Yeah I'm looking at my options, Right now I have to get ready for this hurricane building off of the coast of Mexico heading towards Florida looks like this one will actually hit my area.
MCSS 200-4r questions ?
- Thread starter JimmyD
- Start date
Dr Dan Mascal builds the 2004R and he was in Florida. I believe he is now in Georgia. He was a GM tech for 25 years and has built them behind serious power. I would not buy anything from CK, took months and pretty sure they sent me a bad high performance pump. It would not shift even after removing their shift kit, pressure was not right according to my gauge.Yes, your torque converter is higher stall, the governor shifts higher and the valve body is a much better calibration than a generic 2004R.
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I am by no means a guru and mostly did this video series for myself to remember what/how I did it, but if you are interested in doing it yourself there are 4 videos in my series you can peruse. Most 2004r rebuilds seemed to be more doing the work vs. explaining why or how so I focused a bit more on the 'extra' stuff that I did.
If you love to learn, time isn't as critical or you find satisfaction in rebuilding your own stuff, don't have a trusted local shop, rebuilding your own trans can work great
If you have limited time, just want it done, have a local shop that knows 2004r's, just hire it out.
I bet I paid myself $2 or $3/hr to build my trans myself with my 'savings' in labor. I had dozens of hours in it and a pro that does it every day will rebuild one between coffee breaks.
If you love to learn, time isn't as critical or you find satisfaction in rebuilding your own stuff, don't have a trusted local shop, rebuilding your own trans can work great
If you have limited time, just want it done, have a local shop that knows 2004r's, just hire it out.
I bet I paid myself $2 or $3/hr to build my trans myself with my 'savings' in labor. I had dozens of hours in it and a pro that does it every day will rebuild one between coffee breaks.
Finding 'the right guy' to go through it is the key. I've never done more than a pump, input shaft swap and have tweaked my governor a couple of times. They are truly an old school transmission. Unfortunately for me, my local guy just sold his business, but fortunately, his 20 year employee bought it. This the same guy that built my 80e that has taken some abuse.
Before my guy retired though, I had him rebuild our 'spare'. So i have a well built spare with a 10 vane pump, GN servo and mildly modified valve body sitting in the basement awaiting a home.
Good luck to you - it's great transmission
Before my guy retired though, I had him rebuild our 'spare'. So i have a well built spare with a 10 vane pump, GN servo and mildly modified valve body sitting in the basement awaiting a home.
Good luck to you - it's great transmission
that's what's swayed me to send mine back to the builder,i'm not reluctant to have a motor built around here but there's less transmission shops here than there was even 10 years ago.
My other assessment
If you want to make over 550hp, get a 4l80e
If you have a Chevy engine with a ECU or carb that cant do e-trans control, get a 4l80e with an external controller
If you have EFI that has electronic trans control capability with a BOP, get a 4l80e
The only case I see where a 2004r makes sense is if you have a BOP, can't control an electronic trans and want to make under 550hp. If you break any of those 3 factors, just get an 80e. Adapting an 80e to a BOP is a pain along with making a carb or stock turbo buick ECU control an e-trans.
If you want to make big power, parts in a 2004r get exotic and a 4l80e will take 600-1000 with a stock rebuild and a few parts from a shift kit. Plus EVERYONE can rebuild one. The only negative of an 80e is the length and weight.
If you have an NA big block BOP with a carb or a turbo buick a 2004r is perfect. If you have a chevy or a holley based ECU where it has e-trans control, all you have to do is solve is 1 roadblock.
I spent $3300 building a 550hp capable 2004r. It could be less if you have a performance valve body core to start with. I couldn't find one so I spent another $500 on a BRF valve body and governor. $1000 was a converter but that money would be spent on an 80e. If you are doing anything but a stock rebuild and have a performance core I'd budget $1800 for parts.
I could have bought a core 80e, rebuilt it locally with a shift kit, bought an 80e BOP bell housing, got a crossmember and got the e-trans control from a Holley ECU for 'free' for $1800 or less and had a trans that will take 800+hp forever.
I am super happy with my 2004r but if wishes were fishes, the back of my mind knows I could have had an 80e.
If you want to make over 550hp, get a 4l80e
If you have a Chevy engine with a ECU or carb that cant do e-trans control, get a 4l80e with an external controller
If you have EFI that has electronic trans control capability with a BOP, get a 4l80e
The only case I see where a 2004r makes sense is if you have a BOP, can't control an electronic trans and want to make under 550hp. If you break any of those 3 factors, just get an 80e. Adapting an 80e to a BOP is a pain along with making a carb or stock turbo buick ECU control an e-trans.
If you want to make big power, parts in a 2004r get exotic and a 4l80e will take 600-1000 with a stock rebuild and a few parts from a shift kit. Plus EVERYONE can rebuild one. The only negative of an 80e is the length and weight.
If you have an NA big block BOP with a carb or a turbo buick a 2004r is perfect. If you have a chevy or a holley based ECU where it has e-trans control, all you have to do is solve is 1 roadblock.
I spent $3300 building a 550hp capable 2004r. It could be less if you have a performance valve body core to start with. I couldn't find one so I spent another $500 on a BRF valve body and governor. $1000 was a converter but that money would be spent on an 80e. If you are doing anything but a stock rebuild and have a performance core I'd budget $1800 for parts.
I could have bought a core 80e, rebuilt it locally with a shift kit, bought an 80e BOP bell housing, got a crossmember and got the e-trans control from a Holley ECU for 'free' for $1800 or less and had a trans that will take 800+hp forever.
I am super happy with my 2004r but if wishes were fishes, the back of my mind knows I could have had an 80e.
Thanks guys for all the input, after looking at a few videos and checking around the interweb I have come to the conclusion that I do not want to try to build this trans, lol. So now I am currently looking for builders in the Southeast preferably in the state of Florida. It was just too hard to find this original CZ virgin trans.
i believe 85' is CQ and 86' is CZ on the tag and i think turbo buick is BRF.
