OPT: Blog

Father’s Day gift giving solved

Not sure what to buy Dad this year? Solve the problem with something he will really love: a gift certificate from Oregon Performance Transmission.

Our gift cards come in denominations starting at $25.00 and do not expire.

Give him something he’ll really love this Father’s Day, or any time of year, with a gift card from OPT.

If you need help finding the right gift, please feel free to contact us at sales@oregonperformancetransmission.com for assistance and recommendations.

Posted on June 8th, 2018
Posted by Brian
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Filed under: Gifts
Tags: dad, Father's Day, gift card, gift certificate, gifts, hard to buy for, parts, transmission, what to give dad

Oct

Which servo should I choose?

FAQ: Do I need the standard corvette servo or the servo with the longer pin? And what about the 4^th gear billet servo?

If you have a 700R4, 4L60E, 4L65E, or 4L70E automatic transmission, and want to upgrade your servo, you have several different options available to you:

First, you can install just the standard corvette servo found here

With this servo, right away you’ll notice faster and firmer 1-2 shifts and even slightly better 2-3 shifts. Also, this servo will give your transmission 50% more apply pressure, just what you need to keep from burning your transmission up under heavy load situations.

The corvette servo is a great upgrade for not a lot of money, and you do not need to take the transmission out to install it. Our servo comes with two rigid seals and two rubber seals, as well as 3 pages of instructions for easy and detailed installation.

Second, you can install the standard corvette servo with the longer pin found here

With this package, you get the corvette servo outlined above and you get the longer pin all in one package. The included longer-than-stock servo pin does a great job of getting your band adjusted to the right clearance. It’s almost more important to get the right clearance than it is to change to the corvette servo.

Not sure if you need the longer pin? You can test your clearance by pushing in on your servo cover. If you notice that it moves in between 1/8″-1/4″, you know you need the longer pin. This is way too much travel, as the clearance should be closer to 1/16″.

Also, since the servo isn’t traveling as far before it applies the band, the 1-2 and even the 3-4 shift will be much quicker.

Finally, you can install the standard corvette servo, and purchase the 4th gear billet servo found here

With these two products, you’ll get all the benefit of the corvette servo, as well as better holding capacity in 4^th gear. Plus, if you go this route, you won’t need to buy the servo with the longer pin. The reason is because this 4th gear billet servo is manufactured with tighter tolerances, which tightens up the clearance issue that the longer pin typically tackles.

If money allows, Oregon Performance Transmission recommends purchasing the standard corvette servo, as well as the 4th gear billet servo.

If you have any questions about servos, or which combination might be right for your vehicle, please do not hesitate to contact us at sales@oregonperformancetransmission.com for more information.

Posted on October 5th, 2017
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 4L60E, 4L65E, 4L70E, 700R4, FAQ's
Tags: 4L60E, 4L65E, 4L70E, 4th gear, 700R4, apply pressure, automatic transmission, band, billet servo, Chevrolet, Chevy, clearance, Corvette servo, DIY, GM, GMC, installation, long pin, Oregon Performance Transmission, performance, service, servo, shift, Superior, tolerance, transmission, transmission life, upgrades

Sep

FAQ: Torque Converter Splines

faq-vesta

Q: I need a new converter for my 700R4 and I want to make sure I order the right one. I see you offer a 27-spline, and a 30-spline option. Which one do I need?

A: Sometimes just knowing your transmission year, or your casting number on your transmission case, is not enough to ensure you are ordering the correct converter. The reason is because a popular upgrade on the 1982-1984 transmission is to upgrade the 27-spline shaft to the later, stronger, 30-spline shaft. This is why it’s a good idea to count your splines just to be sure.

Q: Which splines do I count — the inner or the outer ones?

A: You will want to count the outer splines on your existing converter — the smaller ones that are closest to the end of the output shaft. These can be difficult to count so you will need to take your time.

If you have any questions about which converter will work best with your application, please feel free to email us at any time at sales@oregonperformancetransmission.

Posted on September 25th, 2017
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 700R4, Torque Converters
Tags: 27-spline, 30-spline, application, automatic transmission, casting number, converter, counting splines, inner, Oregon Performance Transmission, outer, output shaft, overhaul, performance, shaft, splines, torque, torque converter, transmission, transmission case

Sep

Do I need a thermal bypass?

Fall is a great time to consider installing a transmission cooler in your vehicle. For many people, the busyness of summer travel has settled down, the kids are back in school, and there’s finally time to work on vehicle projects before the snow and freezing temperatures hit.

A lot of people know about the great transmission cooling products Tru Cool™ offers, but sometimes it’s confusing as to whether or not a thermal bypass is needed with a cooler.

Our most popular transmission cooler from Tru-Cool™, part number LNG-47391, has a sister cooler under part number LNG-4739. The only difference between the two? The 4739 comes with a thermal bypass, while the 47391 does not.

So what is a thermal bypass?

The thermal bypass is a small added valve that goes in the transmission line. When the transmission is cold, the thermal bypass will “bypass” the cooler so it can bring the transmission up to operating temperature more quickly.

Do I need a thermal bypass?

A bypass is not something that is typically needed unless you live in a fairly cold climate; for example, a place where temperatures in the winter are regularly below 32°F.

I already own a cooler but it doesn’t have a bypass. Can I buy the bypass separately and add it on?

Yes. The bypass works very well with other coolers, such as the Tru Cool™ 49211 cooler. So if you already have a cooler you like, adding the bypass on is definitely okay.

Where can I buy a thermal bypass?

We sell the bypass individually under part number LNG-4739P6.

If you would like to purchase a cooler with a bypass, we sell that package under part number LNG-4739.

If you do not need the thermal bypass but do need a great transmission cooler, and have the available space, we have that product under part number LNG-47391.

For more information about transmission or engine oil coolers, please feel free to contact us at sales@oregonperformancetransmission.com.

Posted on September 20th, 2017
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 4739, 47391, FAQ's, thermal bypass, Tru-Cool
Tags: bypass, cold weather, cooler, cooling, DIY project, FAQ, freezing, performance, transmission, Tru-Cool

Sep

2004R High Performance Options

Looking for products to upgrade your 200-4R automatic transmission? Here are the most popular products we sell for the 2004R transmission:

Rebuild kit

Oregon Performance Transmission offers two rebuild kit options for the 2004R automatic transmission: a standard rebuild kit and a high performance version.

The high performance 2004R rebuild kit can be found here under part number OPT-2004R-RBHP, or by clicking on the photograph below.

OPT-2004R-RBHP

This HP master rebuild kit includes:

A Transtec overhaul set with rubber seals, gaskets, o-rings, metal clad seals, and Teflon sealing rings, needed to complete your rebuild.
All Raybestos Red HP friction clutch plates
All Alto black Kolene Steel plates
New fluid filter
Kevlar Intermediate – 2^nd gear band
Bushings for the pump and case

This kit is performance rated and will handle 300% more heat and horsepower, torque and abuse than the standard clutches. The steel plates are Kolene coated with a special friction material that keeps them from slipping like the smooth steel are prone to do. This will give you a more positive clutch engagement.

Shift kit

The shift kit we typically recommend to go along with the high performance rebuild kit is the HD2 kit from Transgo. You can find it here under part number TRG-200-4R-HD2.

TRG-2004R-HD2

This newly upgraded high performance shift kit fits year 1981-up and contains the following:

Billet aluminum 2nd gear HP servo
.500 boost valve
Large low-reverse boost valve

Full installation instructions are included with this kit

The new dual feed 3rd gear circuit increases direct clutch holding capacity by 200%. This kit works for both street and strip use and can be installed with the transmission in the car.

Stator Support

From the factory the 2004R transmission had trouble with the stator support wearing out prematurely. For that reason it is always recommended to upgrade to this heat treated style if you still have the stock one in your transmission. You can find the upgraded stator support here under part number NTP-45812R.

NTP-45812R

10 vane / 13 vane pump kit

This is a must for high horsepower, heavy abuse applications, but is also definitely recommended if you just want to increase the life or durability of the transmission. This 10 vane pump will help to eliminate the line pressure fluctuations and high RPM pressure drops seen with the stock pump configurations. This kit includes a 10 vane rotor, vane rotor guide, pump slide, 10 vanes, 2 upgraded hardened heavy duty vane rings, O-ring, and slide seal. You can find the 10 vane pump kit here under part number NTP-K51819A.

NTP-K51819A

Alternatively, the 13 vane pump kit can be found here under part number NTP-K51817J.

NTP-K51817J

These parts are compatible with all GM, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac applications with the 2004R transmission. Here is a list of original vehicles that came with the 2004R transmission from the factory:

Caprice 1982-1990
Custom Cruiser 1981-1990
Cutlass Supreme 1983-1987
Delta 88 1981-1985
Deville 1981-1984
El Camino 1981-1987
Electra 1981-1984
Fleetwood 1981-1990
Grand Prix 1984-1987
LeSabre 1981-1985
Monte Carlo 1982-1987
Regal 1981-1987

Please note that while the list above identifies original vehicles with the 200-4R, this transmission has become very popular to retro-fit into older vehicles (see photo here).

The 2004R transmission is part of the Turbo-Hydramatic series and is sometimes referred to as the 200-4R, 200R4, 2004R, 200-R4, TH200-4R, THM200-4R, and even the MW9.

An easy way to identify the 4 speed automatic 200-4R is by its irregular shaped pan and non-removable output shaft housing.

These parts and upgrades can help extend the life of your 2004R automatic transmission and well as provide significant performance results!

As always, if we can answer any questions or help in another way, please do not hesitate to contact us at salesdesk@optsales.com.

Posted on September 5th, 2016
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 2004R, Uncategorized
Tags: 10 vane, 13 vane, 200-4R, 2004R, 200R4, automatic transmission, Caprice, Custom Cruiser, Cutlass Supreme, Delta 88, Deville, El Camino, Electra, Fleetwood, Grand Prix, horsepower, hot rod, LeSabre, Monte Carlo, MW9, Oregon Performance Transmission, overhaul, performance, rebuild, Regal, shift kit, stator support, TH200-4R, THM200-4R, transmission, Turbo-Hydromatic, upgrades

Mar

Product Showcase: ATSG Automatic Transmission Rebuild Service Manuals

[Reprinted in part from Automatic Transmission Service Group]

In 1985 Robert Cherrnay founded ATSG (Automatic Transmission Service Group) as a technical support service to the automatic transmission industry. Automatic Transmission Service Group (ATSG) is the largest technical support service in the Automatic Transmission Industry. ATSG manuals are the world’s foremost service guides utilized by professionals and technicians to troubleshoot and diagnosis problematic areas, disassemble transmissions and reassemble accurately and efficiently. ATSG manuals cover all aspects of transmission care, overhaul and rebuild procedures. Straightforward and simple to use, ATSG manuals will assist professionals and non-professionals alike with all aspects of automotive transmission care.

As a provider of ATSG products, Oregon Performance Transmission is proud to showcase their technical manuals and update handbooks that are written and produced by ATSG professional technical staff. Oregon Performance Transmission carries over 100 different manuals for over 40+ vehicle makes including Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan and Toyota, to name a few.

For a direct link to our ATSG website category, please click here.

Why ATSG?

ATSG has over 100 combined years of experience, knowledge and wisdom. ATSG technical manuals are in-depth, detailed and have assisted many technical professionals across the globe saving them tremendous amounts of time and money.

If you are looking to complete a band adjustment, torque specs, service a transmission, shift kits, or just doing a full rebuild on a unit, ATSG technical manuals are a must-have. The manuals cover many areas of transmission rebuild, including:

parts identification
exploded views
wiring harness locations
hydraulic routing
electrical diagrams
internal planetary components
how to disassemble a transmission
how to rebuild the individual components
torque specs
valve body identification
extension housing overviews
how to assemble a transmission, and much, much more

Our customers are routinely impressed with ATSG manuals and often recommend them to friends. Here are a few recently received customer reviews:

“Really good book on transmission specifications and assembly”

“Nice manual, quality product”

“Just as promised. Great book!”

“Everything I needed and then some. Very accurate”

What is the difference between the blue cover book and the green cover book?

The blue cover book is the standard transmission rebuild manual. This book will be your go-to guide for understanding and performing the process of transmission rebuilding. If you are planning to rebuild your transmission and do not already have this manual, this is the one you will want and need.

The green cover book the update manual. This manual is intended for diagnostic work and/or troubleshooting codes. While a few transmission updates are included in this manual, it relies primarily upon, and often refers back to, the original blue cover manual for rebuilding instructions. Many DIY-er’s will not need this manual as it is most frequently used by professional shops.

What about these CD-ROM discs?

Some of the ATSG manuals are no longer available in paperback form. Some obsolete books and/or less popular books have moved from book format to a mini-disc CD-ROM. These discs are easy to use and will fit in the small, inner disc circle of any computer disc drive.

Our ATSG service manuals now qualify for free U.S. shipping!

As always, should you have any questions about ATSG transmission products or need assistance in identifying your transmission, please feel free to contact Oregon Performance Transmission at salesdesk@optsales.com.

Posted on March 18th, 2016
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 2004R, 4L60E, 4L65E, 4L70E, 4L75E, 4R70W, 4R75E, 4R75W, 700R4, A727, A904, AODE, GM, Nissan
Tags: 2004R, 4L60E, 4L65E, ATSG, automatic transmission, Automatic Transmission Service Group, Chevrolet, diagnosis, diagram, dis-assembly, exploded view, GM, handbook, Oregon Performance Transmission, overhaul, performance, professional, rebuild, service, technical, transmission

Aug

Performance in Oregon

1935 Ford, 600hp, 434 small block Chevy engine with a 2004R transmission doing it’s job.

Posted on August 13th, 2014
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 2004R
Tags: 1935, 2004R, Ford, horsepower, hot rod, performance, small block Chevy, transmission

Jun

Highly recommended upgrades to the 4L60E transmission.

The 4L60E/4L65E/4L70E and 4L75E transmission is one of the most popular and most frequently asked about transmissions. A common question regarding the 4L60E is, “what upgrades do you recommend while I have the transmission out, and what can I do if I don’t want to take the whole thing apart?”

If you are ready to take the transmission out and do the whole thing only once, the parts we typically recommend consist of the following:

Rebuild manual
Rebuild kit
Shift kit
Accumulator pistons
Separator plate
Torque converter
Electronics

If you are only interested in tackling what can be done with the transmission still in the vehicle, you can still accomplish quite a bit with the following items:

Shift kit
Separator plate
Accumulator pistons

Outlined below are each of the items we recommend, a description and the corresponding part number on our site. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at salesdesk@optsales.com.

REBUILD MANUAL

ATSG-4L60E

ATSG is the leading manufacturer of technical rebuild manuals for automatic transmissions. Their manuals are excellent resources for DIY-ers and professional shops alike. If you are planning to rebuild your transmission on your own and do not already have a good resource manual, we highly recommend this product from ATSG. This 4L60E manual will cover the GM THM 4L60-E Transmission found in 1993 and up trucks and vans, 1994 and up passenger cars. The manual covers assembly, dis-assembly, diagnosis, troubleshooting, and electronic controls & operation.

REBUILD KITS

OPT-4L60E-RB

OPT-4L60E-RBHP

We offer two versions of a 4L60E rebuild kit: a standard better-than-stock package, or the high performance rebuild kit. The standard kit featured above is part number OPT-4L60E-RB and features everything you see in the first photograph. Please note you will need to select your year from the drop down menu. If your year is 1997 and newer, the kit will include the molded piston kit as well so it does cost a little more than the others.

If you are looking for a high performance rebuild kit, we carry that as well under part number OPT-4L60E-RBHP. The HP kit comes with everything you see in the second photograph above, including Red Raybestos Stage 1 clutches, Kolene steel plates which includes the 8 clutch 3-4 pack, new filter, a Kevlar band and full bushing kit, as well as a Transtec full gasket set. Either kit will give you terrific performance and noticeable strength.

SHIFT KITS

Depending on what kind of performance you are after, we typically recommend one of two shift kits: either the TRG-SK4L60E, or the TRG-4L60E-HD2.

TRG-SK4L60E

The Transgo SK 4L60E corrects, prevents, and reduces problems associated with code 1870, trouble light & hard 1-2 shift performance. It also fixes harmonic bounce that wears out pump and valves and causes
shuttle shifts. This kit has a new design isolator valve that works perfect in worn bore without requiring special tools or machining. It is probably one of our most popular shift kits.

The other option is the more aggressive kit, the TRG-4L60E-HD2.

TRG-4L60E-HD2

The Transgo 4L60E-HD2 is meant for crisp muscle car or full race shift performance. It puts the driver in command as it will holds 1st, 2nd, 3rd to any speed. In addition, it allows backshifts to 3rd, 2nd & 1st by moving the lever. This is a strong shift kit that will deliver impressive performance.

ACCUMULATOR PISTONS

With any 4L60E rebuild we always recommend replacing the stock accumulator pistons as they tend to break often and can ruin your transmission. We suggest replacing the forward accumulator piston (part number SNX-77987-01K) and the 1-2 accumulator piston (part number SNX-77998-03K).

SNX-77987-01K

SNX-77998-03K

SEPARATOR PLATE

It is typically always a good idea to change your separator plate at the time of rebuild. The checkballs produce a lot of wear and tear on the plate which can lead to poor shift quality and shorter transmission life. Depending on your year, we have several different plates available. One of the most common year ranges is 1996-2006 which is covered by part number TRG-46-PLT-96.

TRG-46-PLT-96

TORQUE CONVERTER

We always recommend changing your converter at the time of rebuild since you will not want to use the old, contaminated fluid that is in your current converter and circulate that through your brand new ransmission. Depending on your year however, you may need to provide the 4-letter code from your existing converter. We may also need to know your engine in order to match you with the right replacement. These points may be addressed quickly through email by contacting us at salesdesk@optsales.com.

ELECTRONICS

Finally, depending upon your year, you might consider replacing your vehicle electronics as well. Over time the electronics wear out and eventually will burn up the transmission. The part number you need for a full electronics kit is ORE-4L60E-EL. Be sure to select your year range from the drop-down menu.

OPT-4L60E-EL

If you only want to tackle what can be done with the transmission still in the vehicle, you can still accomplish quite a bit with replacing just the separator plate, a shift kit, and the accumulator pistons.

HIGH HORSEPOWER UPGRADES

We can also address higher horsepower applications with in-stock products such as the Beast Sun Gear shell / Sonnax Smart shell, unbreakable pump ring kit, low reverse sprag, forward sprag, corvette servo, 4^th gear billet servos, and the billet 2^nd gear servo .

For additional information or questions regarding this or any other transmission, please feel free to contact us at any time via email at salesdesk@optsales.com .

Posted on June 7th, 2014
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: 4L60E, 4L65E, 4L70E, 4L75E, GM
Tags: 4L60E, 4L65E, 4L70E, 4L75E, automatic transmission, Buick, Chevrolet, diagnosis, dis-assembly, GM, GMC, Olds, Oregon Performance Transmission, overhaul, Pontiac, reassembly, rebuild, service, shift kit, transmission, upgrades

Feb

The RE5R05A transmission and common cooling problems

It may still be snowing in many parts of the US, but warmer weather is right around the corner. We know that the sunshine brings many of us out of our shop hibernations with the anticipation of more time on and off the road and track.

One transmission that we repeatedly see many questions about is the RE5R05A from Nissan. This is the tranny you will find in vehicles like the Frontier, Xterra and Pathfinder. It is also found within the Titan, Armada and Navara, to name a few. While an extremely popular transmission, it also comes with a popular problem: the radiator often leaks water into the transmission fluid which eventually burns up the transmission. Most people discover this problem after the transmission has blown. Others, while they may still have an operational transmission, are surprised and dismayed to discover the leak. If there is water in the fluid, it’s too late to save the tranny.

The solution to a burned transmission of course is to rebuild it. Oregon Performance Transmission stocks a complete, solid kit for the RE5R05A (part number OPT-RE5R05A-RB) as well as many other products and upgrades.

One preventative solution to this leakage problem is to bypass the radiator with an external cooler, thereby eliminating the need for the radiator all together. You can effectively get rid of the problem before it even has a chance to occur. Depending on your vehicle’s space, we suggest installing the largest external cooler possible. The brand we trust the most is Tru-Cool by Dana Corporation. They are manufactured in Canada and are solid, strong and extremely well-built.

LNG-47391

Remember, the Tru-Cool coolers are not vehicle-specific, they are space-specific. If you can fit a 40,000 GVW cooler in your truck, we highly recommend doing so.

For additional information about any of the products mentioned here, or to answer any other questions, please feel free to contact us at salesdesk@optsales.com. It’s not too late to save that transmission!

Posted on February 12th, 2014
Posted by Brian
No Comment »
Filed under: Nissan
Tags: 47391, Armada, cooler, Infinity, kit, Navara, Nissan, Pathfinder, QX56, RE5RO5A, rebuild, Titan, transmission, Tru-Cool, Xterra

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