Will GM 200r4 work with factory floor shift location?
JBC, I wondered about all that stuff a lot when I was planning my swap. To solve the problem I went with the non-lockup converter. I didn't know and wasn't sure when the trans would try and shift into 4th gear because it would probably depend on rear end gear ratio and tire size. And since I wasn't sure what gear ratio I was going to be happy with I couldn't take the chance. If your converter doesn't lock up until 3000 RPM your not going to be able to take full advantage of the overdrive. I'm running 3.73 right now with 26.5 tall tires and my RPM is around 2300 at 60 MPH (in forth gear). Using my car as an example, if I had your converter, it would never stop slipping unless I drove 80-90 miles an hour (or whatever MPH you get when you go 3000 RPM). My converter locks at 1800 RPM so at 60 MPH (2300 RPM) I know it's locked in. With your lock up switch you can lock your converter anytime but your stall speed will keep the converter slipping until you reach 3000 RPM. This creates some extra heat when cruising but your extra cooler should take care of that (I think). Even with a stall of 1800 like mine I worried about heat at lower speed (35-55 MPH) and that's why I installed a trans temp heat gage. As it turned out the tranny stays real cool at all speeds but my converter doesn't slip as much as your does??
I recently got some bigger rims 15 X 12 and even taller tires (29 inch). This will put me at an even lower RPM at cruising speeds so that makes me really glad that I went with a 1800 stall non-lock up converter. I might have to go with a lower gear but I still wouldn't have to worry about any high stall.
Hope this helps.....
Treblig
No, no Treblig. When I flip the switch in 4th gear it locks up 100% right then and there. The stall speed is not a factor once the converter is in lock-up mode in 4th gear. However, once the rpm's get so low that it down shifts into 3rd (and I have no idea what speed or rpm that is yet) it will automatically un-lock the clucthes in the converter. It will only lock up in 4th, even when there is 12v going to the transmission.
Again, at light or full throttle on the highway, as long as it is in 4th gear, with 12v switched on the converter will stay locked-up and provide 100% direct drive, even as low as 1400 rpm (If the transmission doesn't downshift to 3rd).
If I switch it off and cruise in 4th gear it will add a few hundred rpm at cruising speed, but once the throttle is wide open it will flash to 3000 rpm and climb with a very low slippage and high efficiency from there. Just as it would in any gear.
Treblig, at what speed and RPM does your transmission downshift out of 4th when you are at very light throttle on the road? I got my converter from Precision Torque Converters of New Hampton. It is a Mopar style 4-bolt attaching converter with a GM hub that fits into the 200R4. The hard part was getting it to the correct thickness without the parts on hand to give an accurate measurement. Once I got that. Precision took care of the rest. It is one of their highest quality converters with the same lock-up clutch system they use for diesel trucks that pull heavy trailers. They assured me it is a very efficient converter even when not locked up only allowing a few hundred rpm slippage at light to moderate throttle, but once the throttle is wide open it will flash to 3000 rpm if it's not already past that rpm.
In other words, if I am cruising in 4th gear at 2000 RPM with the converter clutches locked up, the lock-up clutches will stop it from flashing to 3000 rpm and acting just like a direct drive manual clutch that is fully engaged.
