What are the most likely Donor vehicles for the A 500 4 speed automatic?

-
Kern Dog

Kern Dog

Build your car to handle.
FABO Gold Member
Joined
May 23, 2010
Messages
10,791
Reaction score
31,527
Location
Granite Bay CA
I'm thinking of getting a couple A 500 4 speed automatic trans for a couple of project cars. I like the lower gearset these have for 1st gear.
I don't recall if these came with a lower 2nd gear ratio than a 904.
I was thinking that these were probably commonly found in 318 Dakotas and Vans. I did help a friend pull one from a Dakota a year ago.
Do they also come in the V6 models?
I need a transmission for my 67 Dart and another project I may embark upon.....
 
"Which" A 500 are you wanting? The hydraulic or electronic version? I don't know the answer to your question, but if you can narrow it down to one or the other it might help "you".
 
V6 & V8 Dakotas.. I actually have two sitting here, one is the early RH type the other is the later RE type... But the RE's have redesigned planetaries that are supposed to be stronger so I'll be using those in the earlier trans.... I actually picked up three including a 518 RH from a metal recyling yard.. $50 each...
 
I don't know much about them but I would expect that the simpler, the better.
I had a 518 a few years back that was a respectable rebuild using Cummins spec internal parts but it was the electronic (46RE ?) version. I didn't want to deal with a stand-alone controller or manual valve body. The lower 1st gear of the 500 is a better idea in my opinion. One could run a taller axle gear and still get good acceleration from a start.
 
Kern Dog said:
I don't know much about them but I would expect that the simpler, the better.
I had a 518 a few years back that was a respectable rebuild using Cummins spec internal parts but it was the electronic (46E ?) version. I didn't want to deal with a stand-alone controller or manual valve body. The lower 1st gear of the 500 is a better idea in my opinion. One could run a taller axle gear and still get good acceleration from a start.
Click to expand...
I believe they have more clutches, too.
 
This car may get a 5.7 Hemi and 4 speed auto....

JF 19.JPG


This beater has a 904 that will not shift to 3rd. I am contemplating the A 500 swap.

67 R.jpg
 
1WildRT said:
V6 & V8 Dakotas.. I actually have two sitting here, one is the early RH type the other is the later RE type... But the RE's have redesigned planetaries that are supposed to be stronger so I'll be using those in the earlier trans.... I actually picked up three including a 518 RH from a metal recyling yard.. $50 each...
Click to expand...
X 2. Dakota 2 wheel drive.
 
Of COURSE I decide to look right AFTER the self serve junkyards had their half price Labor Day weekend sales...


1 FPP.JPG


Thanks, guys!
 
I thought I read that the OD sections are the same with the 500 and 518. Did I hear that right?
I know I'd be facing some torsion bar crossmember modifications. I'm okay with that.
 
727/518 1st 2nd 3rd o/d
3.23 7.91 4.68 3.23 2.23
3.55 8.70 5.15 3.55 2.45
3.91 8.58 5.67 3.91 2.70



A500 1st 2nd 3rd o/d
3.23 8.85 4.97 3.23 2.23
3.55 9.73 5.47 3.55 2.45
3.91 10.71 6.02 3.91 2.70

10.7 is to deep for a street car so 3.55 becomes a easy choice...
 
Kern Dog said:
I thought I read that the OD sections are the same with the 500 and 518. Did I hear that right?
I know I'd be facing some torsion bar crossmember modifications. I'm okay with that.
Click to expand...
I haven't tried swapping parts yet but my understanding is they interchange...
 
1WildRT said:
A500 1st 2nd 3rd o/d
3.23 8.85 4.97 3.23 2.23
3.55 9.73 5.47 3.55 2.45
3.91 10.71 6.02 3.91 2.70

10.7 is to deep for a street car so 3.55 becomes a easy choice...
Click to expand...
My 67 Dart has a 4.10 diff so it pulls pretty hard from a stop as is! That car could run a 518 with that axle gear no problem.
The Charger currently has 3.91s but I have other ratios here including a 3.23. That would make a sweet freeway cruiser with the 2.23 final drive.
I have a 2.27 final drive in the red car with the Tremec.
 
I once had a 904 based transmission with a lockup converter that would sometimes stick engaged.
I figured that this early automatic 4 speed setup had electrical plugs for the converter and overdrive?
I thought I read that you could disengage/defeat the converter lockup by tapping into the brake light switch?
 
Go to my profile page and look at the profile posts. Second page. Long ago I was contemplating and made / copied some notes.
 
I think the 42rh was available in model years '89 to '94-ish before they switch to the 42re. I could be wrong though. I believe they all had lock-up converters, while the early years for the 46rh (A518) utilized non-lockup converters.
 
gdrill said:
Go to my profile page and look at the profile posts. Second page. Long ago I was contemplating and made / copied some notes.
Click to expand...
As noted:

Note to self...
A few notes on the a500:
The a500(42rh) is the 904 based tranny with overdrive. I believe the 42rh was introduced in 1988, but I recommend getting the 1993/4/5 because the 42rh had a lot of little changes by 1993/4 and the reliability factor went up. The a500 has 2 major versions, the 42rh (1988-1995ish), and the 42re (1995ish and up). You won't use the 42re, it requires a computer (TCM) to control it. Doable, but expensive. You can tell the difference between a 42rh and 42re by the electical connector located by the shifter linkage. The 42rh will have an oblong 3 pin (one hot wire, one ground to control the OD, and one ground to control the lockup torque converter) and the 42re will have a larger round connector with 8 or 9 pins. Some 46rh (larger 727 based)trannys came with 2 pins on the early model (1988-1992?) because they didn't have a lockup converter. To my knowledge, all 42rh's had lockup converters and cam with the 3 pin connector.

More:

Note to self......
- Get a 1993/1994 (and some 1995's) a500 (42rh) overdrive transmission. You may want to add some upgraded clutch discs and a few other things if you're going to drive it hard.
- Modify your transmission tunnel so the larger overdrive rear end of the a500(42rh) will fit in it.
- Get the PATC PATC 727 to 518 Conversion Kit (Overdrive/Lockup controller) to control these features on the tranny. $85 for the kit, and not hard to install. There's a deluxe kit for $325, you won't need this.
Dodge Transmissions - Torque Converters and Transmission Parts.
- Have your drive shaft shortened and balanced (the overdrive tranny is longer than the 904 and requirs the shaft to be shortened).

***********************************************************************************************************************

Thank you, Gdrill !
 
Last edited:
If you call the parts dept of a local dealer with the last 6 (I think?) digits of the VIN, they can tell you exactly what transmission came in the vehicle. I've done that a few times in my search for a non-lockup 46RH. Heck, there may even be an online lookup that can do it.
 
Hey Greg. I'm looking for a couple 500 or 518 units. I had a A518 out of my 91 van that a sold to my friend a few years ago for his 70 Cuda vert. Now I wish that I would kept it. That unit was a 2 wire meaning no lock-up converter. I pickup a A500 and an A518 but both are 3-wire using as lock-up converter. I'd rather had the 2-wire units. I found a couple 91 vans in a yard this weekend but one was not an OD the there was an A500 3-wire which I already have so I didn't get it.
Keep checking to pick a part yards for 88-91 vans and 2-wd trucks. You can snag one for under 200.00 with the convertor. They are getting harder to find.
 
Last edited:
Kern Dog said:
I once had a 904 based transmission with a lockup converter that would sometimes stick engaged.
I figured that this early automatic 4 speed setup had electrical plugs for the converter and overdrive?
I thought I read that you could disengage/defeat the converter lockup by tapping into the brake light switch?
Click to expand...
All you need to do is not energize it. The way they work, either RE or RH, is the RH's have a 3 wire connector, the RE's have more, but there are 3 wires involved. You run one wire to the common of your switching, either toggle or whatever you are using, then one of the remaining is converter and the other is OD. Switch them to the center wire

Keep in mind if you don't mind a manual VB that you can get those here and there, as well as a Trans Go kit that will convert an RE to full manual VB
 
I thought I remembered in the back of my head "wierd" about the converter.......either some of the early A500's were hydraulic, or did not have lock up ??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top