehehehe

Been there done that!
I completed my 5 speed to auto conversion in 3 days, only to have the exhaust shop fry my computer when trying to make a "small" clearance adjustment..(dont ask) 2 weeks later I got my truck running again

NO serisouyl as long as you have everything you need it should go smooth.
I am curious to know what AA tells you to do about the wiring changes, or if they supply you with a harness, or what.

Please keep us posted
Kevin really likes the 700R4 in his Explorer and Rick approves!......hmmmmm

 

[sk1er17]

so you did a swap...

got rid of your manual and went with automatic? Can i ask why? I was also looking to swap from automatic TO manual.. but decided not to because 1)money and 2)i began figuring auto was better for offroading....

whats your reasoning (so i can feel better about my decision )

 

[410Fortune]

reason 1: I swapped my old 2.9L drivetrain out for a 93 4.0L drivetrain with a 5 speed Mazda tranny. I got a rebuilt Mazda 5 speed. It was junk. I went through 3 of them before I got a good rebuild. The clutch setup with the internal slave cylinder is a joke
I went through 4 or 5 clutches in 2 years.

reason 2: Automatic is better for towing, in stop and go traffic, and considered by many superior for 4x4ing. (good and bad)

reason 3: I had a factory A4LD core with 160K miles on it. Maintained perfectly from day 1. I also had a friend of a friend who has rebuilt Ford auto's for like 40 years, he is capable of rebuilding an A4LD properly.

reason 4: With the help of my friends we have done this sort of thing before and were perfectly capable of ripping out the old and installing the new in a weekend.

So I gathered everything I would need, I had the A4LD BUILT, figured out the wiring harness, put together the cooling system and swapped out the transmission, the computer, the floor shifter, clutch pedals, etc etc etc.
Sucessfully completed the swap in a Sat, Sun, and Mon night. I had to re-locate an 02 sensor to clear my new shift linkage and the exhaust shop (also friend of a friend) welded on the truck with the key in the ON position. This fried the PCM and JET chip, but took me two weeks to diagnose correctly. I had ford replace the PCM and the exhaust shop covered the charges. So my 3 day swap turned into a 3 week dealership nighmare, but that is to be expected, you do enough drivetrain conversions and you will expect the unexpected


The 700R4 is a LITTLE more complicated then that. The A4LD is made to bolt into a BII behind a 4.0L. Ford made every part I used for the conversion for the most part

The 700R4, when built is far superior to the A4LD, mostly because it has aftermarket support.
When my A4LD dies (planning on 150K on this build hahaha I will likely go with a C5/c4 automatic 3 speed with a different T case, because by then my truck will no longer be my daily driver and I wont need OD.....

good luck!
Oh I also could have gone with a World Class T5 manual transmission. I never thought I would own a car that was ot a clutch, but I gotta tell you with a lifted bronco, stop and go traffic, towing and at most times off road, the automatic is MUCH better.....

 

[sk1er17]

I have 131K on my original tranny, no rebuild. NOt having any problems. When i do start having problems... should i look into getting the 7000R4?

how hard is that to put onto my 98 sport w/SOHC (i guess i have the A4LD stock right?)

 

[410Fortune]

Nope you dont have the A4LD, you have a later model variation of it.

I am NOT sure if the 700R4 will fit behind your SOHC, but it SHOULD. The question is what has to be done to your computer wiring to get the 700R4 to work...you see your current tranny is computer controlled by your trucks PCM. The 700R4 is different, so it may be necessary to use a stand alone transmission controller for the 700R4 and convert your trucks PCM and wiring to that of a 5 speed...

The 700R4 kit is not desiged for the SOHC 4.0L.
But your transmission is better then a A4LD.

What do you want to get out of this truck? You going to keep it forever and wheel it?

 

[sk1er17]

Originally posted by 410Fortune


What do you want to get out of this truck? You going to keep it forever and wheel it?

Well. it has 130 K miles. Im still doing payments.. my last paymen on it will be August 2005. So it HAS to last till then. By that point it wouldnt be worth selling due to the high mileage... i commute to school.

Im probably going to keep it as long as possible. When i graduate college in two years i want to get a new car "the Shelby Mustang" thats comming out in 2005. So id like to still have this truck as my every-day beater...

 

[Hokie]

If your 5r55e tranny craps out replace it with a 5 spd manual like BonesDT did. It uses the HD version of the Mazda 5 spd. Think of how fun the SOHC would be with a manual tranny!

 

[Randall]

Originally posted by 410Fortune
I am curious to know what AA tells you to do about the wiring changes, or if they supply you with a harness, or what.

Bow tie overdrives sells the relay kit and wiring harness, as well as the custom tv cable.