Transmission Question

[Guest]

Just out of curiosity, i'd be interested to know what other engines might work with my transmission.

My 85 Fleetwood Brougham chassis has the 4.1L with the 200-4R transmission.

According to the factory manual, 1985 had an option for a 5.7L diesel with the same transmission.

The limo/commercial chassis for 1985 would have been a 6.0L carb or DFI with a Type 400 transmission.

Clearly a 6.0 DFI would be the best choice for miss abigail, i think. However, i wonder if a standard chevy 5.7 small block gasoline engine would mount up to the 200-4R. Anyone know of any other engines that would mount up off hand?

[Guest]

from wikipedia:

200-4R

In 1982, the 2004R (sometimes called 200R4) was introduced for use in GM vehicles. Internally, the components which were prone to failure in the THM200 were improved, and this transmission was used with high-power applications — primarily the Buick Grand National and the 1982 Chevy Corvette. GMs powered with the Oldsmobile 5.7 L Diesel powerplant were coupled with the 200-4R in place of the 200. The 200-4R was configured with several different torque converters and gear ratios depending on the vehicle application.
Unlike the 700R4, the 200-4R has a multicase bellhousing for use with Chevrolet, Buick/Olds/Pontiac (BOP), and Cadillac powerplants. Since the external dimensions are similar to the THM-350, 200-4Rs are usually swapped in place of THM-350s in older vehicles to provide an overdrive gear. Edit note: The TH400 is more of a close mounting match to the 200-4R. Placement of the mount is identical. Only the yoke needs to be changed in most circumstances.
Early models had PRND321 on the cluster, while later models had PRNDD21, with the left D identified as the overdrive gear by a square or oval ring.
The THM200-4R was phased out after 1990 — its final usage was in the GM B-body lineup (Chevrolet Caprice, Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon, Cadillac Brougham) coupled to either a Chevrolet 305 or an Oldsmobile 307 engine. It is believed that an HD version of the 200-4R was used in the late 80s Caprice 9C1 police package using the internals from the Buick Grand National.

This seems to imply this particular engine should work with lots of different GM engines.

[hotroddwayne]

There were TWO different bell housing patterns for 98% of the earlier V-8 stuff. One was for Chevrolet & the other was for all the others: Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, & Cadillac. Yours uses a 3rd pattern. Here's a web page that shows you what I mean.

http://members.shaw.ca/betterthanyoutoo/bellhousing/gm_bellhousing_bolt_patterns.htm

Everything V-8 your vintage used the top two EXCEPT your 4.1 litre, it used a 3rd pattern called "GM Small Corporate Pattern" since the 4.1 was an experimental turd that was the forerunner to the Northstar line of engines.

[Guest]

so according to your reckoning, the answer to my question would be a "no."

[hotroddwayne]

The only engines that'll bolt up with your tranny is the 4.1L V8, 4.5L V8, 4.9L V8 according to the chart if you have the 4.1 litre V-8.
If you have the 4.1 litre V-6 all of the older Pontiac, Olds, Buick, & Caddy V-8 engines will bolt up to that tranny.
(Sorry, forgot to mention there are two 4.1 litre GM engines, a V6 & V8)
I know this is confusing so that's why I linked the chart, it's very helpful to refer to. Back in the late '70's - early '80's when you bought a GM product you really never knew what engine you were getting until you opened the hood! They just put in whatever was handy that day so you could buy a new 1979 Buick Regal & it might have any of the GM V-8 engines in it. The only sure thing was if you ordered a diesel... then you got a converted 350 Olds engine.
GM eventually got hammered for this practice (& fined) and stopped doing it.

[Beladona_13]

Although, by the same token, swapping any of the other engines in would be feasible if you also added the appropriate TH200R4 trans. Want a 472? Use the 200R4 with the BOP bell housing? (just don't mash the skinny pedal too often!) Want to go with a boring old small block chevy? There's a 200R4 for that too! Sometimes it pays to have a generic trans...

[Guest]

If i'm going to do it, i'd like to keep it a cadillac engine. Preferably at least one of the 5.7s. i can't see doing all that work just to put a 4.9 in there.

i don't suppose there are any adapter kits?

I guess i'd just have to find one of the old broughams that had the 5.7 or the 6.0 and just get the whole drive train out of it.

[Guest]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_GM_bellhousing_patterns

based on this page - it doesn't look like it could be converted to me. but what do i know?