Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

67ss · 1K+ Club

Another option for controlling TCC on overdrive transmissions

Jon H · 1K+ Club

Would be interesting to see one installed.

SShink · 3K+ Club

VERY interesting! From what I see, for $100 more than the B&M lock up controller, this one gives more adjustability, and like you said Chris it factors in TV cable position AND throttle position.

One thing that might be a challenge based on the past installs I've done would be getting the trans speedo gear to match the vehicle speedometer. I've used adapters, changed out the speedo gear, etc. and it's always been a challenge to get the speedo close to the actual speed, so I usually rely on my GPS for speedometer. I would think getting close could be adjusted for with the flexibility of the controller.

The only other concern is that with more 'adjustability', the more chances there are for things to not be happy with each other from a setting perspective. But it does look simple enough that trouble shooting shouldn't be too bad.

OscarZ · Treasurer

Jon and Stan I take it you have lockup convertors in your trans then? Was curious who has a lockup versus who has a non-lockup and if there has been issues either way.

I believe that Stan, Jon, Loren, Mitch and Craig all have 200R4's so any input would be appreciated. I'm leaning towards non-lockup for ease and budgetary considerations but have not decided.

Lost in the 60s · President

My 200r4 is converted to non-lockup. The overdrive 4th gear and 3.08 axle ratio helps keep the rpm under 2500 at 70-72 mph. Like Stan, my speedo is 6 mph fast, so I'm never really certain just what the actual speed is. Looking at getting a GPS speedo in the near future.

SShink · 3K+ Club

OscarZ wrote:
Jon and Stan I take it you have lockup convertors in your trans then? Was curious who has a lockup versus who has a non-lockup and if there has been issues either way.

I believe that Stan, Jon, Loren, Mitch and Craig all have 200R4's so any input would be appreciated. I'm leaning towards non-lockup for ease and budgetary considerations but have not decided.

I've had both.

The first one that John at Master Trans built was a non-lockup that he put together for me. It worked good with the 3.42 gears I had in the blue '72 coupe that is in the forum page Fall picture.

The second one I bought from a guy in Rochester that had been rebuilt, but still had the stock lockup convertor. I bought the B&M controller, and it worked great in the vert with 3.08 gears. It ran at 1800 rpm at 65-70 mph on the highway.

The lockup will get you another 200 or so rpm lower when it locks up electronically. the B&M controller lets you adjust at what speed it locks up, and I had mine set at 50 mph, so it worked out great on the highway.

I'd recommend the B&M controller for a couple hundred bucks, but it depends on what trans you find and if you have to buy a convertor or not. The electronic lockup convertors are a little higher in price from what I remember.

Jon H · 1K+ Club

I can't honestly say what John at Master did when he built mine, the topic never came up. Is there a formula using the differential gear size and speed and rpm to figure out if it is lockup or not? Unless you know how it is built is there a way to determine by performance?

SShink · 3K+ Club

Jon H wrote:
I can't honestly say what John at Master did when he built mine, the topic never came up. Is there a formula using the differential gear size and speed and rpm to figure out if it is lockup or not? Unless you know how it is built is there a way to determine by performance?

If you watch the RPM after it's shifted into 4th gear OD, and it drops another 200 rpm or so a couple of seconds after the shift, it's an electronic lockup. If no RPM drop, it's likely a non-electronic lockup.

Jon H · 1K+ Club

SShink wrote:
Jon H wrote:
I can't honestly say what John at Master did when he built mine, the topic never came up. Is there a formula using the differential gear size and speed and rpm to figure out if it is lockup or not? Unless you know how it is built is there a way to determine by performance?
If you watch the RPM after it's shifted into 4th gear OD, and it drops another 200 rpm or so a couple of seconds after the shift, it's an electronic lockup. If no RPM drop, it's likely a non-electronic lockup.
So you are saying it will always lock up, it is just a matter of whether it is electronic or not? I will have to watch more carefully this summer. I have just been so happy to lose 1000 rpm with the OD.

Lost in the 60s · President

Jon H wrote:
SShink wrote:
Jon H wrote:
I can't honestly say what John at Master did when he built mine, the topic never came up. Is there a formula using the differential gear size and speed and rpm to figure out if it is lockup or not? Unless you know how it is built is there a way to determine by performance?
If you watch the RPM after it's shifted into 4th gear OD, and it drops another 200 rpm or so a couple of seconds after the shift, it's an electronic lockup. If no RPM drop, it's likely a non-electronic lockup.
So you are saying it will always lock up, it is just a matter of whether it is electronic or not? I will have to watch more carefully this summer. I have just been so happy to lose 1000 rpm with the OD.

Pretty sure all the lock up converters are electronic when retro fitted in older cars. Anywhere from 50-60 would be a good area to watch for a drop in rpm.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Jon H wrote:
SShink wrote:
Jon H wrote:
I can't honestly say what John at Master did when he built mine, the topic never came up. Is there a formula using the differential gear size and speed and rpm to figure out if it is lockup or not? Unless you know how it is built is there a way to determine by performance?
If you watch the RPM after it's shifted into 4th gear OD, and it drops another 200 rpm or so a couple of seconds after the shift, it's an electronic lockup. If no RPM drop, it's likely a non-electronic lockup.
So you are saying it will always lock up, it is just a matter of whether it is electronic or not? I will have to watch more carefully this summer. I have just been so happy to lose 1000 rpm with the OD.

Pretty sure all the lock up converters are electronic when retro fitted in older cars. Anywhere from 50-60 would be a good area to watch for a drop in rpm.

Electronic or electric? Electronic suggests an electronic control box is required. If one sacrifices the 200 lockup rpm drop do we still need a controller or will the flyweights in the transmission control shifting? Could one wire a switch to engage lockup through a solenoid then use the brake light sw to disengage it?

Lost in the 60s · President

I don't have any electronic/electric control on my 200r4. All I needed was the TV cable set-up from Bowtie overdrives. There are others now that may work as well. The trans builder can use internal springs and weights to control when the trans shifts too. Mine was shifting too early and John made some adjustments and now it shifts a little latter than I like, but all I have to do is lift the pedal a little to get it to go into OD at around 50 instead of 55-58 mph.